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The research was conducted in the northwestern region of Syria (Idlib) during the agricultural season 2023-2024, to evaluate the most important morphological and qualitative characteristics of some foreign varieties introduced to the region (Arbequina, Spanish green, Spanish black) and compare them with the Sorani local variety. The fruits and leaves of the mentioned varieties were collected at the beginning of November, and the required morphological readings were taken (fruit length, diameter, weight, size, petiole length, internodes length, leaf length, and width). Samples of the fruits were also collected to extract oil and study its qualitative specifications (oil ratio, quality, acidity, peroxide value, taste, and color). The results of the study confirmed that the local variety Sorani was superior to all introduced foreign varieties (Arbequina, Spanish green, Spanish black), in fruit length (24.10 mm) and diameter (16.63 mm), length of the internodes (27.10 mm), leaf length (54.67 mm) and width (13.00 mm). The Sorani variety was also superior in the specifications of olive oil extracted from the fruits, oil ratio (25%), peroxide value (2.16 meq O2/kg), acidity (0.5%), and moisture (0.1976%). The oil ratio in the introduced varieties (Arbequina, Spanish green, Spanish black) was 10, 16, and 16%, respectively. The oil had a pungent taste and a distinctive dark green color in Sorani. It had a sweet taste (not pungent) and a light-yellow color in Arbequina. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in the studied traits between the two Spanish varieties, green and black. As for the Arbequina variety, it was significantly behind the other varieties in the studied traits. According to this study, local varieties like the Sorani variety should be preserved because they are superior to introduced varieties. All necessary agricultural services must be provided to ensure the success of their cultivation. Before planting introduced varieties on a large scale, their productivity and adaptation to the environmental conditions of the area should be thoroughly studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In light of the multitude of olive trees cultivated and the lack of the genetic diversity of available genotypes to select varieties and lines that are characterized by high diversity and better performance under the corresponding conditions, A comparison analysis of the genotyping and morphological characteristics of eight olive cultivars growing in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Jouf region was conducted and analyzed. Morpho-anatomical and chemical characteristics along with both inter-simple-sequence repeats (ISSRs) and start-codon-targeted (SCoT) markers were used to evaluate the genetic diversity among eight olive varieties in Al-Jouf, Saudi Arabia. Analyses of 27 morphological, chemical, and anatomical characteristics concluded the existence of genetic differences among the studied varieties. Moreover, six ISSR and eight SCoT primer combinations produced a total of 48 loci, of which 18 (10 ISSR and 8 SCoT) were polymorphic. The average polymorphism information content (PIC values of 0.48 and 0.44, respectively) and marker index (MI of 0.79 and 0.48, respectively) detected for ISSR and SCoT markers revealed the prevalence of high genetic diversity among the studied olive varieties. Based on chemical and anatomical characteristics and the selected molecular markers, the eight olive cultivars were grouped into two distinct clusters. Clusters in the adjacent joint dendrogram produced using ISSR, SCoT and combined data were similar, and grouped all individuals into two groups. However, the dendrogram generated on the basis of SCoT separated individuals into subgroups containing at least two varieties. The findings showed that both methods were effective in assessing diversity, and that SCoT markers can be used as a reliable and informative method for assessing genetic diversity and relationships among olive varieties and can serve as a complementary tool to provide a more complete understanding of the genetic diversity available in Olea europaea populations in Saudi Arabia.

In light of the multitude of olive trees cultivated and the lack of the genetic diversity of available genotypes to select varieties and lines that are characterized by high diversity and better performance under the corresponding conditions, A comparison analysis of the genotyping and morphological characteristics of eight olive cultivars growing in Saudi Arabia's Al-Jouf region was conducted and analyzed. Morpho-anatomical and chemical characteristics along with both inter-simple-sequence repeats (ISSRs) and start-codon-targeted (SCoT) markers were used to evaluate the genetic diversity among eight olive varieties in Al-Jouf, Saudi Arabia. Analyses of 27 morphological, chemical, and anatomical characteristics concluded the existence of genetic differences among the studied varieties. Moreover, six ISSR and eight SCoT primer combinations produced a total of 48 loci, of which 18 (10 ISSR and 8 SCoT) were polymorphic. The average polymorphism information content (PIC values of 0.48 and 0.44, respectively) and marker index (MI of 0.79 and 0.48, respectively) detected for ISSR and SCoT markers revealed the prevalence of high genetic diversity among the studied olive varieties. Based on chemical and anatomical characteristics and the selected molecular markers, the eight olive cultivars were grouped into two distinct clusters. Clusters in the adjacent joint dendrogram produced using ISSR, SCoT and combined data were similar, and grouped all individuals into two groups. However, the dendrogram generated on the basis of SCoT separated individuals into subgroups containing at least two varieties. The findings showed that both methods were effective in assessing diversity, and that SCoT markers can be used as a reliable and informative method for assessing genetic diversity and relationships among olive varieties and can serve as a complementary tool to provide a more complete understanding of the genetic diversity available in Olea europaea populations in Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Glasnik Zastite Bilja is the property of Zadruzna Stampa D.D. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Gemmotherapy, a natural therapy based on bud macerates, has recently gained importance in the field of food supplements. However, two coexisting extraction methods employ a glycerin-based solvent, either in a binary or ternary solvent mixture. The absence of an official method for bud preparation leads to non-standardized bud macerates. Given this context, this study aimed to (i) assess the influence of solvent composition on the chemical profile of olive young shoot macerates obtained using glycerin-based solvents or using different solvent extractions and (ii) to compare the two coexisting traditional bud extraction methods described by Dr Pol Henry and by the European Pharmacopoeia. A comprehensive phytochemical analysis of all macerates was conducted using HPLC-DAD-ELSD-MS2, identifying 50 metabolites divided into 7 classes through dereplication. The extracts obtained with the solvent described by the European Pharmacopoeia (ethanol/glycerin) and by Dr Pol Henry (water/ethanol/glycerin) appeared to be the most diversified in terms of metabolite distribution and possessed higher rates of secondary metabolites. These observations reinforce the interest in a glycerin-based solvent mixture for bud extraction in gemmotherapy. In addition, the difference in composition between the two traditional solvents was highlighted. Indeed, iridoids were predominant in both macerates, representing about 50% of the chemical composition, but differences were observed from one macerate to another regarding the proportions of the other chemical classes. This emphasizes the necessity for standardized gemmotherapy macerates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Lipoxygenases (linoleate oxygen oxidoreductase, LOX, EC 1.13.11.12) are a class of dioxygenases found abundantly in the plant kingdom, which catalyse the oxygenation reaction of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Considering the capacity of LOX to define the distinctive and refined "green" fruity aroma of virgin olive oil (VOO), the biochemical study was conducted to characterise lipoxygenase in pulp and stone of nine Italian varieties of Olea europaea [Canino, Carboncella, Frantoio, Itrana, Leccino, Maurino, Moraiolo, Rosciola and Sirole]. The crude extracts were analysed to determine the kinetic parameters (Vmax, KM and Vmax/KM) and their optimum pH and temperature. The measurement of the catalytic activity of the LOX extracted from pulp and stones revealed the highly efficient catalytic activity of all the pulp samples from most of the analysed cultivars. Moreover, the kinetic analyses conducted on all olive samples revealed that the Frantoio pulp provided the best performance in terms of LOX activity. All crude extracts showed the highest oxidase activity at pH 6, while the values relating to the optimal temperature were obtained at 50 °C. The results provide valuable insight into optimising the VOO extraction process, particularly the kinetic parameters that could be useful tools to modulate the malaxation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of variation of harvest time and location on the total phenolic content, antiradical scavenging activity and phenolic compounds composition of leaves of Gemlik olive cultivar obtained from two different location (Gemlik and Mudanya in Marmara Region of Turkey) were investigated. It was determined that the highest total phenolic content (373.36 and 336.70) were observed in April for both region. Among the olive leave samples the highest (93.69%) antioxidant activities were determined in olive leaves grown in Mudanya and harvested in December and (93.86%) in either olive leaves grown in Gemlik and harvested in April. Determination of phenolic compounds in olive leaves was carried out by LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. The results of analysis phenolic compounds showed that oleuropein content ranged from 94.21 mg/kg to 860.21 mg/kg in olive leaves. Differences were observed in the concentration of phenolic compounds depending on the harvest time and location in all olive leaf samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the aroma, key odorants and sensory profile of extra virgin olive oils from five well-known Turkish cultivars. The aromatic extract obtained by the purge and trap extraction system, according to a sensory analysis, resembled the odor of olive oil. A total of 22, 21, 18, 22 and 21 aroma-active compounds were detected in the extracts of Ayvalık, Memecik, Gemlik, Sarı Ulak and Beylik olive oils, respectively. The results show that Ayvalık has the highest flavor dilution (FD) value of 1024 with hexanal, (E)-2-hexenal and a-farnesene. Memecik has the highest FD value at 2048 with (E)-2-hexenal. Gemlik has the highest FD value of 1024 with (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, (E)-2-hexen-1-ol and a-farnesene. Sarı Ulak has the highest FD value at 2048 with (E)-2-hexenal. Beylik has the highest FD value of 2048 with (E)-2-hexenal and hexanal. All cultivars represent the characteristic green, cut-grass, fruity odor notes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to determine the fertilization biology of the 'Arsel' olive cultivar obtained by hybridization breeding. For this reason, treatments of open pollination, cross pollination, and self-pollination were performed for 2 years and self-compatibility and appropriate pollinators of this new cultivar were investigated. Among the varieties included as pollinators ('Memecik', 'Gemlik', 'Uslu', 'Ayvalık' and 'Eğriburun Nizip'), the highest fruit set was achieved with 'Memecik' and 'Gemlik' varietes in both years (2.64%, 1.37% and 1.75%, 1.39%). For this reason, 'Memecik' and 'Gemlik' cultivars were the best pollinator for 'Arsel' olive was thought. On the other hand, considering the statistical analyzes and productivity index values, 'Arsel' variety was found to be self-incompatible. However, the data also indicated that cross pollination was effective in increasing fruit set. Therefore, it is thought that the use of pollinator cultivar in orchard establishment would be beneficial in terms of yield. Pollen viability and germination tests were performed by using 2,3,5 Triphenyl Tetrazolium Chloride (TTC) and agar in petri (15% sucrose + 1% agar + 100 ppm H3BO3) methods in the study. The highest pollen viability rate was observed in 'Memecik' cultivar in 2020 and there isn't statistical differences between olive cultivars in 2018. The highest pollen germination rate was observed in 'Arsel' cultivar in 2018. Accordingly, differences were determined between pollen viability and germination rates of examined olive cultivars in terms of years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beneficial Autochthonous Microorganisms (BAMs) are a multi-purpose technology that has already been used in Latin America and Southeast Asia but is still unknown in Africa and particularly Algeria. The aim is to examine the effect of BAMs on agricultural soils and olive fields. The study was carried out in two degraded olive fields located in the Oued Tafna basin west of Tlemcen (The Semi-arid region in Western Algeria). The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of BAMs on the chemical characteristics of the soils, particularly in terms of organic matter (MO), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total limestone (CaCO3), moisture, organic carbon (C) and olive production and its weight. Statistical analysis (Independent Test) between all groups (treated and controls) showed a significant difference, in conductivity (EC) where we recorded "0.214±0.03μs /cm " in treated soils vs. "0.198±0.029μs/cm " in control soils a different statistical significance was recorded for the other parameters, however, it was observed that there is a relative increase in these parameters in the soils of the treated groups such as carbon (C): "2.85±1.06%" organic matter (MO): "4.91± 1.83%", "pH=7.81±0.225", "CaCO3 27.76±4.99% and a decrease in humidity "15.11±3.77%" compared to control soils. The results of statistical analyses (Mann-Whitney Test and Suite Test) of olive production showed a clear alternation (every other year) in fruit production in the control group and a positive effect of BAMs on olive production in the treated group, with a slight increase of production (19 kg in 2019 vs. 30 kg in 2020), but without any significant difference regarding the weight of the fruit between the two sessions. However, a highly significant difference "p=0.00<0.001" in fruit weight was noted between the treated groups "3.908g" and "5.70g" and the control ones "4.40g " and "5.00g" in 2019 and 2020 respectively. The use of MAB is an interesting technique to restore the chemical properties of degraded soils, and increase olive tree production. To achieve more reproducible results (in terms of quantity and quality), sufficient doses of these BAMs and periodicals must be added to provide a good nutritional supplement and reduce farmers' use of pesticides and mineral fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agronomy Journal / Agronomski Glasnik (0002-1954) is the property of Croatian Society of Agronomists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Agriculturae Slovenica is the property of Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and Objectives: Olive (Olea europaea L.) seed face two problems (physiological and mechanical dormancy) for germination. Various treatments such as mechanical scraping, chemical scraping and cold stratification (wet cooling) are used to accelerate seed germination. Concentrated sulfuric acid is used to relieve mechanical dormancy and to eliminate physiological dormancy, wet cold stratification is used. In the present study, in order to eliminate seed dormancy, accelerate germination and obtain suitable seedlings to produce rootstocks compatible with climatic conditions of Rudbar city, seeds of Arbequina, Balidi and Mari cultivars were used and cold stratification and sulfuric acid were applied. Also, the effect of seed harvest time on germination rate was investigated. Materials and Methods: Seeds were harvested from fruits of olive trees cultivars Arbequina, Mari and Balidi at Rudbar Olive Research Station. The first time of harvest was the stage of full ripening of seeds with change of olive color from green to yellow (early October) and the second time of harvest was the stage of full ripening of fruit with change of color to purple and blackening (late November). All treatment levels (36 levels) had 4 replications. Experiment as factorial and in the form of completely randomized design with four replications was performed. Factors included varieties at three levels (Arbequina, Balidi and Mari), harvest time at two levels (full seed ripening and full fruit ripening), cold stratification with the temperature of 6-7 °C at three levels (0, 500 and 1000 h), and 97% concentrated sulfuric acid treatment at two times (0 and 9 h). For each cultivar, 240 pots in 12 levels (6 levels in the first stage of harvest and 6 levels in the second stage of harvest) and 20 pots in each level were used. Totally, 2160 seeds were used for 720 pots for three cultivars. Germination and growth parameters were measured. The data were analyzed using SPSS software and their mean was compared using LSD test at 5% probability level. Results: Analysis of variance of the data showed that there was statistically significant difference (P≤0.01) between treatments and measured traits in various cultivars. There was no significant difference between cold priming and acid priming and sprouted seed number and plantlet vigour index. The results showed that the combined treatment of Mari cultivar seed with 9 h of sulfuric acid treatment and 1000 h of cold stratification treatment induced the highest germination vigority. The combined application of cold priming and sulfuric acid in the second stage of harvest (after full fruit ripening) reduced the number of days to germination but increased the germination percentage, germination rate, germination average and seedling vigor index in all cultivars. In all three cultivars, the highest plantlet dry weight was obtained from the 500 h cold priming. The highest number of germinated seeds (15 seeds) was obtained from 9 h of sulfuric acid treatment and 1000 h of cold stratification treatment. Also, the lowest number of germinated seeds (one seed) was observed in the treatment without priming with cold and acid (G0 together with S0). Among different olive varieties, Mari variety showed more and better response to priming that this response was more obvious in second harvest process. Conclusion: The production of more and stronger olive seedlings is important for the development of olive gardens in the olive-growing provinces of the country economically, ecologically and to prevent soil erosion, especially in sloping lands. In this study, an effective solution to increase the germination index of olive seeds was presented. Among the different olive cultivars used, Mari cultivar showed more and better response to priming, which was more evident in the second harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooling of olives stored in containers with a capacity of 400 kg risk accumulation of respiration heat and subsequent fruit deterioration. Pre-cooling the fruit to 5 °C before cold storage was studied as a possible solution to overcome this obstacle. The fruit temperature within the containers was recorded daily for 14 days and oil was extracted at days 0, 4, 8, and 14. A second experiment evaluated a rapid pre-cooling procedure at -18 °C for 3 min. No significant alterations at the level of the examined parameters were recorded. The internal temperature of the control container declined and stabilized at around 12 °C. The temperature of the pre-cooled fruit increased to up to 8 °C. The examined parameters showed no significant alterations in either experiment and the rapid pre-cooling treatment did not lead to any visible 'chill injuries'. A pre-cooling treatment at 5 °C was successfully introduced at the farm of a small producer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Arauco' forms part of the over two thousand olives (Olea europaea L.) varieties identified worldwide with the peculiarity of being the only recognized variety from Argentina. In this work, the fruit and oil characteristics from the 'Arauco' variety cultivated in the three main olive growing zones of Mendoza province (Argentina) were evaluated over two harvests (2016 and 2017). The characteristics assessed were oil and water concentrations, pulp/pit ratio, industrial yield, oxidative stability, fatty acid profile, total phenols and total flavonoids, among others. The results showed relatively high oleic acid and phenolic contents, together with low acidity and extinction coefficients (K232 and K270), as well as a well-balanced fatty acid profile. In addition, three interesting relationships among oxidative stability and ratios of monounsaturated fatty acids/polyunsaturated fatty acids (R²=0.96), oleic/linoleic (R²=0.96) and stearic acid (R²=0.93) were observed. These results showed that the 'Arauco' variety cultivated in Mendoza provides excellent oil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An new method for the extraction of phenolic compounds from olive oil has been proposed before the chromatographic analysis by UPLC-PDA (Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-PhotoDiode Array). Recoveries for 20 individual phenolic compounds were compared using three cartridges of solid-phase extraction including C-18, Diol, and DVB (DiVinylBenzene) based cartridges. Diol based cartridge produced the best retention efficiency. The optimized method uses a reduced amount of solvents and allows for the determination of most phenolics in oil samples in less than 10 min. A full discrimination among the most common olive oil varieties was achieved using the relative levels for specific phenolics in the sample. Therefore, based in this study, a fingerprint based on the relative levels for quercetin, luteolin, oleuropein and vanillic acid can be proposed to characterized varietal olive oils. In that way, a detailed composition about phenolic compounds of varietal olive oils would not be needed for discrimination purposes.

Two inter-subspecific F1 hybrids have been obtained by crossing olive cultivars (‘Frantoio’ and ‘Coratina’) with pollen donors from olive subspecies (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata) to enrich the germplasm of cultivated olive in southern China. This study aimed to investigate the characterization of morphological traits and molecular markers in the two hybrids and their parents of crosses. The morphological study showed a significant difference between genotypes according to the main discriminative parameters on qualitative and quantitative traits of leaf, fruit, and endocarp. A set of six co-dominant polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were used for molecular identification, and SSR analysis confirmed that two progenies were the offspring of their cited parents based on the presence of parental specific SSR alleles. Three single-copy nuclear loci (SCNL) primer pairs were used for amplification of single-copy genes in the two progenies and their parents and after then PCR products were sequenced. Sequence alignment analysis on the effective data showed a total of 15 different base sites between two progenies, which were confirmed as true inter-specific hybrids between olive cultivars and subsp. cuspidata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fluorescence method combined with chemometric algorithms has been developed for the fruit characterization of four olive varieties ("Arbequina," "Piantone di Falerone," "Piantone di Mogliano," and "Maurino") cultivated in Marche (Italy) according to sampling dates. The score values obtained by parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) were correlated with the hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein concentrations quantified by liquid chromatographic. The analysis of excitation-emission matrices by PARAFAC and unfolding partial least squares, using the three component score values, allowed to differentiate between varieties. The use of the scores of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, which were represented each other, allowed to highlight differences between the three sampling dates. Furthermore, a good discrimination of fresh olive, lye table olives, and natural table olives was also achieved in "Ascolana tenera," another typical olive variety of Marche. Results can be explained by the changes of concentration of tyrosol and oleuropein due to the elaboration method characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present here the earliest evidence for large-scale table olive production from the mid-7th millennium BP inundated site of Hishuley Carmel on the northern Mediterranean coast of Israel. Olive pit size and fragmentation patterns, pollen as well as the architecture of installations associated with pits from this site, were compared to finds from the nearby and slightly earlier submerged Kfar Samir site. Results indicate that at Kfar Samir olive oil was extracted, while at Hishuley Carmel the data showed that large quantities of table olives, the oldest reported to date, were prepared. This process was most probably facilitated by the site's proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, which served as a source of both sea water and salt required for debittering/pickling/salting the fruit, as experimentally demonstrated in this study. Comparison of pit morphometry from modern cultivars, wild-growing trees and the archaeological sites, intimates that in pit morphology the ancient pits resemble wild olives, but we cannot totally exclude the possibility that they derive from early cultivated trees. Our findings demonstrate that in this region, olive oil production may have predated table olive preparation, with each development serving as a milestone in the early exploitation of the olive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research studies the protection of the rural landscape and agri-food heritage, offering a perspective on the role and contribution of research to support land management processes and the development of local resources.This opportunity for reflection was created by a project developed at the request of Regione Campania, in Southern Italy, aimed at preserving the inestimable source of biodiversity represented by olive varieties from the risk of genetic erosion, and at guaranteeing the production of oils with typical and diversified organoleptic qualities and properties.Within the scope of the project, the geo-cartographic section has analyzed, surveyed, georeferenced and represented, for a selected territory, the presence of centuries-old olive trees and allowed the creation of other research sections, more specifically agronomic and legal.The georeferencing map of the millenary olive trees typical of the territory, together with the genetic identity card of each plant, have been inserted in a publicly accessible database, through which it is possible to trace the origins and, consequently, the quality of the oil produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of eight varieties of virgin olive oil (Arbosana, Arbequina, Coratina, Cornicabra, Frantoio, Koroneiki, Picual, and Ezhi 8) obtained in two successive crops in the southwest of China (Xichang, Sichuan Province) were investigated. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in physicochemical properties, fatty acid profile, minor component contents, and oxidative stability between different varieties of olive oils. The physicochemical properties of all samples met IOC standards for extra virgin olive oil, while in Koroneiki, olive oils were present the optimum oxidation stability among studied varieties. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) showed a good classification between varieties based on their qualitative characteristics. Koroneiki and Ezhi 8 olive oils were significantly different from other varieties mainly due to color, fatty acid profile, and minor components. PCA result also showed that harvest crop influences the characteristics of samples mainly due to the variance of temperature and rainfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The olive tree is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the Mediterranean basin and has recently become the largest part of Egypt's agricultural initiatives and projects. In vitro micropropagation represents the rapid technique for clonal propagation in order to produce a large number of high-quality plants. Boron (B) is known as an essential micronutrient element for all plants. To date, nothing is known about B deficiency and toxicity of in vitro olive culture. The present research was to investigate the response of two in vitro olive cultivars to deficiency and toxicity conditions of B in the culture medium. Olive shoots of 'Aggezi Shami' and 'Picual' cvs. were grown on Rugini Olive Media (ROM) supplemented with five B concentrations (0, 12.6 (control), 50, 100 and 150 mg L-1 of boric acid). Our results indicated that B deficiency and toxicity had a negative effect on in vitro growing olive shoots of both cultivars. Control and 50 mg L-1 of B concentration produced higher values of olive shoot length and leaf number. On the contrary, high B concentrations in the culture medium significantly increased shoot number. Olive shoots exhibited a moderate chlorotic appearance and high shoots mortality was recorded with 0 and 150 mg L-1 B. No significant differences were detected for shoot fresh weight and proline content of both cultivars under boron stress. By increasing B concentration of the culture medium B contents in explant increased as well as chlorophyll contents declined as B concentration of the culture medium increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oystershell scale, Lepidosaphes ulmi (L.) (Homoptera: Diaspididae) is one of the most common scale insects that attacks olive trees in Egypt. Therefore, the population density fluctuation of L. ulmi and its parasitoids, and their relations to some weather factors were investigated on three olive varieties (Picual, Coratina and Chemlali) at Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Egypt, during 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons. The results indicated that the pest population was concentrated during the period from April to September. The highest average of L. ulmi population was recorded on picual variety (7.81 and 8.96 insect/10 leaves) during 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons, respectively. While the lowest population average was recorded on coratina (4.72 and 5.01 insect/10 leaves) during 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons, respectively. During both seasons, there were significant differences in the average numbers of L. ulmi among the olive varieties, picual, coratina and chemlali. Theresults also showed that picual variety was more infested than other two varieties. Survey of L. ulmi parasitoids resulted in two species of parasitoids, Aphytis chrysomphali (Mercet) and Aphytis disppidis (Howared). The average percentage of parasitism was relatively high during, May, June, July and August on picual and chemlali varieties. While on coratina variety the average percentage of parasitism was relatively high during, April, May, September, December, and January during 2018-2019 season. Statistical analysis of the data indicates that, no significant differences among the percentage of the average annual parasitism on the three varieties (4.86% on chemlali, 4.22% on picual and 3.89% on coratina variety). The effects of weather factors on the population of L. ulmi and its parasitoids and the effects of these parasitoids on the population of the pest were also studied. The results might be helpful in an IPM program to control the oystershell scale insect, L. ulmi and to settle the best time for pesticide application on olive varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of their antioxidant and anti-free radical capacities, the phenolic compounds of olives gained growing interest. The aim of this work is to determine the harvest optimal period of two Algerian olive varieties (Chemlal and Blanquette de Guelma) harvested at four stages of maturity which will allow the best equilibrium between the olives' composition in phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activities. Phenolic compounds were determined by colorimetric methods and by UPLC-PDA. The antioxidant activity of olive extracts was assessed by measuring the reducing power, the antiradical activity toward DPPH radical and ABTS. Results confirm that the process of maturation and the variety of olives affect considerably the phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity. As a consequence, a significant decrease in the antioxidant activity (reducing power and antiradical activities) of the olive fruits is observed. The relative antioxidant capacity index (RACI), which represents the mean scores of the antioxidant activities, showed that the highest indices were obtained by the green stage for Chemlal and spotted green stage for Blanquette de Guelma. The harvesting can occur when the olives are in the spotted green stage, corresponding to the middle of December. This period allows a good combination between the phenolic content and antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Samples of leaves of the olive varieties (Sorani, Ashrasi, Nebali and Khudiri) were collected form olive transplants grown in College of Agriculture - University of Baghdad. The following phenolic compounds in the leaves of olive cultivars have been determined using HPLC analysis during November and December 2017, January and February 2018: Oleuropein, Caffeic acid, Gallic acid and Vanillic Acid). The results showed that the mean values of in Oleuropein olive leaf extracts ranged from 4.90mg.g-1 for Khudiri cultivar at January to 9.80 mg.g-1 for Ashrasi cultivar in February. Also the mean values of in Gallic acid olive leaf extracts ranged from 7.10mg.g-1 for Khudiri cultivar at January to 10.50 mg.g-1 for Sorani cultivar in February. The highest leaves Caffeic acidcontent was in Khudiri cultivar at February at 13.16 mg.g-1, while the lowest value it was in Ashrasi cultivar at January of 11.20 mg.g-1 and the highest leaves Vanillic Acidcontent was in Ashrasi cultivar at February at 17.40 mg.g-1, while the lowest value it was in Khudiri cultivar at January of 12.54 mg.g-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The use of water retaining polymer is proposed. • The interactions between treatments and olive growth parameters are evaluated. • The hydrogel enhance olive tree performances. Abstract Hydrogels have a large interest for commercial application in agriculture. Our experiment was performed under greenhouse conditions, to examine the effect of the hydrogel "stockosorb-660" (TS) compared with non treated plants (TC). As compared to TC treatment, the hydrogel treatment increased clearly the growth responses, photosynthetic pigments, the dry weights and the relative water content of olive plantlets mainly in chemlali cv and under drought stress. Under drought stress, the chlorophyll fluorescence measurements were about 0.53 and 0.36 for chemlali and chetoui cultivars, respectively using TS treatment. In the same treatment, as compared to control plantlets, total phenols decreased damages under drought stress and were about 53.94 mg g−1 GAE and 57.37 mg g−1 GAE for chemlali and chetoui cultivars, respectively. Our results confirm also that "stockosorb" hydrogel is a cultivar dependent and seems to be probably suitable for agricultural use because of its capacity to avoid dehydration damages of young olive plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest today in high-quality and sustainable production especially in the agro-food sector where the use of automated, precise and non-destructive monitoring analytical systems is spreading more and more. In table olives consumption colour and texture are very important quality attributes deriving from ripening, size of the cell wall, middle lamella and fibrous tissues that can be compromised by bruising during harvest operations or postharvest handling. Mechanical damage also accelerates physiological processes, which lead to senescence, spoilage and loss of nutritional value. Nocellara del Belice cultivar is one of the most important table olive varieties in Italy both for the production and the marketed quantities, with an average annual production of 25,000 t. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of applying vis NIR spectroscopy as a non-destructive technique on Nocellara del Belice table olives to predict colour and firmness during harvest and post-harvest operations. The spectral acquisitions were performed using a portable vis NIR device (600 - 1000 nm). A regression model was considered to evaluate the prediction capacity of vis NIR starting from the observed values of a validation data set. The system gave excellent performance in predicting table olives colour (R² = 0.96 for "hue"), while the results showed a very low vis NIR ability to predict Nocellara del Belice table olives firmness (R² = 0.18) which make this device unsuitable for the purpose. The possibility of applying vis NIR spectroscopy in field before harvest or for selection in postharvest operations is very encouraging for colour prediction and seems to be not adequate for firmness or damage evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of harvest periods on total phenol, antioxidant activity, individual phenolic compounds of fruit and leaves of Tavşan Yüreği, Memecik, Edremit, Ayvalık and Gemlik olive varieties grown in Turkey were investigated. The highest total phenol (317.70 mg/100 g and 2657.81 mg/100 g) were observed in Tavşan Yüreği olive fruit and Ayvalık leaves harvested in December, respectively. The highest antioxidant activities (83.84%) were determined in Edremit fruit harvested in August and 83.33% in either Edremit olive leaves harvested in November and Tavşan Yüreği leaves harvested in December. The olive fruit contained gallic acid ranging from 7.18 mg/100 g (August) to 35.85 mg/100 g (December) in case of Ayvalık and 2.09 mg/100 g (November) to 21.62 mg/100 g (December) in Edremit. Gemlik olives showed higher gallic acid contents compared to the other varieties, however it depended significantly on harvest time in all cases. 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid contents ranged from 33.11 mg/100 g (October) to 25.17 mg/100 g (September) in Memecik olives; 12.17 mg/100 g (August) to 33.11 mg/100 g (December) in case of Tavşan Yüreği olives depending on harvest time. The 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid contents of Memecik leaves ranged between 122.25 mg/100 g (September) to 196.58 mg/100 g (August) and that of Tavşan Yüreği leaves changed between 99.38 mg/100 g (November) and 179.90 mg/100 g (August). The leaves of these two varieties contained significantly (p < 0.01) higher 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid contents than other varieties. The highest gallic acid (144.83 mg/100 g) was detected in Memecik leaves (September) whereas lowest were found in Gemlik leaves collected in October. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenolic composition and content of olive fruit are some of the attributes that determine oil quality. This composition depends on the olive variety, the cultivation system, and the fruit's ripeness. This study considered two olive varieties (Manzanilla and Morisca), under two water regimes (irrigated and rainfed), harvested at three stages of maturation (S1, S2, and S3), over three consecutive campaigns (2011, 2012, and 2013). The accumulation of phenols in the fruit was found to depend only on the stage of ripeness, while the flavonoid and phenylpropanoid contents depended also on the variety and the water regime. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was linked to O2- production, which in turn depended on water regime, variety, and stage of maturation (this last being a process involving ROS). The peroxidase (POX) activity seemed only to depend on ripeness, while polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity varied from year to year as well as presenting a strong ripeness dependence that was in clear coherence with the levels of phenolic compounds that the olives accumulate. All these relationships between the variables and the factors conform a dataset with the structure of a multidimensional array that is difficult to interpret using conventional techniques of statistical analysis. This work takes a novel approach (MultiDimensional Scaling associated with a Partial Triadic Analysis, MDS-PTA) to the analysis of this type of data structure which allows its correct interpretation. The analysis showed that the state of maturation of the olives is the most clearly discriminating factor, far more so than the cultivar, water regime, or year. Thus, the phenols and the total antioxidant activity (FRAP) showed strong clustering, being closely related in all three years studied. The oxidant and antioxidant activities showed a certain tendency to cluster, although in these cases the year also had an influence as a factor, indicating that these parameters depend more on external factors and less on ripeness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, fatty acid composition and tocopherol contents of cold pressed olive oils belonged to Ayvalık, Gemlik, Domat, Çilli, Çöpaşı and Söbüaşı varieties were determined. The fatty acid composition of the olive oils showed differences depending on the olive variety. The major fatty acids such as oleic, linoleic and palmitic acids were found as 62.49-68.53%; 8.30-17.93%; 14.39-19.47%, respectively. The highest oleic, linoleic and palmitic acid contents were determined in the varieties of Çilli (68.53%), Söbüaşı (17.93%) and Gemlik (19.47%), respectively. Palmitic, oleic and linoleic fatty acids of the local varieties such as Çilli, Çöpaşı, Söbüaşı were similar to those of Ayvalık and Gemlik varieties. The most abundant isomer of tocopherol in olive oils was α-tocopherol (18.22-36.02 mg/100g). The highest α- and γ- tocopherols were observed in olive oils of Söbüaşı variety (36.02 mg/100g) and Gemlik variety (8.12 mg/100g), respectively. It is concluded that the olive variety is an important factor on the fatty acid composition and tocopherol content of the olive oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) volatile composition is mainly used as a means of characterisation and authentication, especially for protected denomination of origin (PDO) products. This work investigated the volatile compounds from 25 EVOOs from four Spanish (Cornicabra, Manzanilla Castellana, Picual and Manzanilla Cacereña) and four Italian (Ortice, Ravece, Nocellara del Belice and Itrana) cultivars in terms of odour activity value (OAV). Forty‐seven volatile compounds were analysed by solid phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME‐GC/MS). OAVs of volatile compounds with similar descriptors were grouped in order to establish eight odorant series: fruity, grass, apple, tomato, floral, woody‐spicy, fatty and mushroom. RESULTS: No differences in sensory descriptors were observed among the EVOOs analysed by official VOO sensory analysis. The method of odorant series applied herein was demonstrated to successfully characterise EVOO odour as expected from a sensory panel but using only instrumental analysis of volatile compounds, and giving additional reliable quantitative information. The results can be presented as a 'barcode', providing a visual and effective graphical representation allowing an easy and rapid description of EVOO sensory attributes using instrumental data. CONCLUSION: The odorant series have the potential to better differentiate the aroma of food products, opening new possibilities allowing a schematic and effective visual representation to be used for EVOO quality control and consumer information, especially in new olive oil consuming countries. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The olive processing industry has till date been dominated by a small group of cultivars, leading to the possibility of some olive cultivars becoming extinct in the near future. In this study, we determined the composition of some chemical components in the olive oils from 31 minor olive cultivars of the Valencian Community. Our main aim was to identify suitable cultivars, which could produce differentiated olive oils, thus aiming towards their valorization. The average oil content of minor olive cultivars was found to be good, with some of them reporting approximately 60% (dry basis). On average, the total phenolic content was 229 mg kg− 1, with cv. Mas Blanc reporting the highest content (570 mg kg− 1). Among the various tocopherols found in olives, α-tocopherol was the main constituent, with a maximum concentration of 290.6 mg kg− 1. Linoleic acid was the main polyunsaturated fatty acid and varied between 3.4% (cv. Del Pomet) and 16.9% (cv. Blanqueta Enguera). Special attention needs to be paid to the composition of sterols, since some olive oils exceeded the limits established for some sterols by the current European legislation. Some of the cultivars studied were highly productive, and originated differentiated olive oils with a rich composition of antioxidants and essential fatty acids. In some cases, these beneficial compounds were higher than those of commercial oils obtained from the most common cultivars worldwide. These results could contribute to the commercial exploitation of some of the studied cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A lexicon from the literature has been used for the characterisation of black ripe table olives from Spanish Manzanilla and Hojiblanca cultivars by Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA). After confirming the acceptable reproducibility and repeatability of the panel, the descriptors that received the widest range of scores and significantly contributed to sample discrimination were: skin green, flesh green, skin sheen, flesh red, fibrousness, firmness, skin red, moisture release, fishy smell/ocean and flesh yellow. The effects of cultivar, growing area and storage period on the sensory profiles were relevant, as showed by spider graphs and multivariate methods. The map of variables, using bootstrapping techniques, associated descriptors like fibrousness, firmness, chewiness, skin red, flesh red, and skin sheen to PC1, which can then be related to texture, while PC2 was linked to skin green and astringency (related to phenols) or vinegar and fishy smell/ocean (possibly connected to cultivars). Centring data by panelist had a strong influence on the segregation of samples but increasing the number of panelists had a reduced additional effect. The diverse sensory profiles of samples were also summarised by biclustering. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • QDD was applied to characterize the sensory profile of Spanish black ripe olives. • The most relevant descriptors were related to physicochemical characteristics. • The olive profiles were affected by cultivar, growing area and storage period. • The multivariate analysis was performed with the implementation of bootstrapping. • Data pre-treatment was more relevant than panel members for improving discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract An experimental investigation evaluated the possibility of increasing the nutritional value of fermented table olives by adding olive leaf extract (OLE). OLE was added to table olives fermented using indigenous bacteria and yeasts, and a commercial starter (Lactobacillus plantarum strain). Microbiological, physico-chemical, and sensory analyses showed that OLE addition resulted in fermented olives with higher levels of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial substances, but did not adversely affect their qualities. Moreover, OLE and the commercial starter functioned synergically against spoilage microorganisms. In addition, fermented olives had higher values of hardness, total phenols, antioxidant activity, hydroxytyrosol, and verbascoside. Nonanal and ethanol contents were lower in fermented olives when Lactobacillus plantarum and OLE were used, indicating lower degrees of oxidation and fermentation. Finally, olives fermented with OLE had a less bitter taste. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Olive leaf extract (OLE) addition improved the nutritional value of table olives • Fermented table olives added with OLE showed a better sensorial quality • L. plantarum with OLE showed synergistic anti-foodborne pathogens activity • OLE addition determined less oxidative and fermentative phenomena [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palpita forficifera Munroe, 1959 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is the main pest of the olive tree (Olea europaea L. Oleaceae) in Brazil. This study investigated the biology of P. forficifera reared on different hosts and elaborated the corresponding fertility life table for a better understanding of its development. Biology of P. forficifera was studied using olive cultivars Arbequina, Arbosana and Koroneiki and the alternative host privet (Ligustrum lucidum Ait. Oleaceae), under controlled conditions of temperature (25 ± 2°C), relative humidity (60 ± 10%), and photophase (14 h). We evaluated duration and viability of egg, larva, and pupa stages; number and duration of instars; sex ratio; pupa weight; duration of preoviposition, oviposition, and postoviposition periods; fecundity and longevity. The fertility life table was elaborated from these parameters. Larvae fed with privet had longer larval stage, and consequently, egg-pupa period. Larva viability was lower in cv. Arbosana, which reflected in lower viability in the egg–pupa period. Larvae fed with cv. Koroneiki originated females with higher fecundity. From the joint assessment of the biological parameters and the fertility life tables, cv. Koroneiki provided the greatest population increase, while cv. Arbosana impaired P. forficifera development. Thus, in areas of high occurrence of this species, cv. Arbosana should be considered as the more indicated cultivar for the establishment of new olive groves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

characterize the olive cultivars to the application adopted by the International Olive Council, and to study the most important technological characterization (size of fruits and stones, their weight and pulp / stone ratio). Morphological characteristics the field tours demonstrated that 19 olive cutivars (Abadi Abou Ghabra, Abadi Hlou, Abadi Khinfsi, Abadi Shelal, Abou Anakeed, Abou Akfa, Abeid Men Umu, Abou Chouka, Adkam, Izmerli, Bnt Al Kadi, Jlot, Herqtani, Mhati, M- Hazam Abou Satel, Um Qanani, Rsasi, Shami, Tuffahi) were planted in Palmyra, and the two cultivars "Jlot" and "M-hazam Abou Satel" are the dominant in Palmyra. The results of the morphological study, which included the fruits and stones of the olive cultivars, showed that a great diversity among them, so in term of their technological characterization the varieties distributed in five groups according to the size fruits and seeds stones, and four ones according to each parameter of weight of fruits and stones and pulp / stone ratio. The cultivars "Jlot", "M-hazam Abou Satel" and "Abeid Men Umu" were distinctive cultivars (according to their productivity and technological properties), making them important table olive cultivars for propagation and cultivation in the central regions of Syria, as a prelude to achieve the surplus production prepared for high quality export. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to determine the differences in the pomological, physical and chemical characteristics between the conventionally and organically cultivated Memecik varieties of green olives. The olive weight, the olive length and the flesh/seed ratio, considered as pomological properties, were found in organic green olives at a lower level than the conventional green olives, and statistically significant differences were determined between these two groups (p<0.05). However, significant differences were found in the olive width and flesh/seed ratios between olives. Chemical analysis results indicated that the total dry matter and pH values of organically cultivated olives were significantly lower (p <0.05) while the titratable acidity and oleuropein values were significantly higher (p <0.05) than those of the conventional ones. In terms of the total sugar, protein, fat, ash and total phenolic contents on dry matter basis, higher values were obtained in organic olives (p<0.05) than the conventional ones. The color parameters as L* value and b*/a* ratio were higher in organically produced green olives. In contrast, a* value and a*/b* ratio were measured at significantly higher levels in the conventionally cultivated green olives (p <0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in b* values between two different cultivation methods. H° value was determined at significantly higher levels in organic olives. In addition, there was no significant difference in C values between two different cultivation methods. Based on the ΔE value, the color difference was significant between organic and conventional green olives (p<0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines physiological and biochemical changes in three Moroccan varieties of young olive trees (Olea europaea L.) grown under three different water regimes (control, moderate stress and severe stress). Leaf relative water content (RWC), water potential (Ψw), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs), maximum quantum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm), the contents of total chlorophyll (TCC), proline (ProC) and soluble sugars (SSC) were measured at the flowering stage during three growing seasons (2015, 2016 and 2017). ANOVA analyses showed that the effect of the water regime was predominant in all of the examined parameters, except for Fv/Fm, which was under the effect of both water regime and growing season. Impacts of variety and interactions were of lesser magnitude. Water deficit reduced E, Ψw and gs by 25%, while its effect on RWC and Fv/Fm was a decrease of about 7%; however, increases in SSC and ProC were more than 10%. Among the growing seasons, 2015 flowering displayed the lowest values for RWC, Ψw, E, gs, TCC and Fv/Fm, and the highest for ProC and SSC. Among plant varieties, no significant differences were observed. The three principal component (PC) axes accounted for 91% of total variance. PC1 was better explained by the water regime, while the growing season fitted PC3 variability. Correlation studies highlighted significant associations between most parameters. Positive relationships were found between RWC, Ψw, E, gs, Fv/Fm and TCC, while all of these parameters were negatively linked to ProC and SSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THIS STUDY was carried out during 2010/2011growth season on four olive (Olea europaea L.) varieties: Picual, Aggizi, Mission and Koronieki, grown in calcareous soil at the Horticultural farm of El-Nubariya Agricultural Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Egypt. The experimental of design was in a split-split design (two levels of water regime, four cultivars, six treatments and three replicates). The total numbers of experimental plots used were 144 trees. The main treatments included full and half irrigation water (FIW or HIW) of water requirement (ETpan), the sub-main treatments were the four olive varieties, and the Sub-sub main treatments included NPK fertilizers (100, 75, and 50% dose) with effective microorganisms (E.M.) or humic acid (H.A.). The objectives of this study were to investigate the response of four olive varieties to variations in the quantity of irrigation water and NPK fertilizers rates in the presence with H.A. or E.M. The obtained results showed positive significant effects due to FIW or HIW, 75 % NPK +EM or 50 % NPK +EM on fruit weight of Picual and Aggizi,while all treatments showed positive significant effects on increasing fruit weight of Mission. However, Koronieki showed no significant response with all treatments. The oil contents in fruits of Picual, Aggizi, Mission and Koronieki showed significant response to 100 % NPK, 75 % NPK +EM, or 75 % NPK +HA treatment under FIW regime. The highest significant chlorophyll contents in leaves of all olive varieties were obtained by FIW with 75 % NPK +EM and 75 % NPK +HA. The N, P and K contents in leaves of the four olive varieties significantly increased as a result of applying all treatments under FIW or HIW regime. In addition, all treatments increased significantly the levels of total N, available P and available K in the soil and also soil respiration as a result of the all treatments with FIW or HIW regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Olive production (Olea europaea L.) is a recent activity in Brazil and studies on the adaptability of olive trees varieties in the States are required. One of the problems that can hamper the development of olive trees is the incidence of pests, such as scale insects (Hemiptera, Coccomorpha). In this study, the associated scale insect species were found in ten varieties in an olive grove located at the Research Center of the Serra do Sudeste Region (30º33’15”S, 52º23’45”W) in Brazil. The surveys were carried out twice in each season (2013-2014). Six species of armored scale insect (Diaspididae) and two soft scales (Coccidae) were determined. Saissetia oleae (Coccidae) with 88.15% and Aspidiotus nerii (Diaspididae) with 5.85% occurred in all varieties of olive trees. The varieties Arbequina, Frantoio and Cipressino were with greater richness of scale insects, the highest values of diversity occurred in Frantoio, Arbequina and Picual; in Alfafara, Arbosana and Coratina there was a high dominance of one species (S. oleae).

A new strategy based on the application of phytoregulators was developed to minimize the natural degradation of antioxidants during olives storage. For that purpose, the effect of the phytoregulators abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate on olive phenolic acids was studied. In particular, four treatments were applied: abscisic acid was applied as a paste and as a spray together with low temperatures, whereas methyl jasmonate as a paste at low temperatures and as a vapor at mild temperatures. As a result, abscisic acid spray and methyl jasmonate vapor resulted in significantly higher contents of all phenolic acids. In contrast, when the phytoregulators were applied in paste form, no effect was observed. To confirm these results, the IC50 value was also determined. An increase of IC50 from 2.31 to 4.10 µg/ml after abscisic acid spray treatment and from 2.72 to 5.36 µg/ml after methyl jasmonate vapor treatment was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Soils of olive grove are usually managed by tillage, leading to organic matter depletion and soil structure degradation. Cover crops to protect soils have been revealed as a sustainable land management practice for erosion control and remediation of degraded soils, but in some cases, water competition can be a problem, all these effects (particularly soil water) are site and climate specific. A trial in a rainfed olive grove in gypsiferous soils under semiarid Mediterranean climatic conditions has been set up in Central Spain. Several parameters (plant cover, root density, organic carbon, organic nitrogen, aggregate stability, porosity, infiltration, water storage and soil penetration resistance) have been studied under different management practices: three types of cover crops, two annuals (legume and barley) and one permanent (Brachypodium distachyon); and minimum tillage. After three years of treatments, slight improvements in particulate organic carbon, aggregate stability, microporosity at 0–5 cm depth and soil water storage at 30 cm were found in cover crops; B. distachyon also increased organic carbon, and improved C/N ratio and available water. >3 years of a sustainable land management are needed to recover olive groves soil quality in gypsiferous soils under semiarid climate. In this study, cover crops facilitated carbon stratification, higher SOC content in deeper layers are important in the context of carbon sequestration. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Soil quality enhancement is detected after three years under permanent cover crops. • Carbon from particulate organic matter fraction increased with Brachypodium and barley. • Cover crops increase water availability for olive groves at 30 cm depth. • Aggregate stability is the soil quality parameter that firstly responds to cover crops. • In gypsiferous soils three years are not enough to improve soil quality in cover crops seeded annually in this experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Greater fruit daily contraction occurred in water stressed -WS vs well-watered-WW. • Cumulative fruit growth decreased in WS fruits although recovered after irrigation. • Greater positive leaf to fruit water potential gradients were found in WS than WW. • Progressive decoupling of fruit water status from leaves occurred in WS trees. • WS negative fruit growth is explained by insufficient water flow into the fruit. Abstract Yield, the final goal in agricultural systems, is highly determined by fruit growth. However, most works on deficit irrigation did not consider the physiology and dynamics of fruit growth. In this study, we explore the effect of water relations between leaves and fruits on fruit growth in well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS) trees in a super-high-density olive orchard (cv. Arbequina) over a full irrigation season (June–October of 2017) in southern Spain. Both leaf and fruit water potential were measured, along with pressure-volume curves. Concomitantly, fruit growth and diurnal changes in six fruits of each irrigation treatment were continuously monitored with fruit gauges, which recorded changes in the equatorial diameter of the fruit. Fruit water status and growth were greatly affected by water stress, the latter recovering markedly, following our regulated deficit irrigation strategy. The gradient between leaf and fruit water potential was positive most of the time for both irrigation treatments, and greater for WS than WW trees, which suggests water flow into the fruit. However, we also observed negative fruit growth in WS which, together with the positive gradient, suggests that water flow from the parent plant to the fruit was insufficient to balance fruit transpiration under conditions of water deficit. Although a strong correlation was found between leaf water potential and the amplitude of fruit contraction in WW trees, this relationship did not hold for WS trees, suggesting a progressive decoupling of fruit water status from leaves as water stress progressed. Accordingly, an osmotic adjustment as evidenced by the analyses of pressure-volume curves occurred in WS fruits towards the end of the season. These results indicate that leaf-fruit water potential measurements may not be sufficient to study fruit-leaf water relationships in the canopy; however, fruit gauges may serve as highly useful instruments to understand the water status and daily dynamics of fruit growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the evident influence of the cultivar on olive oil composition, few studies have been devoted to exploring the variability of phenols in a representative number of monovarietal olive oils. In this study, oil samples from 80 cultivars selected for their impact on worldwide oil production were analyzed to compare their phenolic composition by using a method based on LC–MS/MS. Secoiridoid derivatives were the most concentrated phenols in virgin olive oil, showing high variability that was significantly due to the cultivar. Multivariate analysis allowed discrimination between four groups of cultivars through their phenolic profiles: (i) richer in aglycon isomers of oleuropein and ligstroside; (ii) richer in oleocanthal and oleacein; (iii) richer in flavonoids; and (iv) oils with balanced but reduced phenolic concentrations. Additionally, correlation analysis showed no linkage among aglycon isomers and oleocanthal/oleacein, which can be explained by the enzymatic pathways involved in the metabolism of both oleuropein and ligstroside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), is the major olive pest in the Mediterranean Basin, being responsible for high losses in olive production. The objective of this work was to study the influence of B. oleae infestation on the pomological parameters and nutritive value (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and ash) of eight olive cultivars (Abani, Aellah, Blanquette de Guelma, Chemlal, Ferkani, Limli, Rougette de Mitidja and Souidi) from Algeria. The results displayed different degrees of susceptibility of the studied cultivars to this pest. Fruit size (weight) and the Fruit weight / stone weight ratio are significantly correlated with the attack. The statistical treatment of the results (PCA and HAC) highlighted different behaviors from the cultivars, concerning the attack. There are some cultivars more susceptible, being the nutritional value also affected. The lipid and protein contents were positively correlated with the attack and the carbohydrates negatively, suggesting a careful choice by the B. oleae. Ovipositional preference of olive fruit fly females and the success of larval development in different olive cultivars are crucial to establishing new approaches in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) against this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • An image processing approach was designed for olive cultivars identification. • The morphological features handled by the specialist were extracted by image processing. • Most discriminant features were identified. • The proposal was assessed with different classifier designs. Abstract The identification of olive cultivars is of utmost importance for a multitude of factors affecting both, the olive oil elaboration process and fair trade exchanges. The accurate varietal identification is a time consuming task that requires trained specialists or expensive and specific equipment. When applying the traditional method, a specialist assesses morphological features using the olive endocarp. A proposal to automate this identification method is presented in this paper. Endocarp images, acquired under three different perspectives, are processed to extract the same information that the specialist utilizes. Then, the partial least squares discriminant analysis classifier, with or without feature selection, has been tested on a set of 250 samples from 5 different varieties. Results show that the proposal is an alternative identification method which could also be used in the traditional one in order to assist the specialist in the determination of the variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Area (LA) estimation, based on individual leaf dimensions [length (L) and width (W)], was addressed in olive tree. Ten cultivars exposed to two watering regimes (irrigated versus rainfed) under field conditions were examined. Petiole length, leaf L, W, perimeter, base and apex angles, four shape indicators, together with LA were digitally assessed in fully-expanded leaves (480 leaves per treatment; 9.600 leaves in total). Large cultivar differences mainly in leaf size and secondarily in leaf shape were apparent. All parameters were affected by water deficit, but to a cultivar dependent extent. Leaf size was generally reduced by lack of irrigation in most cultivars. LA was estimated with higher accuracy by employing L alone, as compared to W alone, in eight cultivars. LA estimation was always improved by considering both L and W simultaneously, as compared to a single dimension. By studying each cultivar individually, LA estimation was within accepted limits (0.71 ≤ R 2 ≤ 0.92) in nine cultivars, whereas in the tenth one a moderate R 2 (0.63) was obtained. The accuracy of this estimation was not improved by pooling the data of all cultivars. Watering did not significantly affect the relation between estimated and measured LA. The obtained data indicate that a universal LA estimation model for olive tree carries the pitfall of moderate accuracy, owing only to cultivar differences, since environmental effects were trivial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate yield stability of 12 Iranian and foreign olive cultivars in Dalaho Olive Research Station during 2006-2008. According to the variance analysis, significant variation (p<0.01) was observed between cultivars and years. Classification based on Duncan (p<0.05) showed that Konservolia was superior variety and Sevillano, Koroneiki and Zard were placed in the second group. Cultivars were divided into 3 groups based on cluster analysis using Ward method. The first principal component of the interaction between olive cultivars and the year's show 69.25% of the variance and was statistically significant at 1% level based on AMMI analysis. According to regression coefficient (bi) deviation from regression (S²di), Wricke's ecovalence (Wi), coefficient of determination (Ri²) and Shukla's stability variance (δi²) methods 'Mission' and 'Zard' had the higher stability. According to the AMMI stability (ASV) ranking, the following cultivars were the most stable, Mission, Amigdalolia and Koroneiki, while the most unstable were 'Konservolia', 'Sevillano', 'Roghani', 'Arbequina' and 'Abou-Satal'. 'Konservolia' even showed the lowest stability but its stability in all parameters was significant different in terms of performance. Generally 'Konservolia', 'Sevillano', 'Koroneiki' and 'Zard' were appropriate for fruit yield and will be introduced for breeding programs in semi-warm climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]