Artificial 'pollination' Imperative For Enhanced Dates Production

Agriculture experts believed farmers should opt for 'artificial pollination' techniques for successful fertilization to get quality production of dates in a bigger size

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Feb, 2023 ) :Agriculture experts believed farmers should opt for 'artificial pollination' techniques for successful fertilization to get quality production of dates in a bigger size.

Dates are cultivated nearly on an area of 100,000 hectres (99404 to be exact) yielding a national production of 564,220 tons with Punjab contributing 37685 tons from 4636 hectres, agriculture spokesman said in a statement.

Pakistan mostly exports dates in a dried form traditionally called 'Chohara' and lesser in value-added forms. However, it still attracts much-needed foreign exchange from markets including Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Greece, Denmark, India, Germany, Nepal, Spain, Sri Lanka, USA, UK and others.

Over 300 dates varieties are grown in Pakistan. In Punjab, it is grown in 11� districts of south Punjab comprising three divisions including Multan, Bahawalpur, and Dera Ghazi Khan besides Jhang, and Faisalabad districts.

Pollination, an integral process of fertilization on way to date fruit formation, usually relied on traditional means of transportation of male pollen grains to females like air, birds or pollinator beas.

Male and female date plants are separate and experts advise farmers to keep the plantation ratio at one male to 10 female plants (1:10) in an orchard.

However, the steady growth of dates area might make it difficult for farmers to get male pollen grains, the spokesman said adding that artificial pollination can resolve the issue.

Explaining the process, he said that date flowers, male and female, are grown within the seashell shape and these shells usually open by the end of March. Male flowers open 10 days before the opening of female flowers.

Farmers should cut the male seashells containing date flowers in shady and airy places. The seashells are cut open to take out flowers which should be left to dry at a moisture-free shady place. Then these flowers are converted into NC powdered form and kept in glass jars or paper bags. This powder is sprinkled on female plants twice or thrice for better production. The use of pollination tools for this task would save resources. No water should be given to plants during the process of seashell formation.

Farmers should know that female flowers accept male pollen grains only during a three-day duration and they will have to complete the pollination process within this time to get better production.