PEST MANAGEMENT:
Because of the hot dry climate, the date palm tree
is relatively free from serious diseases comparing to other fruit trees.
Yet, there are some pests and diseases that can affect the palm growth
and yield even though it may not kill the tree completely. Therefore, I
am going to mention the pests that are associated with some cultural practices
to control the pests that infest palm tree. Cleaning of the palm orchard,
leaf pruning and good cultural practices are the most effective way to
prevent the spread and infection of diseases and infestation of various
pests and animals. One pest that attack date palm tree is the red Indian
palm weevil Pseudophilus testaceus. borers of this kind may weaken or kill
the palm tree. These boring beetles are controlled by cultural practices
through the removal of leaf basis and keep the trunk clean which makes
it hard for the weevil to adopt it as a habitat. Other method is done for
small trees is to bring a small shrub plant that grows naturally in the
mountains called locally Harmel and place it in the crown of the tree.
Although, there are no literature to prove the reaction of beetles to this
plant, this method proves its efficiency in keeping the beetles away from
the tree. Ants are troublesome to the tree and the farmer as well. Popenoe
reported that the first biological control method against pest by their
natural enemies was observed in southern Arabia where the growers set one
kind of ant to fight another . This method seemed very successful to farmers
of that time, however, nowadays they found a relief in applying pesticides
to control ants, the good and the bad alike. In the past, locusts were
gathered by village people as a source of food and eaten fried. This helped
in controlling and limiting the damage that is caused by this insect. Mice
and rodents are serious pests could cause a great damage to the tree by
eating roots and tender leaves and chewing the fruits. These may be controlled
by trapping, poisoning or shooting. Date bug Asarcopus palmarum could cause
a great damage and yield loss if not controlled through pesticide, in the
past this pest either was not known or its damage was not significant as
it is now. Mites, scale insects and other pests are of minor damage to
the palm trees in Oman, so clean cultivation, spreading ash, natural enemies
and cultural practices are sufficient means of controlling them.
HARVESTING
Harvesting season may extend the whole summer for
three months according to the cultivars and the purpose of marketing and
consumption. Some cultivars of date palm are consumed at Bisr or Khalal
stage as well which is right after the final color has developed such as
mabsili cv. They are cooked and dried. The tabseer (cooking of bisr) is
practiced in Sharqyia and Dhahira areas in small traditionally built factories.
Dates are put in boilers and cooked over a slow fire for half and hour,
the dates then taken out and spread on mats to dry in the sun. Then dates
are packed as candies and consumed locally or to be exported to neighboring
countries. 
Picking dates for fresh market or as a fresh soft fruit
starts after the fruits turn to the ripe color and the lower half of the
tree get soft and brown ( rutab stage), such as naghal and khasab cv. After
several pickings, the raceme is usually cut off. Most of the dates are
consumed this way in Oman. Variation in cultivars earliness ripening provide
fresh dates for the whole summer and fall seasons. This is another reason
for having more than one cultivar in the same small farms. Dry or ripe
dates tamr is the latest to be harvested for overwinter storage until the
next season such as Fardh cv. Harvesting according to Elmardi is done by
cutting the branches and lowering it on to mats spread on the ground around
the tree. This is done to protect the harvested dates from being damaged
and bruised or getting dirty by soil particles when lowering the bunches.
If the fruits are ripe and dry, the bunches normally dropped from the tree
onto the mates. If the dates are not all ripe, the fully ripe dates will
be separated from the strands by shaking the bunch over the mat. The harvesting
usually require the help of more than one family since it takes a great
deal of effort and time to get the dates gathered after bunch cut. Normally,
the men climb the tree and cut the bunches, while the women and children
pick up the fruit that falls. The unripe ones either pulled by hand or
left on the branch to ripen. Early cultivars, such as naghal, are harvested
during the second half of May and early June and later cultivars, such
as khasab, are harvested during July and August. Omanis climb trees barefoot
or use rope (made of palm fiber) connected to a wide harness made of wool
know as sawie. Other harvesting containers are made of date palm leaves
and wood.
STORAGE AND MARKETING
After harvesting dates either marketed promptly or
stored to be marketed and consumed at off season during the winter. 
Different
forms of dates are sold in the market; they are soil at bisr, rutab, or
tamar stages and either fresh, cooked with honey or boiled. There are few
modern date processing factories in the Sultanate that buy part of the
farmer's dates for processing. However, in the past the dates were brought
to a public place where the dates are sold either by weight or by auction
when it is in large quantities. The insect infested or deformed dates are
sold as feed for animals in the same local market place ( called suq).
The surplus from local marked used to be exported to other countries. According
to Elmardi , caravans of 500-600 camels could be seen moving toward Sur,
which was a major port, carrying dates from Sharqiya and Dakhlia regions.
Packing of dates for storage or marketing is still practiced but has been
altered by modern packing containers that are made of plastic and modern
storage facilities. There are two types of packing containers one is called
Farsallah which is a long crate made of palm leaves and the smaller one
is called Qausarah. Some other containers are also used such as jars made
of clay, wood boxes, or cloth or plastic sacks. Dates are cleaned thoroughly
before packing with water and left in the sun to dry for several days on
a bed or reeds, or pebbles, or on a mate, or a hard floor, or a roof. Several
days later, the dates are graded and classified as to size, quality, and
degree of maturity depending on the market requirement; pitting and capping
is also carried out during this time for high quality cultivar dates. Afterward,
dates brought down to where it is packed by the farmers using their hands
and legs to press the dates in the crate. Spices sometimes are added at
this point to reduce pest infestation and give a flavor to the dates when
consumed. Special care is giving to high quality cultivars when packing
for their high prices and good desirable quality. After packing the crates
are placed in the storage room. Majority of the date growing farmers have
their own storage room in their houses. In large farms, storage houses
are built to accommodate large date quantities The storage room is well
ventilated and relatively cool because it is usually built of clay. The
crates are positioned above ground level with small ditches underneath
them to allow the molasses to drain out from the crates into a container
for later use. The dates last for two years with this kind of storage system
or until consumed or marketed. This provide a sources of food for year
long rich of carbohydrates and other nutritional minerals.
THE UTILIZATION OF DATE PALM BY-PRODUCTS
Date palms are not only grown for their fruit,
but for several other uses of their parts. The utilization of every part
of the palm has been known for long time among farmers. Leaflets of the
palm in all its stages are cut for weaving and plaiting. Some of the items
that are made of palm leaflets include like brooms, ropes of different
thickness, mates, fans, brushes, containers and baskets, and baggage animal
panniers, as well as small items such as funnels, strainers, and sieves
. Leaves, beside other dry parts, are burned as fuel. Different items could
be made from the palm fiber, many of them being built up from the same
basic broad strip which was deftly and firmly plaited in lengths and then
stored until needed. Items that are made from fiber include small lidded
baskets, mates, hand-on fans, robes and food storage containers. Even some
vessels were reported to be made and held by palm fiber hence iron nails
were not available. Because of their strength, the trunk of the tree and
the leaves are basic materials in old mud or wood houses. Most of the doors,
windows, shelves and roofs are basically shaped leaves and trunks of old
or dead palms that are cut down. Wide variety of small and large items
were and still made from different parts of date palm. It was the main
source of income and life for years and it will remain one of the honored
trees from people who appreciate the benefits of the palm tree, the gold
of the desert.
