الفهرس 
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Abstract
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
This investigation was conducted during two consecutive seasons of 1999 and 2000 at Fruit Handling and Storage Unit, Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Moshtohor, Kalubia Governorate.
In both seasons, date fruits of Hayani, Samani and Zaghloul cvs. were harvested at full coloured stage (Khlal) i-e mid — September. The fruits of the three tested date palm cultivars were sorted (all malformed, crushed and diseased fruits were discarded) and the uniform fruits were chosen, washed with water containing borax at 5% as a fungicide, then air dried. Thereafter, fruits of the three tested cultivars were.divided into three main groups to study the effect of storage temperature on storability of date palm fruits. Fruits of the first group were stored under room conditions (around 25°C) and fruits of the second group were stored at 5°C with(90-95 % R.H), whereas fruits of the third group were stored at 2°C with (90-95%R.H). This investigation aimed to study the effect of the following factors on storability of date palm fruits.
1. Effect of cultivar
The fruits of three tested cultivars namely Hayani, Samani and Zagholoul were stored under the aforementioned storage temperatures (ambient temperature) 5 and 2°C with 90-95%R.H.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
2.Effect of fruit attachment with rachis
The fruits of each tested cultivar stored under each studied temperature were subdivided into two groups. The fruits of the first group were separated from their rachis, whereas, the fruits of the second one maintained attached with their rachis.
The fruits were packed in carton boxes (30 x 20 x 20) previously treated with Cifadex as a fungicide.
3.Effect of calcium chloride (CaC12)
Separated (detached) fruits from their rachis of each tested cultivar under each studied storage temperature were dipped for five minutes in one of the following calciuom chloride solutions namely (o, 2 or 4 %). Thereafter, the fruits were air dried and packed in carton boxes, previously treated with Cifadex. Conclusively this investigation included three storage temperatures and considered a factorial experiment
(3 cultivars x 2 fruits attachment with rachis x 3 calcium
chloride concentrations). Additionally, each treatment was replicated three times. Each replicate was represented with two boxes (each box contained 2 Kg of fruits).
The obtained results could be summarized as follows: - 5.1. Weight loss percentage
Shortly, weight loss percentage was increased with the progress of storage period. The storage potentiality of storage at 5 and 2°C reached 63&70 days in 1999 and 2000 seasons, respectively against 14 days for storage under room temperature.
The loss of weight was time and temperature dependent. In other words, the higher the storage temperature (room temperature), the higher was the loss in weight and the reverse was true, hence the lower the storage temperature (2°C) the lesser was the loss in weight than 5°C Samani fruits showed the more tolerance to weight loss percentage during storage under room conditions or 5 and 2°C. Besides, fruit attachment with rachis succeeded in reducing weight loss percentage whether fruits were stored under room temperature or at 5 or 2°C. Also, fruits treatment with CaC12 (2&4%) showed to be effective in reducing weight loss percentage whatever date fruits were stored under room conditions or at 5or 2°C. Generally, attached Samani fruits with their rachis, treated with 2or4% CaC12 whatever stored under room conditions or at cold storage recorded the lowest values of weight loss percentage.
5.2. Decay percentage
Conclusively, the decay percentage of date fruits was increased with the progress of the storage period. The decay percentage recorded over 50% at 14 days for storage under room temperature, whereas it scored this values at 63&70 days for storage at 5 and 2°C in 1999 and 2000 seasons, respectively. Hayani and Samani fruits proved to be tolerant to decay agents during storage under room conditions or at 5 or 2°C. Also, fruits attachment with rachis and fruits treatment with CaCl2 succeeded in reducing decay storage during storage under room conditions or cold storage at 5 or 2°C. Briefly, Samani and Hayani fruits attached with their rachis and treated with 2or4% CaC12 showed
more tolerance to decay incidence whatever they stored under room conditions or at cold storage at 5 or 2°C.