What are candits? Study of a date palm landrace in Spain belonging to the western cluster of Phoenix dactylifera L.

Abstract

The term candit (Valencian) or candío (Spanish) collectively refers to a specific group of date palms predominant among those presently grown in groves along the coast of southeastern Spain. The fruits borne are small, fleshy and, usually, ripen gradually within each infructescencewhile still on the tree; they are sweet and highly appreciated as a fresh fruit. Their status as a landrace has been assayed through the use of SSR markers. A few instances of vegetative propagation were detected, conserved both at IVIA (Valencian Institute of Agrarian Research) and in commercial plantations, which could be further developed as commercial cultivars; however, most palms bearing candit dates are genetically heterogeneous, consistent with the traditional seed propagation. Candit, thus, refers mostly to characteristics of date fruits rather than to a particular genotype and can be collectively considered a landrace. Candits are collectively part of the western cluster of Phoenix dactylifera L.