Date Palm Plantation Establishment and Maintenance

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivation is expanding worldwide, particularly in regions where this crop has been recently introduced. Therefore, it is essential that proper practices are employed to ensure successful date production. Establishment of a date palm plantation necessitates knowledge of the climate, particularly temperature and rainfall, and field conditions, such as soil texture and structure and water quality and quantity. Suitable female date palm cultivars and male palms as source of pollen must be chosen, as the date palm is one of the few metaxenic crops. Furthermore, the cost associated with date palm plantation projects can be very high when cultural practices, including planting design, irrigation systems, fertilizer delivery units, pollination methods, bunch and fruit care, and harvest and postharvest operations, are not well planned for at the establishment phase of the project. This chapter covers the operations that are essential for successful date palm plantation establishment and maintenance. Recent advances in date palm cultivation and the use of technology and modern techniques in date palm cultivation are discussed. Prospects for date palm cultivation and the industry as it continues to expand globally, and the challenges associated with cultivating dates in new regions, are highlighted within the scope of climate change, food security, and socioeconomic development.