Preliminary observations about the performance of 13 varieties

Adv. Hort. Sci., 2010 24(1): 16-20
Preliminary observations about the performance of
13 varieties according to the super high density
oliveculture training system in Apulia
(southern Italy)
S. Camposeo, A. Godini
Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Vegetali, Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy.
Key words: Olea europaea L., productivity, tree habit, vegetative growth.
Abstract: Because of the impossibility of effective interventions to modernize the traditional olive growing
designs, we suggested, in a past work, the adoption of the super high density model as innovative therapy to allow
the Italian olive oil production to continue to be present on the national and international markets. In the present work the results obtained at Valenzano, near Bari (southern Italy) with regard to both vegetative and productive aspects throughout the first three years of a large varietal population are presented. Data concerning the
performance of 13 varieties, obtained by rooted cutting and/or by micro propagation are discussed. ‘Arbequina’,
‘Arbosana’ and ‘Urano®’, by cutting, confirmed their naturally controlled growth habit, dense and regular
foliage, early and consistent cropping capacity. Promising results were given by micro propagated ‘Koroneiki’
and ‘Urano®’. On average, in the third year ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’, ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Urano®’ bore a crop of
5.7 t ha-1 of fruits and of 1.0 t ha-1 of extra virgin oil. The performance of ‘Urano®’ by cutting is particularly worthy of attention: it bore a crop of 5.5 kg tree-1 (i.e. 9.13 t ha-1) of fruits in the third year after plantation. On the
basis of 16.5% oil output, the oil production of ‘Urano®’ at the third year was 1.54 t ha-1. The remaining varieties showed severe limitations in terms of vegetative and/or productive parameters.
1. Introduction
Italian oliveculture is affected by a structural crisis
due to old age and the pattern of traditional plantations,
with the consequence of production costs higher than
selling prices of extra virgin olive oil (Godini, 2002;
Godini and Contò, 2005; Pampanini and Pignataro,
2008; Godini, 2009). Since effective interventions to
modernize the traditional designs are impossible
(Godini, 2006), we suggested the adoption of the super
high density training system as innovative therapy to
allow Italian olive oil production to continue to be present and competitive on the national and international
markets (Godini and Bellomo, 2002). The requested
characteristics of the olive varieties useful for this new
model are: compact habit, dense crown, slow canopy
growth, early and consistent bearing, good oil quality
(Godini and Bellomo, 2002). A trip to Catalonia in
1999 persuaded us to start studies and research on the
above model in Apulia (southern Italy) in order to evaluate the response of Italian and foreign varieties to such
Received for publication 31 July 2009.
Accepted for publication 15 December 2009.
16
an intriguing training system born in Spain about fifteen
years ago. In 2001 we designed an initial experimental
orchard in Cerignola (in the province of Foggia), testing
10 varieties. In 2002 we established a second orchard
near Cassano delle Murge (in the province of Bari),
testing eight varieties. The results obtained were object
of several papers (Bellomo and Godini, 2003; Camposeo and Giorgio, 2006; Godini et al., 2006 a, b; Camposeo et al., 2008) and showed the suitability of ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’ and ‘Urano®’ for the super high density model both in terms of vegetative and productive
aptitude. Moreover, ‘Arbequina’ and ‘Arbosana’ performed well also with regard to oil quality (Camposeo et
al., 2006). The behaviour of the remaining varieties proved unsatisfactory because of excessive vigour, spreading habit, bearing lateness and/or fruit susceptibility to
the impact of machine beaters.
In the present work the results obtained in a third
experimental field set up in Valenzano are presented.
The results regarding vegetative and productive aspects
throughout the first three years of thirteen varieties,
obtained by rooted cutting and/or by micro propagation, are reported.
2. Materials and Methods
In 2006 an experimental olive grove was established
according to the Spanish super high density training
system (Fig. 1) at the experimental farm of our Department at Valenzano (southern Italy). Three varieties
(‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’, ‘Koroneiki’, as standard
genotypes), with which this new model was calibrated,
and ten Italian varieties, both traditional (‘Carolea’,
‘Cima di Bitonto’, ‘Coratina’, ‘Frantoio’, ‘Leccino’,
‘Maurino’) and patented (‘Don Carlo®’, ‘Fs-17®’,
‘I/77®’, ‘Urano®’), were introduced (Table 1). In par-
ticular ‘Urano®’ was present both as semi-hardwood
rooted cutting mist-propagated and as rooted cutting
micro propagated. The trees were trained according to
the central leader (axis) system, spaced 4.0 x 1.5 m,
with a density of 1,667 trees ha-1, and a North-South
row orientation. Props, drip irrigation system and routine cultural practices (nutrition, pruning, disease control) were set up as previously described (Godini, 2006;
Camposeo et al., 2008). The seasonal irrigation volumes were 800 m3 ha-1 in 2006, 900 m3 ha-1 in 2007
and 1,500 m3 ha-1 in 2008.
Just after plantation, 30 trees per variety were randomly chosen (six replications x five contiguous trees)
and the height at planting time, at the end of the first
(2006), second (2007) and third year (2008) was measured. In November 2008 the transversal width of the
crown, the trunk cross sectional area (TCSA), the number and insertion angle of lateral branches born on the
central axis and the fruit yield were recorded. The crop
efficiency (g cm-2) as fruit yield/TCSA was calculated.
In a single day, all the varieties were mechanically harvested (20 November 2008), irrespective of their fruit
ripening advancement status using the Pellenc Activ’
4560 harvester (Fig. 2). After processing, the oil output
of the olives of ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’, ‘Koroneiki’
and ‘Urano®’ was recorded.
Fig. 1 - The experimental field of Valenzano (Bari) in August 2006
two-three months after planting (top) and in December 2008
(bottom).
Table 1 - Varieties tested and supplier nurseries
Cultivar
Arbequina*
Arbosana*
Carolea
Cima di Bitonto
Coratina
Don Carlo®
Frantoio
Fs-17 ®
I/77 ®
Koroneiki (z)
Leccino
Maurino
Urano®
Urano® (y)
(z) standard
Nursery
Agromillora Catalana, Subirats-Barcelona (Spain)
Agromillora Catalana, Subirats-Barcelona (Spain)
Vivai Milone, Acconia di Curinga (Catanzaro)
Olivicoltura Tricarico, Terlizzi (Bari)
Olivicoltura Tricarico, Terlizzi (Bari)
Agricola Faena, Fratta Tondina (Perugia)
Vivai Franchi, Castellare di Pescia (Pistoia)
Agricola Faena, Fratta Tondina (Perugia)
Agricola Faena, Fratta Tondina (Perugia)
Agromillora Catalana, Subirats-Barcelona (Spain)
Vivai Franchi, Castellare di Pescia (Pistoia)
Vivai Franchi, Castellare di Pescia (Pistoia)
Vivai Attilio Sonnoli, Uzzano (Pistoia)
Vivai Attilio Sonnoli, Uzzano (Pistoia)
genotype.
(y) micro propagated.
Fig. 2 - The harvesting machine Pellenc Activ’4560 at work at Valenzano (20 November 2008).
Data obtained were submitted to ANOVA statistical
analysis using SAS V9.1 software for MS Windows
(S.A.S. INSTITUTE INC. - USA); the parameters
which were statistically significant to the F test
(P≤0.01) were analysed by a SNK protected test.
3. Results and Discussion
Vegetative parameters
At planting time (June to July 2006) the average tree
height of the rooted cuttings sent by the nurseries was
17
Table 2 - Tree height at planting time (June-July 2006), at December 2006, 2007 and 2008; crown width and trunk cross sectional area (TCSA)
at December 2008
Cultivar
Arbequina
Arbosana
Carolea
Cima di Bitonto
Coratina
Don Carlo®
Frantoio
Fs-17®
I/77®
Koroneiki
Leccino
Maurino
Urano®
Urano® by micro
Mean
Planting time
35.8 GH
32.9 H
74.5 C
48.5 E
42.9 F
55.8 D
38.3 FH
83.8 B
54.8 D
40.6 FG
35.7 GH
34.7 H
104.5 A
56.8 D
52.8
2006
72.8 D
75.7 D
127.5 AB
126.4 AB
125.9 AB
117.0 BC
102.5 C
139.2 A
110.2 BC
87.5 D
118.2 BC
82.8 D
139.3 A
103.3 C
109.1
Tree height
(cm)
2007
186.7 CE
189.1 CE
221.7 AB
223.0 AB
240.8 A
213.7 AC
212.7 AC
223.3 AB
209.3 BC
198.7 BD
222.3 AB
199.7 BD
179.2 DE
163.0 E
205.9
Means are separated within the columns by the SNK protected test (P≤0.01).
52.8 cm (Table 2) and varied from a minimum of 32.9
cm (‘Arbosana’) to a maximum of 104.5 cm (‘Urano®’
from cutting) depending on their age (6-8 to 10-12
months). In December 2006, five to six months after
plantation, the average tree height was doubled (109.1
cm). The tree failures were less than 1%, irrespective of
the variety, thanks to the high quality of the material
sent by the nurseries and the cultural practices applied,
irrigation above all. In December 2007 the average tree
height resulted four times the initial one (205.9 cm vs.
52.8 cm) and only ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’, ‘Koroneiki’, ‘Maurino’, ‘Urano®’ by cutting and by micro propagation stood under 200.0 cm. One year later (December 2008) the average tree height was 263.0 cm, i.e.
5.64 times the initial one, with a minimum of +2.0
times for ‘Urano®’ by cutting and a maximum of +8.2
times for ‘Maurino’.
The skeleton of any variety fit for super high density training system should stay under 250 cm height and
150 cm width (Godini et al., 2006 a). Just after three
years, the vertical growth of ‘Carolea’, ‘Cima di Bitonto’, ‘Coratina’, ‘Don Carlo®’, ‘Frantoio’, ‘Fs-17®’,
‘I/77®’, ‘Leccino’ and ‘Maurino’ had overtaken that
threshold, even more with flexible top shoots. On the
other hand, the height of ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’, and
‘Koroneiki’ was definitely below the limit noted above.
The behaviour of ‘Urano®’, both by cutting and by
micro propagation, is worthy of consideration with a
habit that can be described as “dwarfing”. In 2008 the
average canopy width (Table 2) was 198.0 cm, with
significant differences among varieties. In particular
‘Cima di Bitonto’ and ‘Frantoio’ showed the most
spreading growth. The 2008 TCSA at 0.4 m from the
ground (Table 2) was 19.0 cm2 on average, ranging
18
TCSA
(cm2)
Crown width
(cm)
2008
240.8 CD
230.3 DE
288.5 A
290.1 A
288.5 A
264.0 AC
296.2 A
278.3 AB
285.3 A
248.8 CD
285.5 A
282.7 A
209.4 EF
194.3 F
263.0
187.5
183.5
174.5
258.7
185.9
197.0
234.5
198.3
189.8
186.8
203.5
202.5
186.8
183.0
198.0
CD
CD
D
A
CD
CD
B
C
CD
CD
C
C
CD
CD
18.1
11.3
19.2
18.8
20.9
19.2
24.5
17.1
22.2
18.7
24.9
19.3
17.6
14.2
19.0
AD
E
AD
AD
AD
AD
AB
CD
AC
AD
A
AD
BD
DE
from a minimum of 11.3 cm2 (‘Arbosana’) and a maximum of 24.9 cm2 (‘Leccino’).
The crown density was calculated as the number of
shoots born on the central axis between 0.8 and 1.3 m
from the ground. Most varieties (‘Arbequina’,
‘Arbosana’, ‘Cima di Bitonto’, ‘Coratina’, ‘Don
Carlo’, ‘Frantoio’, ‘Koroneiki’, ‘Leccino’, ‘Maurino’
and ‘Urano’) exhibited lateral shoots, each 5.0-6.0 cm
(Table 3), thus showing dense crowns. ‘Fs-17’, with a
lateral branch each 14.3 cm of axis, confirmed its trend
for a sparse crown (Godini et al., 2006 a, b) and similar behaviour was shown by ‘Carolea’, ‘Don Carlo’,
‘I/77’ and ‘Maurino’.
Table 3 - Crown architecture at December 2008
Cultivar
Arbequina
Arbosana
Carolea
Cima di Bitonto
Coratina
Don Carlo®
Frantoio
Fs-17®
I/77®
Koroneiki
Leccino
Maurino
Urano®
Urano® by micro
Mean
Lateral branches
between 80 and 130 cm
Number
Density
(n)
(cm)
10.3
16.3
5.3
11.3
11.0
7.9
9.1
3.5
6.7
11.8
9.1
7.9
10.9
11.2
9.5
BC
A
EG
BC
BC
CE
BD
G
DF
B
BD
CE
BC
BC
4.8
3.1
9.4
4.4
4.5
6.3
5.5
14.3
7.5
4.2
5.5
6.3
4.6
4.5
5.3
DF
F
B
DF
DF
CD
CE
A
BC
EF
CE
CD
DF
DF
Insertion angle of the
lateral branches (°)
Basal
Apical
portion
portion
80-85
75-85
40-60
80-90
80-90
80-85
85-90
90-110
70-80
75-85
80-85
65-70
80-95
85-95
65-70
55-70
45-60
85-90
50-60
75-85
80-90
70-85
60-75
65-70
75-80
50-60
80-85
80-85
Means are separated within the columns by the SNK protected test
(P≤0.01).
On the same portion of axis, the insertion angle of
the lateral branches varied significantly among varieties and along the axis (Table 3). ‘Arbequina’,
‘Arbosana’, ‘Coratina’, ‘I/77’ and ‘Koroneiki’ exhibited angles varying from almost right in the basal portion
to acute in the apical one. ‘Cima di Bitonto’, ‘Don
Carlo’, ‘Frantoio’, ‘Fs-17’ and ‘Leccino’ showed a
spreading tree habit because of almost right angles all
along the axis. ‘Carolea’ presented an upright tree habit
due to always acute insertion angles. The crown of
‘Maurino’, in spite of acute insertion angles, resulted
large and spreading because of the notable elongation
of the rare lateral shoots. ‘Urano’ by cutting (but also
by micro propagation) confirmed a constant insertion
angle larger than 90° (Godini et al., 2006 a), with a
drooping tree habit and definite controlled growth: the
tallest at planting time, the shortest three years later.
Productive parameters
In the third year after plantation (2008) the average
fruit production was 2.0 kg tree-1, varying significantly
among varieties (Table 4): null in ‘Carolea’, ‘Cima di
Bitonto’ and ‘Frantoio’; very low (less than 1.0 kg tree1) in ‘Leccino’ and ‘Maurino’; promising (less than 2.5
kg tree-1) in ‘Don Carlo®’ and ‘I/77®’; satisfactory
(more than 2.5 kg tree-1) in ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’,
‘Coratina’, ‘Fs-17®’, ‘Koroneiki’, ‘Urano®’ micro
propagated; excellent (more than 5.0 kg/tree-1) in
‘Urano®’ by cutting. Perhaps the performance of
‘Urano®’ by cutting may be attributed to the particular
height (age) at plantation time. The average crop efficiency was 125.4 g cm-2 (Table 4): null in ‘Carolea’,
‘Cima di Bitonto’ and ‘Frantoio’; low (less than 65.0 g
cm-2) in ‘I/77®’, ‘Leccino’ and ‘Maurino’; good
(between 100 and 200 g cm-2) in ‘Arbequina’, ‘Coratina’, ‘Don Carlo®’, ‘Fs-17®’ and ‘Urano®’ micro propagated; very good (between 200 and 250 g cm-2) in
‘Arbosana’, ‘Koroneiki’; excellent (more than 300 g
cm-2) in ‘Urano®’ by cutting.
Table 4 - Fruit production and crop efficiency at December 2008
Cultivar
Fruit production
(kg tree-1)
(t ha-1)
Crop efficiency
(g cm-2)
4.15 DE
2.5 DE
186.6 BC
4.65 CD
2.8 CE
221.8 B
0.00 H
0.0 H
0.0 G
0.00 H
0.0 H
0.0 G
5.31 BC
3.2 BC
171.9 C
3.65 E
2.2 E
127.5 D
0.00 H
0.0 H
0.0 G
4.81 CD
2.9 CD
200.0 BC
2.32 F
1.4 F
65.1 E
6.31 B
3.8 B
216.1 B
1.33 FG
0.8 G
33.7 EF
0.66 G
0.4 G
23.0 F
9.13 A
5.5 A
326.6 A
4.32 CE
2.6 CE
183.1 BC
2.0
3.33
125.4
Means are separated within the columns by the SNK protected test
(P≤0.01).
Arbequina
Arbosana
Carolea
Cima di Bitonto
Coratina
Don Carlo®
Frantoio
Fs-17®
I/77®
Koroneiki
Leccino
Maurino
Urano®
Urano® by micro
Mean
Table 4 highlights a theoretical average yield of 3.3
t ha-1 of olives in the third year, not far from the average yield (3.7 t ha-1) of adult olive groves of the
province of Bari grown according to conventional
practices (ISTAT, 2003-2007). The yield above 4 t ha-1
given by ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’, ‘Coratina’, ‘Fs17®’, ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Urano®’ by micro propagation
is worthy of note. A theoretical crop of 9.1 t ha-1 by
‘Urano®’ by cutting was quite unexpected.
The oil output of ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’, ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Urano®’ (Table 5) varied from 15.0% of
‘Koroneiki’ (late ripening) to 18.8% of ‘Arbequina’ (early
ripening). ‘Urano®’ gave the highest theoretical amount
with 1.5 t ha-1 of oil, followed by ‘Koroneiki’ with 1.3 t
ha-1, ‘Arbequina’ and ‘Arbosana’ with 0.8 t ha-1.
Table 5 - Oil output and theoretical oil production
Cultivar
Arbequina
Arbosana
Koroneiki
Urano®
Mean
output
(%)
18.8
18.5
15.0
16.5
17.0
Oil
production
(t ha-1)
0.76
0.81
1.26
1.54
1.01
4. Conclusions
The results obtained in the third year after plantation
underline interesting differences among the behaviour
of the tested varietal population. The super high density model was calibrated in Spain on ‘Arbequina’,
‘Arbosana’ and ‘Koroneiki’, and the same varieties as
standard genotypes (not patented) confirmed, with
respect to our previous studies, their suitability for the
model also in Apulia. On the other hand, ‘Frantoio’,
together with ‘Carolea’ and ‘Cima di Bitonto’, tended
to confirm an excessive growth and the trend to come
late into bearing. ‘Leccino’ and ‘Maurino’ appeared to
be too vigorous. With respect to previous studies, the
yield of ‘Coratina’ was surprisingly satisfactory maybe
because of a better fulfilment of its needs, for example,
in terms of water supplies. Unfortunately this leading
Apulian variety confirmed the trend to a vigorous and
spreading habit. Nonetheless, we have planned further
studies based on a larger interval on the row in order to
train ‘Coratina’ trees according to a flat “fan” model.
Once more, ‘Fs-17®’ exhibited a good adaptation to the
model, but only concerning bearing aspects and the
same behaviour was observed in ‘Don Carlo®’ and
‘I/77®’: the limits of these three varieties could be summarized as low crown density and spreading habit.
‘Urano®’ by cutting improved the results previously
given, with the best performance in terms of olives (9.1
t ha-1) and oil (1.5 t ha-1). This new Italian variety
struck us for its natural compact and dwarf habit as
observed in 1999 at San Casciano in Val di Pesa (Flo-
19
References
Fig. 3 - Close-up of the cv. Urano® trees at San Casciano in Val di
Pesa (Florence) in 1999.
rence - Italy) (Fig. 3). For this reason we decided to test
it first at Cassano delle Murge in 2002, then at Valenzano in 2006.
The present data support previous experiences and
allow us to make additional remarks. ‘Arbequina’,
‘Arbosana’ and ‘Urano®’, plus ‘Koroneiki’, confirmed
their vegetative and productive characteristics as
required for the super high density oliveculture. Preliminary observations did not allow us to point out any
difference concerning morphological and phenological
characteristics between mist propagated and micro
propagated ‘Urano®’; the lower vegetative growth and
crop of the latter may be perhaps attributed to the comparatively younger age at plantation. The encouraging
results given by ‘Urano®’ mean that one new Italian
genotype could be added to the, still today, short list of
varieties fit for the new and intriguing training system
reported in the title of the present paper. The present
research programme will be continued in the next years
in order to achieve complete and exhaustive results
about the suitability of both training system and varieties.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the Provincia di Bari (Italy) for its
financial support of this research.
20
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