Date Palm Pollination Management

Pollination is one of the most important and laborious agronomical practices in date cultivation, without which it is difficult to get the desired yield. Date palm pollen (DPP) has a major influence on fruit quality, development, and yield, which are widely influenced by pollen structure, viability, and germination capability. Under commercial cultivation, growers need to manage pollen by storing it at a cool temperature and mixing it with various adjuvants to dilute the quantity of the pollen used for pollination. The success of the pollination is further influenced by the female flowers and their receptivity, and thus proper vigilance is required to note the time of anthesis of the female inflorescence. Over the years, methods of pollination have improved and with the usage of mechanized tools the laborious pollination process has been made easier. Apart from pollination, pollen also has secondary uses for various medical ailments such as male sterility. DPP is also a potential cause of various respiratory ailments such as asthma and thus requires careful handling. This chapter discusses the importance of pollen, its structure, its method of utilization, xenia and metaxenia effects, alternative uses, and associated probable problems.