Algerian Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Gene Banks

Conservation of biodiversity is the ultimate solution to many of the future problems facing humanity, and field gene banks represent one of the solutions. The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is incontestably considered a founding component of the oasis. The conservation of its genetic resources has emerged as a crucial concern regarding advancing date production and its significance for ensuring food security in numerous countries. In Algeria, the “ITDAS Féliache” date palm ex situ gene bank was created in 1995 and belongs to the “Technical Institute of Development of Saharian Agriculture.” The collection is located in Biskra, southeastern Algeria, where the noncompetitive Deglet Noor dates are intensively produced, resulting in severe genetic erosion. The collection contains 382 palms from 90 cultivars collected throughout the region, many of which are rare or have already disappeared. After several rehabilitation projects, the collection plays a crucial role in preserving, multiplying, and propagating cultivars and is working hard to set up other in situ collections. This chapter aims to describe the date palm gene banks in Algeria, focusing on the largest ex situ collection in the country, where the research unit supervises studies on morphological, biochemical, and molecular characterization, as well as evaluation of yield, earliness, date quality, and cultivar response to various stresses. At the same time, a database and documentation system are being built to support scientific research and ensure the sustainability of date palm cultivation in Algeria.