To obtain further information about the effect of some growth regulating substances upon bunch weight and fruit quality of Samani date cultivar (12-year-old) were assessed for two successive seasons (1997 & 1998), effects of different concentrations of IAA + BA and GA3 + BA applied twice one week after pollination and two weeks later were compared on different bunches on the same palm.Both bunch and fruit fresh weight were increased by IAA + BA application especially 10 ppm IAA + 10 ppm BA treatment, followed by GA3 + BA treatments especially 5 ppm GA3 + 10 ppm BA. Whereas the percentage of seed weight was decreased with (5 ppm IAA + 10 ppm BA) treatment.The IAA + BA treatments increased fruit length and diameter especially with 10 ppm IAA + 10 ppm BA treatment, followed by GA3 + BA treatments especially 5 ppm GA3 + 10 ppm BA. Concerning L/D ratio, no significant differences were obtained between treatments with the exception in the first season where the treatment 10 ppm IAA + 10 ppm BA decreased it.TSS, reducing and total sugars were increased by IAA + BA treatments especially (10 ppm IAA + 10 ppm BA) treatments and GA3 + BA treatments especially 5 ppm GA3 + 10 ppm BA and were decreased by elevating the rate of GA3 + BA application.
The results of this experiment suggest the benefits of the application of IAA + BA to improvebunch weight and quality of Samani date fruit.