Evaluation of dust effects on leaf, cluster and yield of palm trees (case study, Saravan)

Saravan is one of the most date-growing regions of Iran, and the Mazafati cultivar is a high-yielding cultivar of this region. Dust phenomenon in this city occurs in summer, coinciding with the productivity of palm trees. In this study, the effect of dust on the leaves and clusters of date trees and its yield in three regions of Saravan, Jalqh, and Rutak with different dust intensities were investigated in 2016 and 2017. Five groves were selected in each of the three areas, and within each grove, five palm trees were identified, and five leaves from each tree were selected randomly. Sampling was done during May, June, July, and August. The results showed the effect of dust intensity on the drying of leaves, leaflets, and fruit marketing. According to statistical analysis, the amount of dust in the study areas during two consecutive years had a significant and undeniable effect on the changes in the studied traits. The results of the average comparison of the total yield of dates showed that the Saravan region had the highest yield, about 210.14 kg per tree, and the Jalqh and Rutak areas, respectively, had 129.57 and 63.77 kg per tree. These results showed about a 30 to 40% reduction in yield of Mazafati cultivar dates in the Rothak region with the highest dust intensity. The results showed the destructive effects of dust on the studied traits.