التغيرات الموسمية في الصفات الطبيعية والكيميائية لثمار صتفي نخيل البلح روثانة وربيعة

This research was conducted on two date palm cultivars; Rothana and Raiba, at Hada Al-Sham region during two successive seasons (1995, 1996). The objective of the study was studying the seasonal changes in physical and chemical fruit properties during the growth under arid land conditions, in order to determine the fruit ripening and the appropriate time for picking. Growth of date fruits was characterized by rapid increases in fruit weight, flesh and seed weight. The maximum values were noticed after 16 and 18 weeks from pollination for Rabia and Rothana cultivars, respectively. Meanwhile, slight decrease in such properties were observed at rutab stage (ripening). There was a negative relationship between moisture and total soluble solids percentages (TSS%). The TSS% reached its maximum value at fruit ripening, where the moisture percentage was at its minimum. Acidity percentage showed fluctuations up and down during the process of growth till it reached its minimum value at ripening in both cultivars.