Prioritization of olive breeding objectives in Spain: Analysis of a producers and researchers survey

Lorenzo León,Raúl De La Rosa,Manuel Arriaza

doi:10.5424/sjar/2021194-18203

Abstract

Aim of study: Trait prioritization of potential olive (Olea europaea L.) breeding objectives has been evaluated in this work from two surveys to researchers working on olive and olive producers / orchard managers.Area of study: Olive growing area in Andalusia (South of Spain)Material and methods: Twenty-five breeding objectives were associated to plant growth, fructification, oil content and composition, resistance to pest and disease and tolerance to soil and climatic conditions. Two assessment methods were applied (ranking and rating), showing similar results in both the researchers and producers surveys.Main results: Higher productivity was the objective with the highest score, followed by Verticillium wilt resistance and higher oil content. After them, tolerance to water stress and resistance to Xylella fastidiosa were among the preferred objectives. Conversely, the least preferred objectives were late harvesting, high fruit size and tolerance to water lodging and calcareous soils. In the producers’ survey, results have been consistent among the different types of orchards and farmers’ characteristics. It is also interesting to notice that more than 50% of the producers expressed their willingness to orchard enlargement or renewal in the three coming years and 25% of them would change the olive cultivar. They would be willing to pay an average 43% overprice for new cultivar fulfilling their requirements and 75% would support the use of genetic modified olives.Research highlights: These results should be considered to analyze the scope of current breeding programs and define the main criteria to be considered for future works aiming at developing new olive cultivars.

Highlights

Olive (Olea europaea L.) oil production has been continuously increasing in the last 30 years to reach over 3,000,000 t with a concomitant increasing in consumption (IOC, 2021)
Research highlights: These results should be considered to analyze the scope of current breeding programs and define the main criteria to be considered for future works aiming at developing new olive cultivars
262 different cultivars were identified in exploration survey of olive cultivars grown in Spain, 24 of which were considered as major cultivars representing either a large portion of the acreage or predominating in one or more olive growing areas (Barranco & Rallo, 2000)

Summary

Introduction

Olive (Olea europaea L.) oil production has been continuously increasing in the last 30 years to reach over 3,000,000 t with a concomitant increasing in consumption (IOC, 2021). New growing techniques were developed to cope with the economic crisis faced by the olive sector at that times: increasing planting density, irrigation, new harvesting procedures, etc., leading to a “new olive growing” era (Fernández-Escobar et al, 2012). These changes promoted the spreading of a limited number of cultivars, characterized by early bearing, high productivity and oil content and producing appreciated olive oils. In the nineties, only three cultivars (‘Picual’, ‘Arbequina’ and ‘Hojiblanca’) represent more than 95% of plant production in nurseries in Andalusia (AGAPA, 2002)

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