Characterization and Assessment of Genetic Diversity of Wild Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) in Jordan

This thesis has been submitted by Mu’wya Ayed Alasasfa in partial fulfillment of the PhD Degree in Horticulture and Crop Science, University of Jordan, under the co-supervision of Dr. Mahmud A. Duwayri (University of Jordan) and Dr. Ayed Abdallat (ICARDA).
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an angiosperm that belongs to monocots,
and is considered the most important and ancient cultivated species in the Arab world
(Elshibli, 2009). It was found in Iraq and Egypt before 3000 BC (Al– Ekidy, 2000), but
a recent study reported an archaeological evidence on date cultivation in the eastern
Arabia in 6000 BC. However, Al–Ekidy (2000); reported that the native land of date
palm is the Arabian Gulf, and this claim was supported by (De Candolle, 1883) who
pointed out that the origin of date palm trees was the semi dry and hot region stretching
from Senegal to Andalusia. Date palm trees are classified as dioecious, perennial,
monocotyledon, diploid (2n= 36)