Date Palm Cultivation in the Changing Scenario of Indian Arid Zones: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

The arid zone of Rajasthan or Great Indian Thar Desert, popularly known as Thar, is a vast tract of dry land of about 2.34 million square kilometres. The whole tract is distinguished by low and erratic rainfall, low humidity, high solar radiation, strong dust-raising winds, scant vegetation and a dry, sand-dune-dominated landscape. During the past five decades, strenuous efforts have been made towards control of desertification, ecological regeneration and restoration of the Thar desert in order to reclaim the productivity of this vast unproductive desert land. For this purpose, a 649-km-long man-made canal was constructed to bring Himalayan water into the water-starved desert. Although the Thar desert becomes lush green with the slightest precipitation, its natural sustainable regeneration has been very slow due to intense biotic (overgrazing, extraction of fodder and fuel wood) and abiotic pressures. Over-exploitation of fodder and fuel wood, the two basic necessities of life for desert people, leads to destruction of desert ecosystems and enhances desertification. Perhaps the over-exploitation of land, water and biological resources since the earliest times have made the Rajasthan desert a ‘man-maintained’ if not ‘man-made’ landscape. Introduction of fast-growing exotic species of trees and grasses from isoclimatic regions of the world in attempts to stabilise shifting sand dunes, creating ‘microclimates’ through shelterbelt plantations, and ‘fencing and enclosures’ for regeneration of indigenous species have proved highly successful in the control of desertification. Various practices of date palm cultivation for the control of desertification in arid zones have been elaborated over the last three decades. The climatic features existing in the Indian arid zone are compatible with the requirements of successful date palm plant production. Weather data and date palm growth parameters go hand-in-hand from planting to production level. Introduction of conventional offshoot and hi-tech methods of tissue culture to supply superior planting material have been described. Planners, researchers and modern farmers are making serious efforts at converting this vast mass of arid land into profitable green land, thereby changing the economic status of the region.