Growth and composition of Deglet Noor dates in relation to water injury

does not appear. First page follows. Introduction Under the present economic conditions the quality of fruit is of more importance than the quaantity produced. One of the chief factors affecting the quality of dates is a physiological disease known as “water injury” which consists of two types: checking, which predisposes the fruit to blacknose (see p. 328); and tearing, which exposes the pulp to microorganisms that bring about fermentation and decay. Studies were made on the growth and chemical composition of date fruits at various stages of development. Growth was measured quantitatively as to length, diameter, fresh weight, dry weight, and ash content. Determination of the inorganic constituents and the sugars, together with the discovery regarding the location of the meristematic tissue in the fruit, form a basis for the study of water injury. The analyses furnish some concept regarding the amounts of the various constituents in the fruit and the portion of these amounts wasted as a result of late thinning of the fruit bunches. Experiments were conducted in the field and in the laboratory to study the factors influencing the cause and control of checking and tearing. These experiments involved the following factors and their relation to water injury and fruit quality: the measurement of water loss due to transpiration of the fruits, the effect of time and type of bagging, and the results of aeration.