The Impact of Organic Production System in Olive Grove: Soil, Oil Characteristics, Biodiversity

Abstract

This research was conducted during period (2014 – 2016), in collaboration between General Commission of Agricultural Scientific Research/Syria and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in olive orchard that planted of Khodairi variety in Hazour village/Moseif region. The orchard was divided in to two plots, one of them was managed under organic system according to Syrian Organic Law while conventional practices used by farmer were applied in the second. These plots were separated by row of olive trees. Soil properties were studied before and after applying agro practices to evaluate the impact of organic system on soil characteristics, and the chemical analysis (oil percentage, content of Oleic acids, free acidity, total poly phenols) were carried out in order to verify the difference between two treatments, in addition to evaluating diversity in natural vegetation in both experimental plots. Organic agricultural practices have shown a positive effect in increasing soil fertility and the nutrients available to plants. They also exceeded significantly the conventional ones in term of fruit’s oil content the difference was 1.72%, in their contents of oleic fatty acid the difference reached 1.33%, and in polyphenols a difference of 28.7%. The diversity in natural vegetation seemed higher in organic plots, particularly in the spices that belong to leguminous plants such as wild vetch, lupine and types of clover, that allow taking advantage of these spices to enhance the existence of natural enemies, enrich the grove soil and maintain its moisture.