Study on the on-farm diversity of local date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) genetic resources grown in Northern region of Sudan

Abstract: The status of the conservation of the date palm genetic resources (Phoenix dactylifera L.) in the Northern region of Sudan was assessed through morphological characterisation of mature trees on farm, by conducting interviewing farmers and by molecular analysis of samples collected from the field. The morphological characterisation was conducted on 116 date palm female farmers’ varieties and 20 male farmers’ varieties in the districts River Nile and Northern States using 18 vegetative and fruit characteristics (quantitative and qualitative). The results show that there are highly significant differences among cultivars/farmers’ variety with regard to all investigated characters. The genetic diversity in the date palm farmers’ varieties, 63 females and 12 males, was analyzed using microsatellite (SSR) loci. The investigated SSR markers exhibited a high level of polymorphism. A total of 92 alleles, with an average of 13.1 alleles per locus, were detected at 7 loci. A high level of expected heterozygosity was recorded among farmers’ varieties from River Nile., The value for the female and soft date palm farmers’ varieties were 0.804, 0.803 and 0.774, respectively. To investigate the current status of existing on-farm date palm production regarding preferred cultivars/farmers’ verities and threats facing the date palm culture, 215 date palm farmers were interviewed in River Nile and Northern State. The results show that Barakawi is the most preferred cultivar/farmers’ varieties while cvs. Um-dokan, Sakot, Berira, Sagaai and Kolmah were the least. The results show that introduction of new varieties, novel diseases and some socio-economic factors were the main problems facing date palm cultivation in the Northern region of the Sudan. The results of this study will contribute to the formulation of a national strategy for the conservation and sustainable use of date palm genetic resources in Sudan. This study suggests further studies to identify the origin of the seedling cultivars/farmers’ varieties (Jaw and males).