Date Palm Research

[TheReseacher]

Hello! 

I have been wondering for a while about these questions:

1. How do the dates from nuclear/singleton date palm differ in taste from those of a clustered date palm, even if they are the same species and grown in the same area under similar conditions?

2. Do the dates grown on different offshoots of a clustered palm tree taste the same or different?

I'd be grateful for any help with finding answers to these. Thanks a bunch!

[kinzyjr]

1 hour ago, TheReseacher said:

Do the dates grown on different offshoots of a clustered palm tree taste the same or different?

If they are clustering, the offshoots should have the same DNA.  Given the same conditions, the fruit should be the same.

[Xerarch]

Also if they are the same cultivar, i.e. medjool, all medjool are clones of the mother and if it isn't a clone that dates back to original 11 clones that were brought back to this country in 1927, then they can't be called a medjool, or insert whatever variety.  All P. dactylifera have a clumping habit, at least at younger ages.  They are only solitary because the offshoots are routinely removed until eventually I think they stop producing them. So there is no real difference in solitary vs clumping.  I'm sure solitary ones are easier to handle in the date groves as far as harvesting etc.  maybe a solitary one has less competition for water and nutrients so possibly could produce higher quality fruit (maybe) but as stated above, clumping/solitary are genetically the same given they are of the same variety.

[TheReseacher]

Thank you both.