The main topics of the Seventh International Date Palm Conference can be summarized as follows:
Current Status of Date Palm Cultivation.
Based on developments and experiences of the UAE and other date growing countries during the last 30 years, the following topics shall be presented:
- UAE date palm cultivation experience;
- Date industry in other date palm growing countries;
- Impacts of date palm culture on the environment and desertification control.
Mejhoul Variety: Origin, Distribution and International market.
- Mejhoul Origin and geographical distribution
- Edapho-climatic requirements
- Propagation techniques
- Fruit Chemical and physical characteristics
- Marketing standards
- Recent large scale Mejhoul plantations
- Mejhoul cultivation in Kingdom of Morocco, Arab Republic of Egypt, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, State of Palestine, Israel, USA, Mexico, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of South Africa, and Namibia.
- FAO, ICARDA, AOAD, AARINENA, ACSAD
- Regional and International marketing
- Importance of Mejhoul in the date palm strategies of the MENA countries
- Expected impact of the date palm strategies of the MENA countries on the date regional and international marketing
- Conclusions and recommendations
Date Palm Improvement.
Articles prepared by eminent scientists and experts on the following subjects will be put forward for discussion:
- Molecular and genetic engineering.
- Germplasm and propagation.
- Improved date palm cultural practices.
- Importance and Advantages of Organic Date Palm cultivation.
Date Palm Protection.
- Major diseases of date palm;
- Major pests of date palm with a special focus on Red Palm Weevil;
- Physiological disorders.
Date Palm Processing and Marketing
All harvest, nutritional and commercial aspects from field to consumer table will be presented:
- Post-harvest and processing technologies;
- Nutrition and beneficial health aspects;
- Date conditioning and packaging;
- Date marketing and international trade.
Additionally, the conference will have brief invited presentations from the winners of the 2019 & 2020 Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation.
Several round tables and brainstorming meetings will be organized. A detailed program of the conference will be e-mailed to participants before their arrival to UAE.
