Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T19:31:40.814Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Phyllotaxis and handedness in date palm (Phœnix dactylifera L.)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2003

Mohammed Aziz Elhoumaizi ,
René Lecoustre  and
Abedllah Oihabi
Mohammed Aziz Elhoumaizi
Affiliation:
University Mohammed 1st, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, BP 724 Oujda 60 000, Morocco
René Lecoustre
Affiliation:
Cirad-amis, UMRA-AMAP, Avenue la lironde, PS2 / TA 40, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
Abedllah Oihabi
Affiliation:
University Cadi-Ayyad, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Department of Biology, BP 2390, Marrakech 40000, Morocco
Get access

Abstract

Introduction. The present study had as objectives to measure the palm leaf divergence angle in the field, to determine the frequency of trees and offshoots showing clockwise and counterclockwise phyllotaxis, to establish the relationship between phyllotaxis of the mother tree and that of its offshoots, and, finally, to determine the effect of the divergence angle value on production. Materials and methods. The vegetal material was composed of four Moroccan cultivars of Phœnix dactylifera L. Observations were conducted in the south of Morocco on 20 trees per cultivar and four offshoots per tree. The divergence angle was measured on adult trees whereas phyllotaxic direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) was noted for both offshoots and adult trees. Results and discussion. This study showed that the phyllotaxic direction of the offshoots presents a clockwise or counterclockwise phyllotaxis independently of the mother plant. The divergence angle varied depending on the cultivar. This character is an interesting criterion, both for the selection of the best adapted cultivars for the marginal date palm growing regions, and for an optimal production.

Keywords

MoroccoPhoenix dactyliferaphyllotaxyMarocPhoenix dactyliferaphyllotaxie
Type
Research Article
Information
Fruits , Volume 57 , Issue 5-6 , September 2002 , pp. 297 - 303
Copyright
© CIRAD, EDP Sciences

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Clouet, Y., Dolle, V., Aridité, oasis et petite production, exigences hydrauliques et fragilité sociale : une approche par analyse spatiale et socio-économique, Sécheresse 9 (2) (1998) 83-94.
Davis, T.A., Right-handed, left-handed and neutral palms, Principes 15 (1971) 63-68.
Douady, S., Couder, Y., La physique des spirales végétales, La Recherche 250 (1993) 24-35.
Jean R.V., Phyllotaxis: a systematic study in plant morphogenesis, Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, UK, 1994.
Adler, I., Barabé, D., Jean, R.V., A history of the study of pyllotaxis, Ann. Bot. London 80 (1997) 231-244. CrossRef
Davis, T.A., The non-inheritance of asymmetry in Cocos nucifera L., J. Genet. 58 (1962) 42-50. CrossRef
Davis, T.A., The dependence of yield on asymmetry in coconut palms, J. Genet. 58 (1963) 186-215. CrossRef
Arasu, N.T., Foliar spiral and yield in oil palms (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), Malays. Agric. J. 47 (1970) 409-413.
Louis, I.H., Chidambaram, A., inheritance studies on the phyllotaxis of coconut palm, Ceylon Coconut Q. 27 (1976) 22-24.
Davis, T.A., Davis, B., Association of coconut foliar spirality with latitude, Math. Model. 8 (1987) 730-733.
Reuveni, 0., Effect of left- and right-handed phyllotaxis on yield of the date palm, Acta Hortic. 175 (1986) 257-258. CrossRef
Hirsch, P.J., Angle de divergence des feuilles du palmier à huile : mesure et conséquences possibles, Oléagineux 33 (1978) 109-112.
De Reffye, P., Lecoustre, R., Dauzat, J., Ouattara, S., Flori, A., N'Cho, Y.P., Modélisation de l'architecture des plantes. Application aux plantes agronomiques pérennes tropicales. Cas particulier des Palmacées, Oléagineux 44 (1989) 537-546.
Davis T.A., Enantiomorphic structures in plants, in: Proceedings of the Indian National Academy of Sciences, indian National Academy of Sciences, india, 1974, pp. 424-429.
Minorsky, P.Y., Latitudinal differences in coconut foliar spiral direction: a re-evaluation and hypothesis, Ann. Bot. london 82 (1998) 133-140. CrossRef
Pereau-Leroy P., Le palmier dattier au Maroc, Service de la recherche agronomique, ministère de l'Agriculture au Maroc, IFAC, Paris, France, 1958.
Nikulin, A.V., Leisle, V.F., Response of plants from left-hand and right-hand sugar beet fruits to terrestrial magnetic field orientation and forms of nitrogen fixation, Sov. Plant Physiol. 17 (1970) 384-389.
Bible, B., Non-equivalence of left-handed and right-handed phyllotaxis in tomato and pepper, Hortscience 11 (1976) 601-602.
Rama Swamy, N., Bahadur, B., Narsaiah, G., Seedling handedness in Triticale and its parents. II. Yield in relation to handedness, Curr. Sci. India 53 (1984) 538-539.
Bell A.D., Les plantes à fleurs. Guide morphologique illustré, Masson, Paris, France, 1993.