Effect of Pollination at Different Times on Fruit Setting, Fruit Drop, Yield and Physical Characteristics of Fruit of cultivar Dhakki under the Agro-climatic Conditions of D.I. Khan-Pakistan

Manual pollination of female whorls (W1, W2, W3) was carried out at different times of spathe opening viz. one day before spathe opening), (on the day of spathe opening), one, two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve, sixteen, and twenty days after opening on cv. Dhakki for two successive years at the Date Palm Orchard of Gomal University, D. I. Khan. The maximum fruit setting was recorded when pollination was carried out at early stages and up to 4 days after spathe opening. Fruit setting was significantly reduced with pollination beyond six days of spathe opening. The fruit setting in later whorl W3 was more as compared to early whorl W1. Pollination up to six days after spathe opening reduced fruit drop significantly, Maximum reduction in fruit drop was recorded in later whorls (W3 & W2). The fruit weight was also significantly affected by pollination time on different whorls. Fruit size, length and breadth were not significantly affected by Pollinating female whorls at different times. However, fruit pulp weight was significantly influenced. Higher pulp weight was reported with pollination up to eight days after spathe opening. The fruit yield was significantly affected by whorls as well as pollination times. Pollination up to four days after spathe opening gave maximum fruit yield per bunch which differed significantly from all other treatments. The findings suggest that for maximum fruit setting, reducing fruit drop and highest yields, the cv. Dhakki should be manually pollinated one day before spathe opening up to 4 or 6 days after spathe opening.