Fruit Growth, Quality and Anatomy Characters of Four Olea europaea Cultivars Grown in Basrah Region

Abstract

This study was conducted on olive trees, cvs, Chemlali, Dekel, Khastaui and Khuderi grown in Basrah region during the growing seasons of 2010 – 2012. The aim of this study was to investigate some of the phenological characters, preharvest physical and oil changes, quality and anatomy of mature fruits, and to determine the time for fruit harvest of these cultivars in Basrah region. Results of the phenological characters showed the onset of bud burst occurred in March, anthesis and fruit set during April and ripening in late August and early September. The physical characters of the developing fruits in the four olive cultivars were progressively increased with time up to the ripe stage. The increasing percentage of the these characters, except that of seed fresh weight, revealed a double sigmoid growth pattern with a rapid growth during stage I (30-39 days duration), slow growth during stage II (11 days duration), and a second rapid growth during stage III up to ripening time (84-100 days duration). Fruit oil content increased steadily as the fruits advanced toward the ripening stage . The percentage of oil in the fruits showed a sharp rise during June in all cultivars. The main fatty acids in the oil were palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids. Oleic acid was the major fatty acid in the fruit oil of the studied cultivars. Evalution of mature fruits revealed that Dekel, Khastaui and Khuderi cultivars recorded significant increases in inflorescence length, fruit and seed fresh weight, volume, length, total acidity, total sugars, reducing and non – reducing sugars, and cell width. Chemlali, Dekel and Khuderi cultivars had significant increases in the number of flowers of inflorescence, fruit moisture content, nitrogen, crude protein and ash concentration. Chemlali, Khastaui and Khuderi cultivars recorded significant increases in dry matter percentage, lower epidermis layer thickness, cell length and vascular bundle thickness. Chemlali and Dekel cultivars recorded significant increases in potassium concentration and number of cells in mm^-2 of inner mesocarp. Dekel and Khuderi cultivars had significant increases in inflorescence width, fruit yield and total soluble solids. Chemlali, Dekel and Khastaui cultivars had significant increases in fruit diameter and cuticle layer thickness. Chemlali and Khuderi cultivars recorded significant increase in number of vascular bundles, whereas Dekel and Khastaui cultivars gave significant increase in epidermis layer thickness. Khastaui and Khuderi cultivars recorded significant increase in sclernchyma layer thickness. Chemlali, Khastaui and Khuderi cultivars had significant increases in phosphorus concentration, oil percentage and pollen grain viability respectively. The most appropriate time for fruit harvest in these olive cultivars is either in August for food uses or in  September  and early October for oil extraction under the environmental conditions of Basrah region .

Keywords: Olea europaea L., phenology, fruit growth, quality, anatomy, cultivars.