ملخص البحث
Field experiment of this investigation was carried out on date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Zaghloul cultivar growing in Edco district, El-Behera Governorate, Egypt during the two successive seasons 2007 and
2008. Two previously studied pollinators were used in this study, named here (A) and (B). The experiment was designed as randomized complete blocks with four replicates (each spathe as one replicate) in addition to the
control (non-pollinated spathe). Furthermore, Physical and chemical characteristics of the pollinated fruits and non-pollinated ones were assessed. Regardless the time, results proved that pollinator (A) caused a significant increase in fruit weight, flesh weight, rag weight, fruit size, total soluble solids, reducing and non-reducing sugars, anthocyanin, vitamin C content, crude fibers content and a significant decrease in chlorophyll a, b contents as compared with pollinator (B). Meanwhile, pollinated spathes had remarkably greater fruit weight, flesh weight, rag weight, fruit size, total, reducing and non-reducing sugars, anthocyanin content, vitamin C
and higher crude fibers content as compared with the non-pollinated spathes. As the fruit progressed from the kimri to the khalal stage, there was a continuously significant increase in fruit weight, flesh weight, rag weight, fruit size, TSS, total sugars, reducing, non-reducing sugars and crude fibers from one sampling date to another until harvest. Non-pollinated spathes had significantly greater tannin contents, higher acidity and higher chlorophyll a, b contents in their fruits as compared with those on pollinated spathes. However, either pollinator (A) or (B) did not make a significant difference in tannins and acidity content of fruits on pollinated spathes. The time factor data indicated that there was a significant decrease in tannin content, titratable acidity and chlorophyll a, b contents in the fruit until the period preceding maturity (after 186 days of pollination).The time factor data indicated that there were different trends for both vitamin C and anthocyanin increments between the two seasons since in the first one, vitamin C and anthocyanin ceased to increase after 174 and 186 days of
pollination, respectively, while in the second season, this vitamin and anthocyanin continued to increase in a
significant manner until harvest. In conclusion pollinators have their metazenic effects especially on fruit
weight, size and flesh weight and pollinator (A) was superior to pollinator (B) in this regard.