EFFECT OF DIFFERENT POLLINATION TECHNIQUES ON FRUIT SET, POMOLOGICAL CHARACTERS AND YIELD OF DHAKKI DATE PALM (PHOENIX DACTYLIFERA L) IN DERA ISMAIL KHAN, KP.

The experiment was designed to compare the effectiveness of different pollination techniques i.e. natural as well as artificial methods and their response to fruit setting percentage, yield and yield contributing traits of Dhakki date at Gomal University Date Palm Research Orchard during the fruit season 2001 and 2002. The treatments including dusting of pollens, placement of male spath, liquid spraying of pollens as well as natural process of pollination (control) were carried out on female flowers. Results revealed that different pollination techniques had significantly affected the fruit setting and other quality parameters. Moreover, the highest fruit set of 89.3% and 88.9% were recorded in the placement method and while the lowest fruit set (21.1 and 41.2%) was observed in the control in both years. In addition to fruit set, consistent results were revealed by placement method in respect of fruit weight, length, pulp, seed weight and bunch weight (kg tree-1). It was concluded that placement method was found instrumental one for improving yield and quality in Dhakki date palm under the agro-climatic conditions of Dera Ismail Khan.