Issue No 5, January 1996.

NOTICE: Hard copies of the Australian New Crops Newsletter are available from the publisher, Dr Rob Fletcher. Details of availability are included in the Advice on Publications Available.

11.2 The Production and Potential of Dates in Australia

Contributed by Geoff Kenna, Regional Horticulturalist, Arid Zone Research Institute,
Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, PO Box 8760, Alice Springs, NT 0871

The date palm has possibly been grown under cultivation for its fruit longer than any other plant. While its exact origin is unknown it is thought to have occurred naturally in an area extending from the Euphrates to the Canary Islands. Date fruit was an important food item and was traded extensively along the trade routes of the old world.

Currently, the major date producing countries are Iran, Pakistan and the USA with countries such as China, Lebanon, Israel and Mexico also significant producers.

A long hot growing season is essential for good palm growth, high yields and high fruit quality. For good growth the total heat units for the six months growing period from flowering (mid-September in Australia) to fruit maturation (mid-March) must exceed 2000. The total heat units is calculated by summing the daily maximum temperatures minus 18°C. At Alice Springs the average total heat units for this period is 2 843.

While dates will grow on a wide range of soil types, freely draining sands or sandy loams with good moisture holding capacity and low salt levels are ideal. The level of rainfall during the maturation period is an important factor as splitting, checking and other disorders can occur if rain falls on the fruit during maturation. As the date palm is best suited to hotter climatic areas of Australia where evaporation rates are high and rainfall is low adequate supplies of irrigation water are essential if viable commercial crops of high quality fruit are to be produced.

The water requirements for date palms can be high. In Central Australia, palms in the first year require about 1.2 ML/ha and this increases to 5 ML/ha in year three, 10 ML/ha in year five and 27 ML/ha in year ten. Micro-irrigation techniques using drippers are the most efficient method of applying irrigation water.

The date palm can grow to 20 m in height and survive for over 80 years; however the commercial life of date palms is usually much less than this. Up to 25 leaves are produced each year and these have a functional life of about four years. In common with other palms, date palms have a single growing point and the plant will die if this is removed.

Date palms are dioecious, bearing the male and female flowers on separate plants. The root system is extensive with roots attaining lengths of 3-13 metres. Date palms can be propagated from seed but these do not produce fruit that is to true to type.

Propagation is also possible from offshoots which grow from the trunk of the tree. Most of these arise from the base of the trunk but some occur as aerial offshoots. After offshoots have reached a length of about 20 cm they can, with some difficulty, be removed from the tree and used as planting material. Offshoots have the same genetic characteristics as the parent palm. More recently, tissue culture techniques have been used to propagate date palms.

Commercial date palms are usually planted on a 9 m square pattern (ie 123 palms/ha) with one male palm per 30 females. Under good growing conditions, fruit production commences about five years after planting with peak bearing being obtained at year twelve. Average yields range from 5 kg/palm at year 6 (615 kg/ha) to 100 kg/palm at year 12 (12 300 kg/ha).

While the male flowers produce a large quantity of pollen which is attractive to bees, natural pollination generally results in poor yields. Consequently, in commercial production the female flowers are hand pollinated using pollen taken from the male palm.

The spathe is cut from the female flower as it begins to open and dried pollen from the male flowers is blown onto the female flowers using an applicator.

Date palms grown in hot dry areas, such as Alice Springs, have proved to be largely free from diseases. However, parlatoria scale, has proved to be a major pest in Australia and its eradication from the commercial date growing areas will be necessary if the date industry is to achieve its full potential in Australia.

Local Australian production has largely been restricted to the Alice Springs region. There are plantings in Alice Springs (the Mecca Date Gardens) , at Deep Well 80 km south of Alice Springs and at Limestone Bore 60 km south of Alice Springs.

More recently, plantings have been made at Gascoyne Junction in Western Australia and in the Cunnamulla-Eulo area in Western Queensland. The latter plantings total about 7 000 palms and many have been cropping for at least two years.

The demand for dates in Australia has steadily increased in recent years in line with increased migration from Islamic countries, where dates play an important part in the religious life of Islamic communities. Dates are imported both as fresh fruit and dried product.

In 1991-92 imports of dates were 3 800 tonnes valued at $ 7.7 million, of which about 31% were fresh dates. The bulk of imports came from Iran, Pakistan and the USA with China, Lebanon, Israel and Mexico also supplying significant quantities. Local production is 1994 was estimated at only 5 tonnes so there is considerable potential for an increase in local production.

Technical Bulletin No. 162 published by the NT Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries evaluates the economic and agronomic prospects for date production in Central Australia.

Contact: Dr Rob Fletcher, School of Land and Food, The University of Queensland Gatton College, 4345; Telephone: 07 5460 1311 or 07 5460 1301; Facsimile: 07 5460 1112; International facsimile: 61 7 5460 1112; Email: r.fletcher@mailbox.uq.edu.au

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originally created by: GK; latest update 6 June 1999 by: RF