Olive oil cultivars suitable for very-high density planting conditions

The olive oil cultivar choice to establish a very-high density olive orchard on a trellis system in the northeast of Spain (Tarragona) is presented in this study. The low-medium vigour olive cultivars used in this trial are 'Arbequina-i-18 (R)', 'Arbosana', 'Canetera' and 'Joanenca' from Catalonia (Spain), 'Koroneiki' from Greece and 'Fs-17' from Italy. The irrigated trial was planted in 1998, trained to central leader and it was spaced 1.35 x 3 m (2.469 trees/ha). A continuous straddle harvester was used in this comparative olive cultivars trial. 'Arbequina-i-18 (R)', 'Arbosana' and 'Canetera' cultivars have got a productive behaviour clearly superior to the other varieties. The highest cumulated yields were for 'Arbequina-i-18 (R)' (26.383 kg/ha) followed by 'Arbosana' (23.907 kg/ha), 'Canetera' (18.323 kg/ha), 'Joanenca' (17.535 kg/ha), 'Koroneiki' (16.357 kg/ha) and 'Fs-17' (13.113 kg/ha). Lowest tree vigour (trunk cross section and canopy volume) were observed in 'Arbosana' and 'Arbequina-i-18 (R)'. With respect to diseases incidence, 'Canetera', is particularly more sensitive to Verticillium dahliae. The oil content, expressed as % on dry basis, was the highest in 'Fs-17' (57.3%) and the lowest in 'Joanenca' (36.9%). Thus, 'Arbequina-i-18 (R)' and 'Arbosana' seem to be the preferred cultivars to design this type of very-high density orchards.