With the attendance of 94 experts and specialists, and representing 17 countries.

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation’s General Secretariat, organized a scientific virtual lecture on “Isolation and characterization of the gene responsible for date palm gender determination”, presented by Dr. Mohei Eldin Sulaiman, Biotechnology Professor, College of Agriculture, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia, on Monday 13^th of September, 2021, with the attendance of 94 experts and specialists representing 17 Arab countries. Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Award’s Secretary General, noted that this virtual lecture comes under the directives of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees, and within the Award’s framework and commitment to spread the scientific knowledge and awareness specialized in date palm cultivation and agricultural innovation.

From his side Dr. Mohei Eldin Sulaiman, started the lecture by asking the attendees “Who is responsible for determining the date palm gender, is it male or female? Pointing out that determining the gender of a date palm using molecular markers in molecular genetics and genetic engineering, which can be used to identify sequences and genes so that by biotechnology and molecular genetics we can use DNA evidence that identifies females from males in the process of germination. Early genetics using one or more of the available genetic engineering techniques such as: DNA analysis and PCR technology, or the method of selection using molecular markers.

Dr. Sulaiman, then highlighted the fact that, similar to the system of chromosomes (XY) in humans, the male date palm determines the gender of the breed, but unlike humans, the gender chromosomes in date palms are not homogeneous, as they are very similar in size and external appearance under the microscope, and this is what prompts us to make a comparison in the genetic sequencing to determine the location of the genes, which is different from humans, as the chromosomes (X and XY) are very different in size, to the extent that they can be distinguished easily.

Dr. Sulaiman then referred to his discovery of the gene responsible for gender determination in date palm trees, using (SRY) to symbolize it. Dr. Sulaiman then explaining how the gender determination gene was isolated from date palms, and which was by using a new and simple method for PCR to identify the long DNA sequences of date palms.

Dr. Mohei Eldin Sulaiman, then concluded the lecture by highlighting the great role played by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in supporting and developing the date palm cultivation sector and the date production, through the organizing of Jordan International Date Palm Festival, Sudan International Date Palm Festival, and Egypt International Date Palm Festival and the accompanying activities and events. Which actively contributed to the increase of the reputation of the Arab dates and the volume of exports, in addition to the series of international conferences organized by the Award’s General Secretariat.