The Current Status of the Date Palm Tree
(Phoenix dactylifera L.) and its Uses
in the Gaza Strip, Palestine
الوضع الحالي لشجرة النخيل واستخداماتها في قطاع غزة
Eqbal Sufyan Radwan
Supervised by
Abdel Fattah N. Abd Rabou
Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biological Sciences
January/2017
Abstract
Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is considered one of the most important fruit crops in Palestine. Its cultivation has been known for thousands of years. It has a major socio-economic importance due to its commercial, nutritional, environmental, social, health and religious values. It possesses a minimum water demand and tolerates high levels of salinity and harsh weather. Due to its importance as a resistant and strategic crop facing serious threats, the current study comes to investigate the current status of the Date Palm tree and its uses in the Gaza Strip. Field surveys and questionnaire interviews (N=150) were applied to fulfill the purpose of the study.
The current study revealed a total number of 250,000 trees of Date Palm in the whole Gaza Strip. Its cultivation is more concentrated in the Middle Governorate. At least, 19 cultivars have been recorded locally with the Hayani, Barhee and Bentaisha are the most common. The average of balah production in the last years was 12,000 – 15,000 ton per year. The Red Palm Weevil (RPW) is a major serious pest threatening the sustainable production of the Date Palm sector in the Gaza Strip. The introduction of infected offshoots from Egypt and ability of adult weevils to fly long distance seem to be main causes of the local infections discovered in late 2011. Different control techniques have been adopted by the responsible parties to combat the insect. More than 40 industries have been found to be associated with Date Palm trees in the Gaza Strip. Handicraft production and food industries are the main creative uses of the Date Palm by the Palestinian community.
The results of the questionnaire survey in the Middle Governorate pointed out that the Hayani cultivar was grown by all respondents. About 59% of the respondents suffered from the decrease of the number of Date Palm trees in their orchards due to different causes including Israeli procedures and pest attacks. The average production of the Date Palm tree reaches 130 kg per year. As far as wildlife is concerned, 55.3% of the respondents ensured the occurrence of tens of vertebrate faunistic species in their Date Palm orchards. All respondents were aware of the environmental values and the popular uses and industries achieved by Date Palm trees and this is a good sign of consideration. 70.7% of respondents were found to produce household products such as Ajwa, Eid cakes, molasses, etc.
With regard to the threats facing the Date Palm sector in the Gaza Strip, 90.0% confirmed such risks and problems. The Israeli occupation with its military operations and the outbreak of RPW are main crucial threats. About 77% used a variety of chemical pesticides to combat and eliminate Date Palm pests. 84.0% believed that the local projects of Date Palm cultivation have several advantages such as the provision of self-sufficiency and food security, improvement of productivity and national income and reduction of unemployment rate. Finally, the study recommends the improvement of the processes of Date Palm cultivation, production and marketing, and the cooperation of the different parties to ensure good sustainable development of this sector in the Gaza Strip.
Key words: Date Palm, cultivars, Red Palm Weevil, public uses, Gaza Strip.
ملخص الدراسة
تعتبر شجرة النخيل من المحاصيل األكثر أهمية في فلسطين. عرفت زراعة النخيل في قطاع غزة منذ آلاف السنين. لشجرة النخيل أهمية اجتماعية اقتصادية نظراً لقيمتها التجارية والغذائية والبيئية والاجتماعية والصحية والدينية. وتتميز بأنها تتطلب الحد الأدنى من المياه وتتحمل مستويات عالية من الملوحة ومن الظروف القاسية. بالرغم من أهمية النخيل كمحصول استراتيجي مقاوم، إلا أنه يواجه مهددات خطيرة. وبالتالي هدفت الدراسة الحالية لتقصى الحالة الراهنة ألشجار النخيل واستخداماتها في قطاع غزة. تم عمل مسوحات ميدانية ومقابالت استبيانية (150 = N ) لتحقيق هدف الدراسة.
كشفت الدراسة الحالية أن العدد الكلي ألشجار النخيل في قطاع غزة حوالي 250 ألف شجرة، 67 % منها هي أشجار مثمرة. تتركز زراعة النخيل بشكل كبير في المحافظة الوسطى. تم تسجيل تسعة عشر صنفاً على الأقل من أصناف النخيل والأصناف الأكثر شيوعاً هي الحياني والبرحي وبنت العيش. بلغ متوسط إنتاج البلح في السنوات الأخيرة 12,000-15,000 طن في السنة. تعتبر آفة سوسة النخيل الحمراء من الآفات الأكثر خطورة والتي تهدد الإنتاج المستدام للنخيل في قطاع غزة. ويبدو أن ادخال الفسائل المصابة من مصر وقدرة الحشرة على الطيران لمسافات طويلة هو السبب الرئيسي في انتشار العدوى بهذه الآفة والتي اكتشفت في أواخر عام 2011 . تم استخدام تقنيات مختلفة لمكافحة هذه الآفة من قبل الجهات المختصة. يوجد أكثر من 40 صناعة واستخداماً عاماُ تعتمد على أشجار النخيل في قطاع غزة . وتعتبر المشغولات اليدوية والصناعات الغذائية من أهم الاستخدامات في المجتمع الفلسطيني.
أظهرت نتائج الاستبانة في المحافظة الوسطى أن صنف الحياني يزرع من قبل جميع المستجيبين. ويعاني 59% من المستجيبين من تناقص أعداد أشجار النخيل في بساتينهم لأسباب مختلفة من أهمها الممارسات الإسرائيلية ومهاجمة الآفات. يبلغ متوسط إنتاج شجرة النخيل 130 كغم. وفيما يتعلق بالحياة البرية، أكد 55.3 %من المستجيبين بوجود العشرات من الحيوانات الفقارية في بساتينهم. جميع المستجيبين كانوا واعين للقيم البيئية وللاستخدامات الشعبية والصناعات المرتبطة بشجرة النخيل وهذا مؤشر جيد يجب أن يؤخذ بعين الاعتبار. أكد جميع المستطلعين على وجود استخدامات شعبية وصناعات مرتبطة بشجرة النخيل. أشارت نتائج الدراسة إلى أن 70.7 %من المستجيبين يقومون بإنتاج منتجات منزلية مثل العجوة، وكعك العيد، والدبس وغيرها.
أما فيما يتعلق بالتهديدات والمخاطر التي تواجه قطاع النخيل في قطاع غزة, أكد 90.0 %من المستجيبين على وجود مثل هذه المشاكل والمهددات ويعتبر الاحتلال الإسرائيلي وانتشار آفة سوسة النخيل الحمراء الأكثر تهديداً وخطورة. حوالي 77.3% من المستجيبين يستخدمون أنواع مختلفة من المبيدات الكيميائية لمكافحة الآفات التي تصيب أشجار النخيل. يعتقد 84.0% من المستجيبين أن مشاريع زراعة النخيل لها أهمية بيئية واقتصادية مثل ضمان الاكتفاء الذاتي والأمن الغذائي, زيادة الإنتاجية والدخل القومي, والحد من نسبة البطالة في المجتمع الفلسطيني وأخيراً توصي الدراسة بتحسين عمليات زراعة وإنتاج وتسويق النخيل, وعلى تعاون الجهات المختلفة لضمان التنمية المستدامة لهذا القطاع الزراعي البالغ الأهمية في قطاع غزة.
كلمات مفتاحية: نخيل البلح, أصناف, سوسة النخيل الحمراء, الاستخدامات العامة, قطاع غزة.
Table of contents
Declaration................................................. II
Abstract.......................................................III
Abstract in Arabic language ....................IV
Dedication................................................... V
Acknowledgment........................................VI
Table of Contents........................................VII
List of Table.................................................IX
List of Figure .............................................. X
List of Abbreviations................................... XIII
List of Appendixes........................................XIV
Chapter 1 Introduction ................................. 1
1.1 Overview................................................. 2
1.2 Problem................................................... 6
1.3 Objectives .............................................. 6
1.4 Singnificans ........................................... 6
Chapter 2 Literature Review.......................... 8
2.1 History of Date Palm ............................... 9
2.2 Geographic distribution of Date Palm .... 12
2.3 Worldwide production of Date Palm......... 13
2.4 Botanical description of Date Palm .......... 15
2.5 Reproductive biology of the Date Palm..... 17
2.6 Cultivation of Date Palm ........................... 18
2.7 Harvest and postharvest handling of Date Palm...20
2.8 Uses of Dates and Date Palm............................... 22
2.9 Date Palm cultivars grown in the MENA............ 23
2.10 Pests and diseases of Date Palm ........................ 26
2.11 Date Palm in Palestine ....................................... 30
2.12 Previous studies on Date Palm............................ 32
Chapter 3 Methodology............................................... 37
3.1 Materials and Methods........................................... 38
3.1.1 Study area ........................................................... 38
3.1.2 Site and institutional visits.................................. 38
3.1.3 Outbreak and control of Red Palm Weevil.......... 41
3.1.4 Structured and semi-structured interviews........... 41
3.1.5 Questionnaire design and application................... 42
3.1.6 Photography........................................................... 42
3.1.7 Data analysis.......................................................... 42
Chapter 4 Results............................................................ 43
4.1 Distribution of the Date Palm in the Gaza Strip ....... 44
4.2 Date Palm cultivars grown in the Gaza Strip............. 44
4.3 Production of the Date Palm in the Gaza Strip.......... 47
4.4 The current status of the RPW in the Gaza Strip........ 48
4.4.1 Nature of the RPW .................................................. 48
4.4.2 Assessment of the RPW infestation in the Gaza Strip ... 53
4.4.3 Control levels of the RPW.............................................. 56
4.5 Industries associated with Date Palm .............................. 61
4.6 The questionnaire application........................................... 71
4.6.1 Personal profile of the research sample......................... 71
4.6.2 Date Palm orchards in the Middle Governorate .......... 75
4.6.3 Production of Date Palm in the Middle Governorate... 88
4.6.4 General uses and industries based on the Date Palm tree ..91
4.6.5 Threats facing Date Palm trees..................................... 94
4.6.6 The reality of the RPW in Date Palm orchards........... 99
4.6.7 Development and management of Date Palm sector...103
Chapter 5 Discussion .......................................................... 108
5.1 The Date Palm and its cultivars in the Gaza Strip .... 109
5.2 Production of Date Palm in the Gaza Strip................. 110
5.3 The current status of RPW in the Gaza Strip............. 111
5.4 Public uses and industries associated with the Date Palm tree.. 112
5.5 The socioeconomic questionnaire............................. 113
Chapter 6 Conclusions and Recommendations........... 117
6.1 Conclusions............................................................... 118
6.2 Recommendations..................................................... 119
Reference ........................................................................ 120
Appendixes ..................................................................... 129
List of Abbreviation
Abbreviation Full Name
ARIJ Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
ASDPD Al-Ahlyah Association for the Development of Date Palm
B.C. Before Christ
BCU Biological Control Unit
EQA Environmental Quality Authority
EHCRS Earth and Human Center for Research and Study
EPF Entomopathogenic Fungi
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
FAOSTAT Food and Agriculture Organization Statistical Database
GEF Global Environment Facility
GIS Geographic Information System
Ha Hectare
ICARDA International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas
IPM Integrated Pest Management
ISSR Inter Simple Sequence Repeats
IUG Islamic University of Gaza
Kg Kilogram
MENA Middle East and North Africa
MT Metric Ton
MMT Million Metric Tons
MOA Ministry of Agriculture
MSRD Al-Mosadder Society for Rural Development
PCBS Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
PNAPD Palestinian Al-Nakheel Association for Progress and Development
PNGOs Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations
PPE Personal Protective Equipment
RAPD Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA
RPW Red Palm Weevil
SGP Small Grants Programme
SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences
UNEP United Nations Environmental Programme
USA United States of America
UAE United Arab Emirate
Chapter 6
Conclusions and Recommendations
6.1. Conclusions
The present survey was conducted to assess and investigate the current status of the Date Palm in the Gaza Strip. This study is composed of two parts: field surveys and questionnaire application on 150 randomly selected respondents. The following conclusions could be drawn from the results obtained:
1. A total number of about 250,000 trees of Date Palm trees was revealed in the whole Gaza Strip, with the Middle Governorate and Khan Younis are the mostly cultivated areas with this strategic crop.
2. A total number of 19 Date Palm cultivars was recorded in the Gaza Strip with the Hayani is the most commonly grown cultivar. The average of balah production reaches 12,000 – 15,000 ton per year.
3. The Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is the most serious pest threatening Date Palms in the Gaza Strip, and as a result, different control techniques have been used locally to combat the pest.
4. Many local public uses and industries are associated with Date Palm trees. Handicraft production and food industries (Ajwa, molasses and balah jam) are the best known products.
5. The Hayani cultivar was grown by all respondents interviewed.
6. 59.2% of the respondents ensured such a decrease of their Date Palm trees because of shortage of water, Israeli procedures and injury of Date Palm trees with pests and diseases.
7. 68.7% of the respondents believed that the Israeli occupation has a significant role in deterioration of palm sector.
8. Tens of floristic and vertebrate faunistic species were stated by respondents to occur in Date Palm orchards.
9. All respondents were aware of the environmental values achieved by Date Palms.
10. A variety of chemical pesticides has been to combat and eliminate palm pests. 76.0% of respondents were not care on using personal protective equipment during application of pesticides.
11. All respondents confirmed such popular and public uses based on the DatePalm tree. About 70.7% of the respondents produced household products such as production of Ajwa, Eid cakes, molasses, balah jam, coffee, biscuits,pies, pastries and luffa.
12. Most respondents believed on the importance of the local Date Palm projects.
6.2. Recommendations
In the light of the above conclusions, the following could be recommended:
1. Improvements on the processes of Date Palm cultivation and production should be adopted and encouraged by the responsible parties. These processes include fertilizations, pollination, irrigation, pruning and fruit thinning.
2. The selection of best Date Palm cultivars that are suitable for the Palestine environmental conditions is of utmost priority. The environmental and/or ecological roles and values of Date Palms should be respected as well.
3. The dependence on the products of the Date Palm as a resistant crop by the Palestinian community should be enhanced and promoted.
4. The challenges and constrains facing the local projects of Date Palm cultivation should be minimized using well-planned policies and management tools.
5. All effective measures to combat RPW should be applied. Special regards should be paid to biocontrol techniques in order to lower environmental harms or injuries. The role of universities and educational and research institutions in this regard is essential.
6. There is a need to provide facilities and training opportunities to the farmers in the Gaza Strip.
7. There is a need to train extension staff and farmers on the Date Palm production and processing by using different extension strategies.
8. The cooperation among the different parties to ensure good sustainable development of the Date Palm sector in the Gaza Strip is very essential.
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق