Dates Quality Assessment of the Main Date Palm Cultivars Grown in Algeria

The present study deals with the characterization and evaluation of the morphological and biochemical quality of 54 date palm cultivars grown in Algeria. This work was done at Station of Algerian National Institute of Agricultural Research Touggourt Ouargla Algeria, between October 2007 and November 2010. We chose ten homogeneous palms tree for each cultivar. For each palm tree, 60 fruits without calyx are collected at rate of 6 to 7 fruits per bunch and on each bunch at various heights and orientations. Date fruits were harvested at a maturation stage. So, the obtained results show that the dates produced by Abdelazzaz, Bayd-El-kadhi, Baydh-Ghoul, Bent-Khbala, Deglet-Djdir, Dguel-Mghass, H'mira, Horra, Laadjina, Mezith, Sebaa-Bedraa, Takerboucht, Tantboucht, Tamsrit, Tanslit, Thaoudant, Timjouhert and Tindokan cultivars present the best morphological characteristics of the dates compared to the other cultivars. Sugars were the predominant components in all date palm fruits cultivars, ranging between 59.18 ± 1.68 to 92.04 ± 2.19 g/100g dry weight, followed by moisture i.e., 9.00 ± 1.16 - 44.00 ± 1.29 % and fiber, i.e., 2.00 ± 0.77 - ± 20.45 ± 1.48 g/100 g dry weight. However, they contain small amounts of protein i.e., 1.84 ± 0.38 - 2.75 ± 0.62 g/100g dry weight.The study of the date quality shows that the most of these cultivars present a combination of good and bad characters of fruit. At this effect, Cheikh-M’hamed and Deglet-Ziane cultivars present high sugars content and an acceptable moisture content but low dates weight and size. For these cultivars, the application of certain technical cultural practices could ameliorate the characteristics of their fruits. In conclusion, we could say that on the 54 cultivars studied, solely six ten such as, Aghares, Baydh-Elkadhi, Bouarous, Bouldjib, Dguel-M'ghas, Figuigue, Horra, Mezith, Ouarglia, Sebaa-Bedraa, Tacherouint, Tafazouine, Tamsrit, Tawragha, Timjouhert and Tindokan present a good physical and biochemical dates quality to knowledge, an elevated length, diameter and weight of the dates, an acceptable pH, an acceptable water content and a high sugars content.