Articles
Evolution of phenolic compounds in two Italian olive cultivars during drupe growth and ripening
Article number
1446_51
Pages
397 – 402
Language
English
Abstract
The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is one of the most representative and characteristic crops of the Mediterranean basin.
In Italy, the cultivation of the olive tree has been practiced for thousands of years and, thanks to the orographic and bioclimatic heterogeneity of the territory, it has led to the differentiation of a rich genetic heritage which includes over 500 different cultivars, adapted to different agro-ecosystems.
Table olives and above all extra virgin olive oil represent fundamental elements of the Mediterranean diet, being universally recognized as beneficial foods for human health, thanks to the presence of phenolic molecules, characterized by a strong antioxidant activity.
The genetic variability of the cultivars is one of the factors that most influence the concentration of polyphenols in the drupes and oil and, at the same time, a high polyphenol content is considered a positive attribute of the individual cultivars.
This study aimed to evaluate the change in the vegetative and productive behaviour of plants belonging to two cultivars of olive with different commercial uses (‘Leccino’ and ‘Nocellara del Belice’), evaluating the change in the physical parameters of the drupes during the development and maturation and the variation of phenolic compounds present in the drupes and leaves of the two cultivars, by HPLC analysis.
At harvest, the drupes of ‘Nocellara del Belice’ showed a greater weight of about 44% compared to ‘Leccino’; the Jaén index of drupes showed a higher and earlier trend in ‘Leccino’, reporting values of 3.4 compared to 0.8 of ‘Nocellara del Belice’. As regards the polyphenolic profile, oleuropein was the most stable phenolic molecule for the drupes of both cultivars, as well as the most abundant at the time of harvest, with values of about 30 mg 100 g‑1 FW; at harvest the verbascoside content in ‘Leccino’, was greater than about 143% compared to ‘Nocellara del Belice’.
In Italy, the cultivation of the olive tree has been practiced for thousands of years and, thanks to the orographic and bioclimatic heterogeneity of the territory, it has led to the differentiation of a rich genetic heritage which includes over 500 different cultivars, adapted to different agro-ecosystems.
Table olives and above all extra virgin olive oil represent fundamental elements of the Mediterranean diet, being universally recognized as beneficial foods for human health, thanks to the presence of phenolic molecules, characterized by a strong antioxidant activity.
The genetic variability of the cultivars is one of the factors that most influence the concentration of polyphenols in the drupes and oil and, at the same time, a high polyphenol content is considered a positive attribute of the individual cultivars.
This study aimed to evaluate the change in the vegetative and productive behaviour of plants belonging to two cultivars of olive with different commercial uses (‘Leccino’ and ‘Nocellara del Belice’), evaluating the change in the physical parameters of the drupes during the development and maturation and the variation of phenolic compounds present in the drupes and leaves of the two cultivars, by HPLC analysis.
At harvest, the drupes of ‘Nocellara del Belice’ showed a greater weight of about 44% compared to ‘Leccino’; the Jaén index of drupes showed a higher and earlier trend in ‘Leccino’, reporting values of 3.4 compared to 0.8 of ‘Nocellara del Belice’. As regards the polyphenolic profile, oleuropein was the most stable phenolic molecule for the drupes of both cultivars, as well as the most abundant at the time of harvest, with values of about 30 mg 100 g‑1 FW; at harvest the verbascoside content in ‘Leccino’, was greater than about 143% compared to ‘Nocellara del Belice’.
Publication
Authors
C. Di Vaio, A. Cirillo, R. Cusano, F. Famiani
Keywords
physical parameters, Olea europaea L., table and oil olives, HPLC
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