BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
Dates are so ingrained in UAE culture - from Ramadan iftars to everyday hospitality - that they are typically seen as an ordinary staple. Yet research shows the fruit holds a story far richer and much older than its place on the table.
Expert Dr Jonathan Flowers, who has spent more than 12 years studying and researching dates, said many of the varieties enjoyed today are, in fact, "ancient"."They originated from seeds planted hundreds of years ago and have been preserved by generations of Emirati ancestors through offshoot transfers," said Dr Flowers, Research Assistant Professor at the Centre for Genomics and Systems Biology at NYU Abu Dhabi.
In an interview with Aletihad, he explained that many date cultivars can be traced back to the 19th century, and some likely even earlier. Dates are typically propagated by planting offshoots from an existing tree rather than by seed, meaning the new trees are genetically identical copies.
Dr Flowers noted that it can take between four and 10 years for a date palm grown from seed to produce fruit, which is why farmers prefer planting cloned trees that guarantee consistent quality.
"Any new cultivar derived from a seed planted in the UAE since 1971 and then propagated by offshoot would undeniably be an Emirati variety," the expert said.
The Dabbas variety is widely grown in the UAE and popular among Emiratis, Dr Flowers noted. However, it is largely restricted in its distribution to growing areas in the country.
Khalas is another favoured kind, mainly because of its flavour, familiarity and affordability, he added.
Beyond their taste and popularity, the differences between date varieties also reveal a genetic story. Scientists studying the crop find that modern varieties carry clues about how date palms spread and evolved across regions over centuries.
At NYU Abu Dhabi, researchers have identified multiple genetic lineages within date palms.
"We have learned that there are two major gene pools within the crop," Dr Flowers explained, "a western gene pool in North Africa and an eastern gene pool in the Arabian Peninsula and Gulf region".
Research has also shown that African date varieties developed genetic differences through hybridisation with another species.
"These differences help explain the distinct genetic ancestry of African varieties such as Medjool and Arabian varieties such as Khalas," he said.
While genetics is helping scientists map the crop's evolution, history shows that dates were also central to survival and trade in the region long before modern research began.
"Dates have been essential to sustenance and trade for thousands of years in the Gulf region. They were vital for long-distance travel across the Empty Quarter or up and down the Gulf by camel, boat or on foot," Dr Flowers said.
The deep cultural connection between Emiratis and the date palm was famously articulated by the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
"Sheikh Zayed often referred to the date palm as 'the tree of life', emphasising the key role of dates in survival in the region," Flowers added.