The Impact of Climatic Characteristics on Date Palm Cultivation and Production (An Applied Study on Al-Qaim District)

Abstract

This study was undertaken to examine the impact of climatic elements on date palm cultivation and production in Al-Qaim District, reflecting the growing importance of applied research in highlighting the potential and constraints associated with this agricultural activity. The study addresses the problem of how climatic characteristics contribute to variations in date palm cultivation and production across the administrative units of Al-Qaim District. Its hypothesis posits that climatic factors—specifically sunlight, temperature, humidity, wind, rainfall, and evapotranspiration—play a role in these variations across the district's administrative units. This study aims to examine the impact of climatic characteristics—such as sunlight, temperature, humidity, wind, rainfall, and evaporation—on the cultivation and production of date palms during the period from 1992 to 2023. It highlights the crop's nutritional importance to the population and its economic value to farmers, while also analyzing how these climatic factors contribute to variations in production volumes across different administrative units. An attempt is made to utilize these environmental conditions to analyze accumulated temperature, evapotranspiration, and the water balance—key factors in date palm cultivation and production. Findings indicate that the solar radiation required by the palms—ranging from 10 to 11 hours per day—is met in Al-Qaim District. Temperature requirements, ranging from 18°C ​​to 44°C, are also suitable. Furthermore, date production necessitates accumulated heat units exceeding 3,000; Al-Qaim recorded 4,446.9 heat units, a favorable level. Finally, relative humidity falls within the optimal range of 30% to 50%, creating ideal conditions. Regarding rainfall, the continental climate results in precipitation levels insufficient for date palm cultivation and production; consequently, irrigation is required to compensate—a fact confirmed by the application of the Najib Kharoufah equation, which yielded a water deficit of -1,842.9 mm/year. Wind speeds were found to be suitable, averaging 6.2 m/s, as adverse effects typically occur only when speeds exceed 6.5 m/s. As for evaporation, the equation indicated evapotranspiration values ​​of 1,972.1 mm/year, necessitating the use of irrigation to offset dry periods—despite the fact that date palms are among the most efficient trees at withstanding environmental stress caused by evapotranspiration. The study also examined the geographical distribution of date palm numbers and production volumes. It revealed that the total number of date palms in Al-Qaim District was 48,615; Al-Ubaidi recorded the highest number (30,520 trees, or 62.8%), while the district center recorded the lowest (7,840 trees, or 16.11%). Regarding production, the total volume reached 3,901 tons; Al-Ubaidi recorded the largest share (2,442 tons, or 62.59%), whereas the district center recorded the smallest (659 tons, or 16.89%). Finally, the study concluded with a set of findings, recommendations, and references.