Articles
Comparison of frost damages in eleven olive cultivars after two freezing events in central Italy
Article number
1346_21
Pages
161 – 168
Language
English
Abstract
The olive trees are very sensitive to frost damage.
Symptoms on the tree can range from shoot tip burns and defoliation up to bark split into branches or trunk in case of intense injury.
Frost conditions occur recurrently in central Italy but with variable intensity and timing along the different winter seasons.
The objective of the present study was to compare frost damages in 11 olive cultivars after two freezing events occurred in Marche Region (central Italy) in 2012 and 2018. The studied cultivars were Nebbia del Menocchia, Rosciola Colli Esini, Sarganella, Capolga, Oliva Grossa, Piantone di Mogliano and Piantone di Falerone locally diffused in the Marche Region; FS17®, Don Carlo® and Giulia®, nationally spread; and Arbequina internationally used for high-density olive orchards.
At the moment of the freezing events, the trees were respectively three and nine years old, and two visual indexes were used for defoliation (from 0: no leaf drop to 3: totally defoliated) and frost damage (from 0: no bark split to 4: bark split extended to the trunk). During the following growing season, the recovery ability of the cultivars (resprouting in the apical, central, and basal portions of the tree) was studied using a visual index from 0 to 3. Results about damage level and recovery ability of the studied cultivars were compared for the two years in order to identify less and more sensitive cultivars.
This study supplies useful information about suitable cultivars for cold areas, confirming that the level of damage might also depend on the age and physiological status of the trees during frost conditions.
Only a few locally grown cultivars show a more predictable winter frost tolerance and recovery.
Symptoms on the tree can range from shoot tip burns and defoliation up to bark split into branches or trunk in case of intense injury.
Frost conditions occur recurrently in central Italy but with variable intensity and timing along the different winter seasons.
The objective of the present study was to compare frost damages in 11 olive cultivars after two freezing events occurred in Marche Region (central Italy) in 2012 and 2018. The studied cultivars were Nebbia del Menocchia, Rosciola Colli Esini, Sarganella, Capolga, Oliva Grossa, Piantone di Mogliano and Piantone di Falerone locally diffused in the Marche Region; FS17®, Don Carlo® and Giulia®, nationally spread; and Arbequina internationally used for high-density olive orchards.
At the moment of the freezing events, the trees were respectively three and nine years old, and two visual indexes were used for defoliation (from 0: no leaf drop to 3: totally defoliated) and frost damage (from 0: no bark split to 4: bark split extended to the trunk). During the following growing season, the recovery ability of the cultivars (resprouting in the apical, central, and basal portions of the tree) was studied using a visual index from 0 to 3. Results about damage level and recovery ability of the studied cultivars were compared for the two years in order to identify less and more sensitive cultivars.
This study supplies useful information about suitable cultivars for cold areas, confirming that the level of damage might also depend on the age and physiological status of the trees during frost conditions.
Only a few locally grown cultivars show a more predictable winter frost tolerance and recovery.
Publication
Authors
E.M. Lodolini, B. Alfei, T. Cioccolanti, M. Zucchini, D. Neri
Keywords
Olea europaea, Rosciola Colli Esini, FS17®, Arbequina, visual index, vegetative resprouting
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