Super-intensive Orchards Research Articles

Leafiness-LiDAR index and NDVI for identification of temporal patterns in super-intensive almond orchards as response to different management strategies

The use of super-intensive orchards is a growing trend in fruit production. The present study aims to improve management of these cropping systems by focusing on how agronomic decisions impact orchard dynamics in the short to medium term and by providing a decision-support approach based on stable temporal patterns from previous seasons. A multitemporal study using remote sensing and LiDAR was conducted in a commercial almond orchard over four growing seasons (2019–2022) to determine the optimal timing of image acquisition for variable pre-harvest treatments. A model-based clustering (mclust) was applied to optimal Sentinel-2 NDVI maps and apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) data, interpolated to the pixel centroids of Sentinel-2 image grids, to delineate potential management zones (PMZs). The leafiness-LiDAR index (LLI), a leaf area index (LAI) estimator, was obtained as ground truth after summer pruning and before harvesting, showing a significant influence of fertigation and pruning on the LAI, with summer pruning particularly influencing orchard dynamics. The optimal time for NDVI mapping was found to be two months after summer pruning in productive years and two weeks after in unproductive years. The delineated PMZs were consistent across seasons and corresponded to significant LAI differences. This method could contribute to improving resource management and sustainability in super-intensive commercial orchards.

Hedgerow Olive Orchards versus Traditional Olive Orchards: Impact on Selected Soil Chemical Properties

Olive orchards cover over 10 million hectares worldwide, with production techniques undergoing significant changes in the past three decades. The traditional rainfed approach, involving minimal inputs, has given way to irrigated super-intensive systems with higher planting density, increased productivity, a greater use of fertilizers and phytopharmaceuticals, and total mechanization. Its impact on soil chemical properties remains a topic of great debate, and no definitive consensus has been reached. Our main objective was to examine the different effects of traditional olive orchards and super-intensive orchards on soil chemistry over a decade. We collected and analyzed 1500 soil samples from an irrigation perimeter in southern Portugal in 2003 and 2013. Our findings indicate that, compared to traditional olive orchards, super-intensive ones show, in a decade, a significant decrease in soil organic matter (less 22.8%—p < 0.001), namely due to the increase in mineralization caused by an increase in soil moisture content as a result of irrigation practice, and an increase in sodization (more 33.8% of Ext Na—p < 0.001) highlighting the importance of monitoring this factor for soil fertility. In comparison to other irrigated crops in the region, super-intensive olive orchards promote a significant soil acidification (from 7.12 to 6.58), whereas the pH values of the other crops increase significantly (3.3%, 13.5%, and 3.0% more in corn, tomato, and cereals, respectively). Mainly because of the decrease in organic matter levels with soil acidification and soil sodization, we can underline that hedgerow olive orchards can affect soil characteristics negatively when compared with traditional ones, and it is necessary to adopt urgent measures to counter this fact, namely sustainable agriculture practices.

Cultivar ideotype for intensive olive orchards: plant vigor, biomass partitioning, tree architecture and fruiting characteristics

In order to achieve higher and earlier yield, modern olive orchards are increasingly intensified, with tree densities up to > 1500 trees hectare-1. With increasing tree densities, individual-tree canopy volume must be proportionally reduced. Not all cultivars are adaptable to high and very high orchard densities, because of excessive vigor and/or insufficient bearing when the canopy is pruned to a small volume. However, what makes an olive cultivar suitable for intensive and super intensive orchards is not clear. Recently, few studies have addressed this topic, suggesting that tree architecture and early bearing are essential traits. Yet, what architectural and productive features are important, how they work and whether they are interrelated remains elusive. This review summarizes and interprets the literature on olive, as well as the more abundant literature available for other fruit species, aiming to provide a comprehensive knowledge framework for understanding how tree architectural characteristics, plant vigor, and fruiting vary across olive genotypes, and how they are interconnected. It is concluded that, among the architectural characteristics, greater branching and smaller diameters of woody structures are particularly important features for cultivar suitability to intensive and super intensive olive orchards. Greater branching allows to produce more fruiting sites in the small volume of canopy allowed in these systems. It also reduces investments in woody structures, liberating resources for fruiting. Additional resources are liberated with smaller structure diameters. Greater branching also increases resources by increasing biomass partitioning into leaves (i.e. the photosynthetic organs), relative to wood. Since yield is affected by the competition for resources with vegetative growth, reducing resource investments in woody structures and/or increasing resource directly, increases yield. Yield, in turn, depresses vegetative growth, reducing vigor and the need for pruning. High yields also produce short shoots which have relatively greater investments in leaf mass and area, and lower in the woody stem, making them more suitable than long shoots to support concurrent fruit growth. This single framework of interpretation of how the different architectural and fruiting characteristics work and interact with one-another, will provide guidance for cultivar selection and breeding for intensive and super intensive olive orchards.

Ant Community Is Not Influenced by the Addition of Olive Mill Pomace Compost in Two Different Olive Crop Managements.

Industrial production of olive oil generates large amounts of solid waste called 'alperujo'. Its compost can fertilize many crops, especially olives. Furthermore, superintensive orchards are increasing their surface globally due to higher production and savings in different costs. Ants are considered an important part of the arthropod community in olive orchards and could even play a significant role in pest control. The tree canopy and ground were sampled to compare the ant assemblage in plots fertilized with compost and mineral products in two groves with different types of crop management (superintensive and traditional) over two years. The numbers of ants in both types of fertilization in each grove were not statistically different (p > 0.05), indicating that the type of fertilization did not have a significant impact on its populations in the ground or in the canopy, but the number of individuals was significantly higher in the superintensive grove than in the traditional grove (both in the ground and in the canopy, p < 0.01). The most frequent species in the ground were Pheidole pallidula, Plagiolepis smitzii and Aphaenogaster senilis (superintensive grove) and Pheidole pallidula, Tetramorium gr semilaeve, Plagiolepis pygmaea, and Tapinoma nigerrimum (traditional grove). In the canopy, the most frequent species were Plagiolepis spp. in both groves. Differences in ant densities and species between the groves could be due to the different management, especially of the soil, but it must be confirmed using more replicas and longer periods of study.

Relationship between yield and tree growth in almond as influenced by nitrogen nutrition

Understanding the relationship between nitrogen (N), tree growth and yield, can maximize productivity and sustainability. This study analyzed the effect of N on canopy development and its relation with yield in a super-intensive almond orchard in Spain over two seasons. The treatments included 50 kg N ha−1, 100 kg N ha−1, 150 kg N ha−1, and 100 kg N ha−1 applied between 3.1 and 7.7 Growth Stages, and their combinations with a nitrification inhibitor, DMPSA. The canopy was measured using LiDAR technology after pruning in spring and before harvest. Differences were found in canopy parameters comparing early N (Nstop) against N applied along the season. The treatments N50, N100 and N150 resulted in higher cross sections and widths, less porosity and higher yield, fruit set and hull weights. In contrast, Nstop gave higher porosity and higher flower density. DMPSA produced more homogeneous canopies and improved N use efficiency, combined with N100 or N150. These findings provide evidence to support the management of N in super-intensive orchards.

Canopy arthropod declines along a gradient of olive farming intensification

Arthropod declines have been linked to agricultural intensification. However, information about the impacts of intensification is still limited for many crops, as is our understanding of the responses of different arthropod taxa and trophic groups, thus hindering the development of effective mitigation measures. We investigated the impacts of olive farming intensification on canopy-dwelling arthropods in the Mediterranean region. Intensification involves the increased use of agrochemicals, mechanisation and irrigation, but also structural changes from traditional orchards with low densities of large and old trees, to intensive and superintensive orchards with high to very high densities of smaller and younger trees, respectively. Canopy arthropods were vacuum-sampled at 53 sites representing the three orchard intensification levels, in spring, summer and autumn 2017. We evaluated how the arthropod community varied across intensification levels, and in response to orchard structure, management and landscape context. We found no changes in the diversity of arthropod taxa across intensification levels after correcting for sample coverage, but arthropod abundance declined markedly along the intensification gradient. Decreased abundance was associated with changes in orchard structure, lower herbaceous cover, and higher herbicide and insecticide use. The abundance of a specialized olive pest was lower in landscapes with higher woodland cover. The negative effects of intensification were stronger in spring and summer than in autumn, and parasitoids and predators were particularly affected. Overall, results suggest that retaining herbaceous cover, reducing agrochemical inputs and preserving natural woody elements in the landscape, may contribute to mitigate impacts of olive farming intensification on canopy arthropods, particularly on beneficial species.

Comparison of Soil Organic Carbon Stocks Evolution in Two Olive Orchards with Different Planting Systems in Southern Spain

This study presents an evaluation of soil organic carbon (SOC) and stock (SOCstock) for the whole rooting depth (60 cm), spaced 55 months in two adjacent olive orchards with similar conditions but different tree densities: (i) intensive, planted in 1996 at 310 tree ha−1; (ii) superintensive, planted in 2000 at 1850 tree ha−1. This was carried out to test the hypothesis that olive orchards at different plant densities will have different rates of accumulation of SOC in the whole soil rooting depth. SOC increased significantly in the superintensive orchard during the 55-month period, from 1.1 to 1.6% in the lane area, and from 1.2 to 1.7% in the tree area (average 0–60 cm), with a significant increase in SOCstock from 4.7 to 6.1 kg m−2. In the intensive orchard, there was not a significant increase in SOCstock in 0–60 cm, average of 4.06 and 4.16 kg m−2 in 2013 and 2018, respectively. Results indicate a potential for a significant increase in SOC and SOCstock in olive orchards at higher tree densities when combined with temporary cover crops and mulch of chopped pruning residues. The increase is associated with an increase in SOC, mainly at a 0–15 cm depth. Results also point to the need for improve our monitoring capabilities to detect moderate increases in SOC.

Modeling the productivity of intensive and super-intensive apple orchards in the midland of Russia

It is known that the main trend in the development of modern world gardening is the creation of intensive and super-intensive gardens, and the degree of intensity of the garden increases with an increase in the number of trees per unit area (compaction of tree layout). The paper considers the patterns of productivity of intensive apple orchards during the reproductive cycle depending on tree planting density. The paper presents the models of apple tree productivity in intensive and super-intensive orchards representing regression equations approximated by polynomials of 2 and 3 degree with determination coefficients R2=0.97-0.99. According to the above models, a total yield of up to 516 ton/ha may be obtained in an intensive garden with a tree planting density of up to 1500 wood/ha for 18 years of commercial fruiting, a total yield of up to 790 ton/ha may be obtained in a super-intensive garden with a planting density of more than 9,500 wood/ha for 16 years of commercial fruiting (an increase in the total productivity of planted vegetation of more than 1.5 times). The models (dependencies) of development of industrial apple orchards of different planting scheme are obtained, approximated by sigmoidal logistic functions defining three stages of logistic yield growth at the beginning of garden development (“growing up”), having exponential, linear and hyperbolic nature respectively. Logistics trends of the relative yield of the garden and the relative productivity of trees were established, according to which an increase in the yield of industrial gardens due to an increase in planting density is accompanied by a decrease in the productivity of fruit trees.

Influence of mineral fertilizers on potash nutrition and productivity of columnar apple

The columnar form of apple tree is promising for growing in super-intensive orchards. The mineral nutrition study of apple tree with columnar crown is relevant due to high density of tree planting. The article presents the study results on the effect of mineral fertilizers on potash nutrition and the yield of columnar apple tree. The experiments were carried out in an experimental orchard located in the forest-steppe zone of the Central Russian Upland (Oryol region). The soil of the orchard is loamy haplic Luvisol with a high content of organic matter. Fruit plantations are represented by columnar apple trees of Poezia variety on 62-396 rootstock planted in 2016. Urea ((NH2)2CO) and potassium sulfate (K2 SO4) were used as fertilizers in doses of N60K80; N90K120; N120K160 which were introduced in early spring. The content of exchange potassium in the soil was determined annually in layers (0-20 cm and 20-40 cm), the concentration of potassium in leaves and fruits, yield. The use of fertilizers contributed to an increase in the exchange potassium content in the soil both in the 0-20 cm layer (45 - 53%) and in the 20-40 cm layer (18-31%). The amount of potassium in leaves and fruits also increased. However, potassium concentration in the leaves (0.77 … 0.95% dry matter) remained significantly below the optimum (1.5% dry matter). A significant increase in the average fruit weight was revealed in options N90K120 and N120K160.

Influence of irrigation and fertilization on the sterol and triterpene dialcohol compositions of virgin olive oil

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of irrigation and fertilization with nitrogen and potassium on the sterol and triterpene dialcohol contents in two trials of cv. Arbequina in super-intensive orchards in Madrid and Lleida (Spain), using a completely randomized block design. No significant differences in total sterols between deficit and full irrigation treatments were observed. Under very dry conditions, the sterol levels from fully irrigated trees were higher than from rain-fed treatments and the triterpene dialcohol erythrodiol+ uvaol content was lower in the irrigated treatments in Lleida. In the fertilizer trial with full irrigation, total sterols were higher in the two N treatments compared to the unfertilized one; while erythrodiol + uvaol decreased. The application of K fertilizer had no effect on total sterol or triterpene dialcohol contents. A proper fertilization and irrigation are vital to obtain high quality EVOOs that meet the regulatory range in sterol and erythrodiol + uvaol contents.

Interdisciplinary teams in apple breeding and co-authors of varieties

The article presents the results of 64 years apple breeding work at the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (RRIFCB) and shows the high role of the interdisciplinary team. It is noted that at the RRIFCB, leading institute for fruit crop breeding in Russia, over the past period 54 apple varieties of different ripening periods have been created and included in the State Register of breeding achievements admitted for use. Among them 19 are first in Russia and in the world triploid varieties derived from intervalent crossings of type 2 × 4; 24 immune to scab (with the Vf gene), including the first immune to scab domestic variety Imrus (immune Russian) and 5 columnar scab immune varieties. Triploid apple varieties are characterized by more regular fruiting by years, high fruit marketability and partial self-fertility. Scab immune apple varieties when introduced into orchards contribute to a more favourable environmental situation in the orchards and their surroundings and reduce the cost of additional chemical treatments. Columnar varieties make it possible to create super-intensive orchards with an early abundant yield and to simplify and reduce labor-intensive costs for the formation and care of trees. The creation of all these types of varieties was possible thanks to a large interdisciplinary team, which in addition to the main breeder includes specialists of many other specialties: variety specialists, phytopathologists, biochemists, geneticists (about 20 researchers). Among the 54 new apple varieties created at the RRIFCB, only one variety Pamyat Voinu was created by one breeder and two varieties (Orlik and Orlovskoye Polosatoye) were created by the main author and one co-author. The rest of the varieties were created by three and more co-authors. Specialists of different specialties (interdisciplinary teams) are needed for successful breeding work. The success of breeding work also largely depends on the volume of the hybrid fund. With a large amount of material in the plant nursery and breeding orchard, a more rigorous selection for the desired characteristics is possible.

Main results of apple breeding at the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding

The intensive target work for apple assortment improvement is being carried out at the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (VNIISPK). A large interdisciplinary team of researchers takes part in creating cultivars. Promising areas of apple breeding for our institution are: 1. The development of triploid apple cultivars having more regular fruiting, high marketability of fruits and higher autogamy. 2. The development of cultivars immune and highly resistant to scab. 3. The development of triploid cultivars with immunity to scab. 4. Т he development of columnar cultivars for intensive and super intensive orchards. 5. Т he development of apple cultivars with improved biochemical composition of fruits. For the entire period of selection work, artificial pollination in the amount of 5.2 million flowers was carried out, 912 thousand annual apple seedlings were grown, 249 elite seedlings were produced and 54 apple cultivars were created and included in the State Register of breeding achievements admitted for use (zoned). Brief economical and biological descriptions of them are given in this paper. The best diploid apple cultivars Veteran, Orlik, Orlovskoye Polosatoye and Pamyt Voinu as well as triploid cultivars Avgusta, Ministr Kisilev, Orlovsky Partizan, Osipovskoye and Sinap Orlovsky adapted to local conditions are already widely known and introduced into production. Triploid cultivars having immunity to scab Vavilovskoye, Maslovskoye, Rozhdestvenskoye and Yablochny Spas as well as columnar cultivars Vostorg, Girlyanda, Orlovskaya Yesenia, Poezia and Priokskoye are of special interest. The cultivars with improved biochemical composition of fruits are of great interest. The widespread introduction of new promising apple cultivars of the Institute's breeding into industrial plantings will undoubtedly contribute to import substitution of fruit products in Russia.

A Mediterranean silent spring? The effects of olive farming intensification on breeding bird communities

Combining biodiversity conservation with the agricultural production needed to meet the rising world food demand is a global challenge. This is a case in point for olive farming in the Mediterranean region, where high-yielding intensive and super-intensive orchards are fast expanding, often replacing biodiversity-rich but low-yielding traditional orchards. Here we test the hypothesis that production intensification reduces bird diversity within olive orchards, and that bird responses to such intensification are largely mediated by species traits. Breeding birds were counted in southern Portugal (2014–2016) at 78 orchards covering the entire intensification gradient. Using hierarchical joint species distribution modelling, we found that the intensification-level explained a large proportion of bird community variation (35%), while accounting for the significant contributions of orchard features (16%) and landscape context (16%). Species richness declined from traditional (29 species), through intensive (25), to super-intensive (20) orchards. The occurrence probability of many species also declined significantly from traditional to intensive (7 species; 22% of all species considered) and to super-intensive (14 species; 44%) orchards, while prevalence in more intensive orchards increased only for linnet and goldfinch (6%). Cavity-nester insectivores were the most affected functional group, declining steeply along the intensification gradient. Our results suggest that production intensification, and particularly the shift towards super-intensive systems, is reshaping and greatly simplifying breeding bird communities associated with olive orchards, which may become dominated by generalist granivores. This is a warning signal of widespread negative impacts on bird diversity that may be occurring due to olive farming intensification in the Mediterranean. Efforts are needed to reduce such impacts, which in the case of birds would require actions targeted primarily at cavity-nester insectivores.

DRIP IRRIGATION REGIME AND WATER CONSUMPTION OF APPLE TREES, DEPENDING ON THE METHODS OF IRRIGATION SCHEDULING

A great part of the territory of Ukraine is located in the zones of insufficient and unstable moistening. In such conditions successful agricultural activity is possible only when applying irrigation.&#x0D; Official statistics indicates an essential lack of irrigation systems in the Ukraine's horticulture. The irrigated lands in Ukraine under fruit-bearing plantations of fruit-bearing age make up only 16,2 thousand hectares or 13 % of their total area. As a result, farms and agricultural enterprises do not use their productive capacity in full effect in fruit production therefore they lose a lot of profits.&#x0D; Applying drip irrigation provides an increase in yields 4-5 times as much or even more. Its use for long-term plantations makes it possible to create super-intensive orchards with a yield of 50 and more tons per hectare providing high consumer quality products.&#x0D; Obtaining the maximum effect from irrigation to a large extent depends on the correctness of irrigation scheduling.&#x0D; The purpose of the study was to determine the optimal method for setting proper irrigation scheduling to ensure a suitable regime of drip irrigation and water consumption of apple varieties as in the case of Renet Symyrenko variety on the rootstock M-9.&#x0D; Methods of research: 5 plots of apple orchard were allocated and for each of them a separate method of irrigation scheduling was chosen, namely:&#x0D; 1) 1st – when using an automatic soil moisture station iMetos ECO D2 (sensors of the Echo Probe type);&#x0D; 2) 2d – when using tensiometers;&#x0D; 3) 3d – when using Penman-Monteith calculation method (iMetos weather station 1, computer program CROPWAT 8.0);&#x0D; 4) 4th – when using the visual method;&#x0D; 5) 5th - without irrigation (reference area).&#x0D; Based on the study results the necessity of using the automatic internet station for soil moisture iMetos ECO D2 when applying drip irrigation and establishing water consumption of apple plantations has been substantiated. The irrigation rate, the total water consumption and the water consumption coefficient were calculated using different methods of irrigation scheduling. The method that enables to significantly save irrigation water and electric power as well as to prevent unreasonable expenses has been established. It was experimentally proved that the optimal variant to meet plant water consumption requirements and perform a duly irrigation scheduling is the method when using the automatic internet station of soil moisture iMetos ECO D2. So for setting up a proper drip irrigation scheduling it is recommended to use iMetos Internet Station as the least labor-intensive and cost-effective equipment to provide efficient cultivation of orchard plantations.

Influence of liquid-volume and airflow rates on spray application quality and homogeneity in super-intensive olive tree canopies

Olive is a key crop in Europe, especially in countries around the Mediterranean Basin. Optimising the parameters of a spray is essential for sustainable pesticide use, especially in high-input systems, such as the super-intensive hedgerow system. Parameters may be optimised by adjusting the applied volume and airflow rate of sprays, in addition to the liquid to air proportion and the relationship between air velocity and airflow rate. Two spray experiments using a commercial airblast sprayer were conducted in a super-intensive orchard to study how varying the liquid volume rate (testing volumes of 182, 619, and 1603lha−1) and volumetric airflow rate (with flow rates of 11.93, 8.90, and 6.15m3s−1) influences the coverage parameters and the amount and distribution of deposits in different zones of the canopy.. Our results showed that an increase in the application volume raised the mean deposit and percentage coverage, but decreased the application efficiency, spray penetration, and deposit homogeneity. Furthermore, we found that the volumetric airflow rate had a lower influence on the studied parameters than the liquid volume; however, an increase in the airflow rate improved the application efficiency and homogeneity to a certain threshold, after which the spray quality decreased. This decrease was observed in the high-flow treatment. Our results demonstrate that intermediate liquid volume rates and volumetric airflow rates are required for the optimal spraying of pesticides on super-intensive olive crops, and would reduce current pollution levels.

Comparative economic analysis of superintensive and intensive apple orchards

The objective of thsi study was to compare economic aspects of superintensive and intensive apple production.According to our results, conclusions and recommendations regarding the establishment of superintensive orchards are the followings: A yield of 60 tons per hectare in the average of the mature years provide a quite late payback, in this way yield losses should be avoided in the plantation of such a huge capital requirement. When yield losses happen, which cannot be avoided or may be avoided only in a limited way, up to 65 to 70 tons per hectare yield should be reached even in good years, in order to yield the average 60 tons per hectare in the long run. In this case yield losses from production technological mistakes must not be arisen. Inputs and professional expertise should be used in a maximum way in order to reach yields ensuring profitable production. Investment subsidies may ensure safer return. The return of a superintensive orchard from totally own sources may be risky under the domestic marketing conditions and selling prices, it is strongly uncertain.

Productive and vegetative response to different irrigation and fertilization strategies of an Arbequina olive orchard grown under super-intensive conditions

The rise in olive oil consumption in most of the world's leading markets in recent years has forced the producers to seek for ways of increasing the productivity of their olive groves. Intensive and super-intensive orchards allow reducing production costs per liter, but largely depend on water and fertilizer supplies. Since olive is traditionally cultivated in regions where water is a scarce resource, stating the optimal irrigation doses for vegetative and productive response is essential. In this piece of work, super-intensive Arbequina tree behavior was found to be affected by water, nitrogen and potassium availability. Full irrigation led to the highest vegetative growth and yield, while reducing water supply to 25% of the needs from July to September 10th resulted in lower growth and in a yield reduction of 9.6% in the most productive year. Reducing also the water supply to 70% of the needs during the rest of the year (but using subsurface drip irrigation) resulted in an even lower productive response. Nitrogen fertilization had a straight effect on enhancing productivity, but potassium was only useful if soil and tree reserves had been depleted.

Results and Prospects in Apple Breeding

The results of many-year investigation of some features of apple ontogenesis in connection with breeding and propagation of new cultivars are briefly given. On the ground of 60-year work on apple breeding the author of this paper have attempted to retrace the changes in breeding goals and methods and record the most urgent trends in breeding at present and the nearest future. The contemporary and rapidly increasing demands for new cultivars are noted. The topical character of the development of the cultivars with improved biochemical fruit composition, high resistance and immunity to scab and powdery mildew and also varieties with complex resistance to the cardinal diseases and pests is shown. On the ground of the wide experimental material the author shows the prospects of the development of triploid cultivars which are notable for more regular fruit-bearing, high fruit marketability and higher autogamy. The development of triploid and scab immune apple cultivars is of particular interest. The urgency of columnar apple creation for super intensive orchards is noted. The experience in the hybrid pool establishing for the purpose of selecting highly winter hardy intercalary stocks of different vigour is presented. The prospects of the development of true-rooted apple trees and also autogamous cultivars with the use of apetalous plants are noted.

Summer Deficit-Irrigation Strategies in a Hedgerow Olive cv. Arbequina Orchard: Effect on Oil Quality

Different irrigation treatments were applied to a superintensive orchard of 'Arbequina' olives ( Olea europaea L.) during three seasons (2007-2009) to examine the effect of the amount of water and the moment of irrigation in summer on the virgin olive oil (VOO) quality. A control was made (CON) with irrigation to maintain the root zone close to field capacity; two water deficit treatments were employed with irrigation at 30% of CON, either from the end of fruit drop to the end of July (DI-J) or from the end of July until the beginning of oil synthesis (DI-A); and other treatment was tested by irrigating 50% of CON in July and August (DI-JA). DI-J oils exhibited significantly higher oxidative stability, which coincided with significantly higher contents in phenol derivatives. Consequently, the selection of the moment and intensity of summer irrigation played an important role in the nutritional and sensory quality of the VOO.

Productivity of Superintensive Apple-Tree Orchards Depending on the Variety, the Training and Pruning of Trees

Productivity of apple tree superintensive orchards depends on variety’s biological features, apple tree leading and pruning system. The investigations were made in the orchard „Codru-ST” Ltd. founded in 2000 with bench-graftings on rootstock M 9 at the varieties Gala Must, Golden Reinders, Idared and Florina. The distance of plantation between rows is 4.0 m, and between trees in the row is 1.0 m. There was studied the productivity of varieties in dependence on crown formation variants. It was established that the varieties Gala Must, Golden Reinders and Idared, the highest productivity of fruits was obtained in the variants with minimalization of pruning’s degree at crown formation and design of 2 provisional branches horizontalized through fixation on row direction – 30.38-35.69 t/ha. For the variety Florina the highest indexes of production were registered by pruning’s of transfer at lateral ramifications – 27.06 t/ha.