الفهرس 
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Abstract
This study was conducted in a private orchard situated at Abo-El-Riesh village at Aswan district, Aswan Governorate during three consecutive seasons of 2002, 2003 and 2004 in which both tissue culture derived and conventionally propagated by offshoots dry date palm cvs Bartemoda, Sakkoti, Gendiala and Balady were selected for achievement of this study. The tissue culture derived plants produced by apical meristem were imported from France. All palms in both propagation methods were at the same age (5-years old) at the experiment start, good vigour, free from insects and diseases. . Pollination was uniformly carried out to avoid residues of metaxenia by using known and viable pollens. Soil texture is silty clay.
This study was conducted to assess the uniformity of tissue culture derived palms to the conventionally propagated dry date palm cvs Bartemoda, Sakkoti, Gendiala and Balady. Also, selecting the best date palm cv. and the optimum technique of propagation were concerned.
The experiment included eight treatments consisted from two methods of propagation (1st factor) and four dry date palm cvs (2nd factor). The two methods of propagation were tissue culture and offshoots. The four dry date palm cvs were Bartemoda, Sakkoti, Gendiala and Balady. Each treatment replicated three times, two palms per each.
This experiment was laid out in completely randomised block design in split plot arrangement where the two propagation methods occupied the main plots and the four dry date palm cvs ranked the sub-plots.
In each season, for making a conclusion for this evaluation study, the following measurements were determined:
1. Negative growth parameters:
1.1. Palm height and girth (m):
1.2. Number of offshoots / palm.
1.3. Number of produced leaves / palm / year.
1.4. Leaf morphology characters namely leaf length and width (m), number of leaflets / leaf, number of spines /leaf, spine length leaflet area and leaf area (m2).
2. Flowering and fruit set parameters:
2.1. Date of spathes bursting:
2.2. Length and girth of spathe.
2.3. Number of strands/spathe.
2.4. Number of flowers /strand.
2.5. Percentage of initial fruit setting.
2.6. Percentage of ultimate fruit setting.
3. Yield and quality parameters:
3.1. Yield/palm.
3.2. Number of bunches/palm.
3.3. Bunch weight (kg).
3.4. Weight of fruit/seed and flesh%.
3.5. Fruit volume and dimensions (height and diameter).
3.6. Length of seed.
3.7. Fruit shape.
3.8. Moisture percentage.
3.9. Total soluble solids percentage.
3.10. The percentages of total, reducing and non-reducing sugars.
3.11. Percentage of total acidity.
3.12. Total soluble solids / acid.
3.13. Percentages of soluble tannins and crude fibres.
4. Mineral content of dates:
4.1. Percentages of N and crude proteins.
4.2. Contents of P, K, Ca, Mg and Fe.
The nearly same obtained data in both seasons were summarized as follows:
1. Growth characters in the four date palm cvs propagated through tissue culture and offshoots:
Growth characters namely height and girth of palm, number of offshoots/palm, number of produced leaves/palm, leaf dimensions, number of leaflets/leaf, leaflet dimensions, area of leaflet and leaf as well as number of spines/leaf and spine length of the four date palm cvs were materially varied among the two methods of propagation. Propagation through offshoots considerably improved such growth traits compared to micropropagation.
These growth characters were clearly differed among the four dry date palm cvs. They were maximized in date palm cvs Bartemoda, Sakkoti, Gendiala and Balady, in descending order.
Growth criteria were maximized in dry date oalm cv. Bartemoda propagated conventionally. Micropropagation of date palm cv. Balady gave the minimum values.
2. Date of spathes bursting in the four date palm cvs propagated through tissue culture and offshoots:
Spathes of the four date palm cvs derived from offshoots were early bursted by a week compared to those from date palms propagated through tissue culture. Date of spathes bursting was the third week of February for offshoots propagated palms and was the last week of February for micropropagated palms.
All dry date palm cvs under study bursted their spathes at the same date. Date of spathes bursting ranged from the third week of February till the first week of March in all dry date palm cvs.
The interaction between methods of propagation and the dour dry date palm cvs had meaningless effect on date of spathes bursting.
3. Spathe dimensions in the four date palm cvs propagated through tissue culture and offshoots:
Propagation in both methods certainly determined length and girth of spathe in the four date palm cvs. Propagation through offshoots method resulted in the highest values rather than propagation with tissue culture.
Length and girth of spathe were dependent on cultivars of date palm, since they were maximized in date palm cvs Bartemoda, Sakkoti, Gendiala and Balady, in descending order.
Propagation of date palm cv. Bartemoda through offshoots gave the maximum values. Date palm cv.. Balady micropropagated gave the lowest values.
4. Number of strands/bunch and number of flowers/strand in the four date palm cvs propagated through tissue culture and offshoots:
Number of strands/bunch and number of flowers/strand in the four date palm cvs were obviously changed according to propagation methods. Conventional methods of propagation substantially increased number strands/bunch and number of flowers/strand in the four date palm cvs compared to micropropagation.
The maximum values were detected on date palm cvs Bartemoda, Sakkoti, Gendiala and Balady, in descending order.
Propagation through offshoots of Bartemoda date palm cv. was accompanied with maximizing number of strands/bunch and number of flowers/strand. The minimum values were recorded on date palm cv. Balady produced through tissue culture.
5. Percentages of initial and ultimate fruit setting as well as yield and bunch weight in the four date palm cvs propagated through tissue culture and offshoots :
Percentages of initial and ultimate fruit setting, yield and bunch weight were remarkably associated with the type of propagation. They were maximized in the date palm cvs propagated through offshoots compared to micropropagation.
Varying date palm cvs was accompanied with changing percentages of initial and ultimate fruit setting, yield (weight (kg) and number of bunches/palm) and bunch weight. The date palm cvs Bartemoda, Sakkoti, Gendiala and Balady recorded the maximum values, in descending order.
Bartemoda date palm propagated through offshoots had the higher values and Balady date palm produced via micropropagation gave the lowest values.
6. Harvesting date and fruit quality as well as physical and chemical characteristics in the four date palm cvs propagated through tissue culture and offshoots:
Propagation through offshoots greatly advanced harvesting date in the four date palm cvs compared to propagation through tissue culture. Harvesting date of date palm cvs produced through offshoots was the first week of September, while those propagated via tissue culture harvested on the middle of September. Physical and chemical characters of fruits of the four date palm cvs were obviously enhanced in terms of increasing weight, volume, height and diameter of fruits, total soluble solids %, total, reducing and non-reducing sugars % and total soluble solids/acid and decreasing weight and length of seed, total acidity %, soluble tannins % and crude fibres % in the fruits of date palm propagated through offshoots compared to those micropropagated.
The four dry date palm cvs harvested at the same time. The great promotion on physical and chemical characters of fruits was detected on date palm cvs Bartemoda, Sakkoti, Gendiala and Balady, in descending order.
The great hastening in harvesting date and fruit quality was observed in date palm cv. Bartemoda propagated through offshoots.
Flesh percentage as well as fruit shape did not alter with varying propagation methods and date palm cvs.
7. Moisture and mineral content of fruits in the four date palm cvs propagated through tissue culture and offshoots:
Varying propagation methods or date palm cvs had negligible influence on moisture percentage in the fruits. Propagation of the four dry date palm cvs through offshoots materially increased N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Fe as well as proteins %. The maximum values of nutrients and proteins % were detected on dry date palm cvs Bartemoda, Sakkoti, Gendiala and Balady, in descending order.
Bartemoda date palm propagated through offshoots gave the maximum values of nutrients and protein % in the fruits. The lowest values were registered in Balady date palm derived from tissue culture technique.