Changes in olive fruit characteristics and oil accumulation in ‘Oblica’ and ‘Leccino’ during ripening

Monovarietal virgin olive oils have special importance in preservation of olive biodiversity.
The influences of cultivar, year and location on ‘Oblica’ and ‘Leccino’ fruit quality parameters during fruit ripening were studied.
Maturity index (MI), fruit dry matter content (DMC), and oil content expressed on an olive dry matter basis were analyzed.
Oil was extracted from each fruit batch using an Abencor system, after which the extractability was calculated.
Olive fruit parameters depended significantly on the cultivar, year, and fruit MI. The DMC in ‘Oblica’ ranged from 32.0 to 45.6%, and the mean value was 38.67%, while the DMC in ‘Leccino’ ranged from 38.7 to 52.9%, with a mean value of 43.93%. Higher DMC was recorded in years with lower rainfall.
In ‘Leccino’ fruits, a moderate decrease in DMC with increasing MI was recorded.
The mean oil content was 41.5% in ‘Oblica’ and 36.4% in ‘Leccino’. There were significant differences in the oil content of olive fruits harvested at different locations and at different maturity stages of both cultivars.
However, ‘Oblica’ oil content was higher on average at the lower-altitude location (Kaštela) compared with Šestanovac, where ‘Leccino’ synthesized more oil.
Significant positive correlations of the MI with the DMC and oil content were noted.
A wide range of extractability, from 35 to 87%, was recorded, strongly influenced by the studied effects.

VIII International Olive Symposium

M. Jukić Špika, M. Žanetić, K. Kraljić, I. Pasković, D. Škevin

fruit dry matter, oil accumulation, extractability, crop year, location, cultivar

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1199.86