Olive: origin and diffusion, variety and genetic improvement, propagation, anatomy and physiology
water and nutritional requirements. soil management, pruning and training systems, olive
planting, harvesting, mechanization and culture models.
Olea. Trattato di olivicoltura
curato da Fiorino P.
Edagricole
Learning Objectives
provide the students with the necessary knowledge on the anatomy and physiology of the olive tree,
on its cultivation, the stress which it is subject and the methods of propagation
Prerequisites
no one
Teaching Methods
Total hours of the course (including the time
spent in attending lectures, seminars, private
study, examinations, etc...): 200
Hours reserved to private study and other
indivual formative activities: 142
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 26
Contact hours for: Laboratory (hours): 6
Contact hours for: Laboratory-field/practice (hours): 16
Seminars (hours): 0-5
Stages: 0
Intermediate examinations: 5
Type of Assessment
Talk along the courses. Final examination
Course program
General aspects of olive growing, the world market. Taxonomy. Anatomical description of the plant: roots, trunk, branches, buds, flower, fruit, seed. Floral biology: differentiation of flower, flower development, pollination, fruit set. The phenology of the olive. Effects of environmental stress: cold, heat, anoxia, salinity.
Starting an olive cultivation: Site selection, soil analysis, soil preparation. Choice of cultivars. Soil management: weeding, mulching, grassing. Mineral nutrition and fertilization. Pruning of the olive. The harvest: the harvest from the tree, hand-picking. Mechanical harvesting: shakers, shake-pickers.
The propagation of olive: the propagation by seed, propagation by grafting, propagation by cuttings, micropropagation.