Agronomic and qualitative evaluation of some olive selections derived from a breeding program

IBRAHIM M. S. OSMAN

Abstract

A breeding olive program has been established in 1994 at Egypt by crossing between local and foreign cultivars for selection and evaluation to get new genotypes for table, oil, or dual purpose varieties. Future work is planned to evaluate the adaptation of the most promising selection to different environments. During three successive years (2011-2013) progenies from crosses between cvs. (Leccio x Toffahi), (Coratina x Toffahi), (Toffahi x Arbiquine) and (Arbiquine x Toffahi) were evaluated. The progenies have been analyzed for some tree growth traits (shoot length, shoot thickness, number of nodes/shoot, internodes length, leaf traits (average number of leaves/shoot, leaf surface area, leaf shape), flowering-entity (flowering time, the length of inflorescence, number of total flowers/ inflorescence, number of perfect flowers/inflorescence, number of staminate flowers/ inflorescence, sex ratio, and fruit set/m), drupe traits (tree yield, fruit shape, fruit weight, seed weight, flesh weight, flesh/seed, moisture and oil content (oil percent in fresh weight and oil percent in dry weight) and rooting capability. From the obtained data, it can be concluded that some valuable selections have been resulted. Such progenies were No. 51, 62, and 63 for table olive; progenies No 36, 49, 109 and 121 for oil and No. 34, 35, 108, 110 and 111 for dual purpose. Furthermore, selected progenies were propagated and planted in three locations, to evaluate their performance in different geographical areas. Performance included i.e., tree growth, yield, fruit characteristics, oil content and oil compositions in fatty acids. There comes the necessity to study quantities and qualitative traits of olive production for the most important selections.

Key words

Olive, Progenies, Table olive, Oil Olive, Cross Breeding, Leccio, Coratina, Toffahi, Arbiquine.