ISHS Acta Horticulturae 636: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Key Processes in the Growth and Cropping of Deciduous Fruit and Nut Trees
SHOOT ARCHITECTURE OF THE OLIVE TREE: EFFECT OF CULTIVAR ON THE NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION OF VEGETATIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS ON BRANCHES |
| Authors: | N. Moutier, G. Garcia, P.E. Lauri |
| Keywords: | Olea europaea L., morphology, typology, descriptors, tree training, pruning, genetic diversity |
| Abstract:
The olive tree is currently being developed in France through the impetus of the Varietal Renewal Plan. An initiative is being developed to increase the knowledge concerning the cultivars cultivated in France. In this traditional system of culture, knowledge of plant growth morphology is very limited. Pruning is the same for all cultivars. World-wide, few studies have been carried out on the architectural development of the olive tree, whereas many experiments have been conducted on other fruit species. As part of an ongoing research project on olive tree characterisation, an experiment has been carried out to compare shoot architecture of 6 cultivars. The aims of this trial were first to develop descriptors to study lateral organ number and distribution on branches, and second to analyse the variability existing between genotypes for these characteristics. The number and position of the lateral branches, flowers and fruits has been described. We have found differences between cultivars and using these have developed a proposed qualitative typology based on the lateral organ number and distribution on the branch. Results are discussed in relation to both cultivar characterisation and tree training. | |
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