Articles
Flowering phenology of olive cultivars in two climates with contrasting winter temperatures (subtropical and Mediterranean)
Article number
1425_56
Pages
437 – 442
Language
English
Abstract
Olive flowering phenology might be greatly altered under a climate warming scenario, in particular the lack of winter chilling.
However, little is known on the genetic variability for this trait.
In this work, we evaluate the flowering phenology of seven olive cultivars under the lack of winter chilling of the subtropical climate of Tenerife in years 2019 to 2021. It was compared to the Mediterranean climate of Cordoba in the South of the Iberian Peninsula.
The cultivars evaluated in Tenerife showed slight differences on the day of full flowering and no significant differences for flowering and full flowering periods.
However, they were significantly longer than in the Mediterranean climate of Cordoba for all the cultivars studied.
This is because the lack of winter chilling in Tenerife promotes a desynchronization of the flower bud bloom that has as a result a much larger flowering period.
The bloom desynchronization was so strong that, for some cultivars and years under study, two full flowering periods were observed.
Significant inter annual differences were found in Tenerife phenology, especially for the day of full flowering, that was very early in 2020. This could be due for the higher temperatures reported for January and February 2020. Inter annual differences were especially high for cultivars ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Picholine Marocaine’. In summary, the lack of winter chilling of Tenerife promotes a similar desynchronization of the flower buds blooming in the seven cultivars studied.
Therefore, it is necessary to search for more genetic variability in order to find adaptation to a climate warming scenario.
However, little is known on the genetic variability for this trait.
In this work, we evaluate the flowering phenology of seven olive cultivars under the lack of winter chilling of the subtropical climate of Tenerife in years 2019 to 2021. It was compared to the Mediterranean climate of Cordoba in the South of the Iberian Peninsula.
The cultivars evaluated in Tenerife showed slight differences on the day of full flowering and no significant differences for flowering and full flowering periods.
However, they were significantly longer than in the Mediterranean climate of Cordoba for all the cultivars studied.
This is because the lack of winter chilling in Tenerife promotes a desynchronization of the flower bud bloom that has as a result a much larger flowering period.
The bloom desynchronization was so strong that, for some cultivars and years under study, two full flowering periods were observed.
Significant inter annual differences were found in Tenerife phenology, especially for the day of full flowering, that was very early in 2020. This could be due for the higher temperatures reported for January and February 2020. Inter annual differences were especially high for cultivars ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Picholine Marocaine’. In summary, the lack of winter chilling of Tenerife promotes a similar desynchronization of the flower buds blooming in the seven cultivars studied.
Therefore, it is necessary to search for more genetic variability in order to find adaptation to a climate warming scenario.
Authors
M.G. Medina-Alonso, J.M. Cabezas, D. Ríos-Mesa, I.J. Lorite, L. León, R. de la Rosa
Keywords
adaptation, chilling, climate warming, Olea europaea L
Groups involved
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Working Group Modelling in Fruit Research and Orchard Management
- Working Group Modelling Plant Growth, Environmental Control, Greenhouse Environment
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
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