Mineral Contents of Fruits of Six Leading Date Cultivars of Southern Libya

Abstract

Nine nutrient elements (Ca. P. Na, K. Cl. Mn, Zn. Cu and Fe) were determined at tamar stage, in six leading southern Libyan date cultivars: Taleese. Seloulou. Taghiat, Tasfert. Aspear and Adwi. Lowest and highest values of cultivars mineral content as mg/lOOg dried flesh were as follows: K 556.0 for Taleese and 864.2 for Adwi; Cl 279.5 for Taleese and 610.9 for Adw'i; Ca 54.4 for Aspear and 63.4 for Seloulou; P 43.7 for Adwi and 81.3 for Taleese: Na 9.01 for Tasfert and 13.88 for Taghiat and Aspear; Mn 5.74 for Seloulou and 13.48 for Aspear; Fe 2.17 for Adwi and 3.42 for Taghiat; Zn 4.80 for Tasfert and 7.60 for Taleese; Cu 0.42 for Tasfert and 0.46 for Taleese. Other cultivars were intermediate. Generally. Libyan dates compared to leading world cultivars were relatively poor in minerals. It was concluded that 100 g of dried flesh might furnish about 38% of Zn. 28% of Fe. 26% of Cu, 20% of Mn. 27% of K, 7% of Ca and P and 0.2% of Na of the human daily requirement.