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Science and Techniques for the Development of a Sustainable Oliveculture

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A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 68936

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Primo Proietti

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy
Interests: soil fertility; agriculture environment; plant physiology; sustainable agriculture; biofortification; abiotic stresses; carbon sequestration; fruit quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Tiziano Caruso

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Co-Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze—Ed. 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: fruit trees; phenotypic and molecular characterization; conservation of genetic resources; tree physiology; fruit quality; breeding
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Oliveculture is gaining an increased interest worldwide due to the hedonistic and health benefits connected to olive oil consumption.

The olive growing covers approximately 10.6 Mha (FAOSTAT, 2016) in the world and olive is the most widespread cultivated tree species in the Mediterranean area. Recently, olive tree cultivation has expanded into new territories in the southern hemisphere, particularly in South Australia, South Africa and South America.

In recent times, olive groves have been facing both environmental and social challenges, which will intensify in the future, due to climate changes and reduction of natural resources, and to agriculture labor shortages.

For these reasons, it is necessary to improve scientific knowledge and technologies to obtain more efficient orchards and to reduce input and manpower needs.

This Special Issue will focus on advancements in genetic and technological innovations to obtain more productive, environmentally friendly and economically and socially sustainable olive groves and to improve the quality and safety of products.

Studies on tree canopy architecture, stress tolerance, the use of sensors and visual images for monitoring the status of tree to properly satisfy the water and nutrient requirements, and innovations in horticultural techniques are welcome in this Special Issue.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Primo Proietti
Prof. Dr. Tiziano Caruso
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Olea europaea
Olive oil
Precision agriculture
Sustainable oliveculture
Olive canopy architecture
Olive stress tolerance
Omic sciences
IoT technologies

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 835 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Forecasting Global Developments and Challenges in Olive Oil Supply and Demand: A Delphi Survey from Spain

by Samir Mili and Maria Bouhaddane

Agriculture 2021, 11(3), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11030191 - 26 Feb 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 9934

Abstract

Forecasting future supply and demand is a topical subject in the olive oil sector due to its relevance for decision making and the lack of comprehensive and consensual estimates at the global level. This study aims at overcoming this gap in research by providing a foresight of global supply and demand for olive oil for the years to come. We use the Delphi technique to estimate the expected annual growth rates in the olive oil production and consumption worldwide as well as their likely impact on Spanish exports by 2025. Another key objective of the study is to elicit expert judgements on the factors that are likely to shape the predicted changes as well as the international challenges ahead. Results suggest substantial future increases in production in new-producing countries, in parallel with a slower growth in the European traditional suppliers whose focus will increasingly be placed on quality and sustainability rather than quantity. In addition, a significant growth in the world’s demand for olive oil is expected in non-traditional markets, which will be driven by greater awareness of the positive health and sustainability attributes of this product, jointly with the changes in lifestyles and rising incomes of several consumer segments. These emerging markets offer promising prospects for the international expansion of olive oil companies. Future international challenges facing the olive oil industry include new market entry, worldwide product promotion, quality standards’ harmonization, enacting trade facilitation schemes, and dealing with the COVID-19 impacts. Findings improve market predictability and transparency, and ultimately support decision-making and strategic planning in the olive oil sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Science and Techniques for the Development of a Sustainable Oliveculture)

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18 pages, 3516 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effects of Climate on Fruit Growth and Development on Olive Oil Quality in Cultivar Carolea

by Rocco Mafrica, Amalia Piscopo, Alessandra De Bruno and Marco Poiana

Agriculture 2021, 11(2), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11020147 - 10 Feb 2021

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 4178

Abstract

Trees of the olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivar Carolea grown in Calabria (Italy) in three sites with different main climate traits (temperatures, rainfall, Growth Degree Days seasonal variations) were studied for three years to see the ripening time course and quality of the oils. The optimal harvesting time for obtaining the best-quality olive oils was defined for each site. The effect on quality indexes of three harvesting periods was also considered, linking this to the observed various thermal regimes. The different climates largely affected the growth and the development of fruits and the quality of obtained oils. Lower temperatures and higher rainfall slow down fruit growth and development and delay ripening. Olive oils of good quality (free acidity, fatty acid composition, antioxidant components and oxidative stability were obtained in the site with lower temperatures and higher rainfall when fruits were still yellow-green ripe and had a detachment index between 1.9 and 1.5. Climate change, evidenced by rising temperatures, led to the movement of olive groves from the high-temperature coastal plain to the intern foothills. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Science and Techniques for the Development of a Sustainable Oliveculture)

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10 pages, 1486 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Biostimulant Based on Protein Hydrolysates Promotes the Growth of Young Olive Trees

by Leen Almadi, Andrea Paoletti, Nicola Cinosi, Elissa Daher, Adolfo Rosati, Claudio Di Vaio and Franco Famiani

Agriculture 2020, 10(12), 618; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10120618 - 9 Dec 2020

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 3507

Abstract

Experiments were carried out in 2018 and 2019 to evaluate the effects of a biostimulant of animal origin, with a hormone-like action, on the growth and physiology of young olive trees. The biostimulant, consisting of a complex of natural amino acids (glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, etc.), was applied by fertigation to both potted (one-year-old) and field-grown (2 years after transplanting) young olive trees. The control consisted of trees treated with an amount of urea nitrogen equal to the total nitrogen supplied with the biostimulant. Potted trees treated with the biostimulant showed greater growth than the control soon after treatment and up to the end of the vegetative season. Generally, this was associated with higher leaf photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance. At the end of the experiment, all tree parts (roots, stem, shoots, and leaves) of the treated trees had greater biomass than the control. The trunks of field-grown trees treated with the biostimulant had greater growth with respect to the control. Overall, the results indicate the possibility of using the biostimulant based on complexes of natural amino acids to promote the growth of young olive trees. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Science and Techniques for the Development of a Sustainable Oliveculture)

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16 pages, 1347 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Agronomical and Technological Treatments to Obtain Selenium-Fortified Table Olives

by Alessandra De Bruno, Amalia Piscopo, Francesco Cordopatri, Marco Poiana and Rocco Mafrica

Agriculture 2020, 10(7), 284; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10070284 - 10 Jul 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3382

Abstract

The biofortification of food crops for human consumption is a direct strategy for increasing dietary intake of selenium (Se). The aims of this study were the evaluation of different Se-fortification variables (concentration and number of foliar applications) for obtainment of fortified olives and the efficacy of two technological treatments (brining and dehydration) applied to them in the maintenance of this element. The research was carried out in two experiments: the results of first one were that the application of the highest Se concentration (75 mL L⁻¹) on olive trees was useful to obtain fortified Gordal olives (650 µg kg⁻¹) but the further brining process did not allow an acceptable retention of this nutrient in olive pulp for its dissolution in brines: the decrease was from 92 to 99%. The second experiment concerned in different number of foliar applications of the best previously tested Se-solution (75 mL·L⁻¹) to obtain fortified Carolea olives, that were then submitted to different drying processes to became edible. The available selenium in the final products was better retained in olives dried without any preliminary treatment prior to drying and in those pre-treated by dried salt, with different trends linked to foliar application number. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Science and Techniques for the Development of a Sustainable Oliveculture)

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20 pages, 22152 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wireless Sensor Network Synchronization for Precision Agriculture Applications

by Alexandros Zervopoulos, Athanasios Tsipis, Aikaterini Georgia Alvanou, Konstantinos Bezas, Asterios Papamichail, Spiridon Vergis, Andreana Stylidou, Georgios Tsoumanis, Vasileios Komianos, George Koufoudakis and Konstantinos Oikonomou

Agriculture 2020, 10(3), 89; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10030089 - 24 Mar 2020

Cited by 50 | Viewed by 7833

Abstract

The advent of Internet of Things has propelled the agricultural domain through the integration of sensory devices, capable of monitoring and wirelessly propagating information to producers; thus, they employ Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). These WSNs allow real time monitoring, enabling intelligent decision-making to maximize yields and minimize cost. Designing and deploying a WSN is a challenging and multivariate task, dependent on the considered environment. For example, a need for network synchronization arises in such networks to correlate acquired measurements. This work focuses on the design and installation of a WSN that is capable of facilitating the sensing aspects of smart and precision agriculture applications. A system is designed and implemented to address specific design requirements that are brought about by the considered environment. A simple synchronization scheme is described to provide time-correlated measurements using the sink node’s clock as reference. The proposed system was installed on an olive grove to assess its effectiveness in providing a low-cost system, capable of acquiring synchronized measurements. The obtained results indicate the system’s overall effectiveness, revealing a small but expected difference in the acquired measurements’ time correlation, caused mostly by serial transmission delays, while yielding a plethora of relevant environmental conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Science and Techniques for the Development of a Sustainable Oliveculture)

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11 pages, 1347 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Water Footprint Assessment in a Rainfed Olive Tree Grove in the Umbria Region, Italy

by Luca Rossi, Luca Regni, Sara Rinaldi, Paolo Sdringola, Roberto Calisti, Antonio Brunori, Francesca Dini and Primo Proietti

Agriculture 2020, 10(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10010008 - 28 Dec 2019

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5315

Abstract

Life Cycle Assessment (the systematic analysis of the environmental impact of products during their entire life cycle), Carbon Footprint and Water Footprint assessments play an important role in decision-making processes. These assessments can help guide land management decisions and will likely play a larger role in the future, especially in natural areas with high biodiversity. Agriculture is a substantial consumer of fresh water, so it is important to identify causes and possible solutions to optimize agricultural water use. Water footprint assessments consider water consumption from several points of view and aid in reaching Sustainable Development Goals. Olive trees are a widespread agricultural crop growing in the Mediterranean Basin and are particularly important in the Umbria region in Italy. This paper estimates the water footprint impact related to the production of 1 kg of olives in a rainfed olive orchard managed using low environmental impact techniques. Eleven years of data collection (meteorological data, olives yield data, processes data) are analyzed for typical rural conditions. The results show that local management techniques have lower water requirements than standard international usages. These results can be used to improve and to further explore agricultural water use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Science and Techniques for the Development of a Sustainable Oliveculture)

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8 pages, 206 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Nitrogen Foliar Fertilization on the Vegetative and Productive Performance of the Olive Tree and on Oil Quality

by Luca Regni and Primo Proietti

Agriculture 2019, 9(12), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture9120252 - 29 Nov 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4069

Abstract

The correct management (dose, time of distribution) of N fertilization in olive growing is still not completely clarified but is nowadays essential in order to guarantee sustainable production. In this regard, in central Italy over a 4-year-period a study was carried out to investigate the effect of high nitrogen availability during oil accumulation in the fruit (second phase of fruit growth) on vegetative and productive activities of olive trees and oil quality. In May of each year, secondary branches were selected and girdled in their proximal part. Afterwards, half of the girdled branches were sprayed three times with a solution containing urea (2% w/w), whereas the other half was sprayed only with water. The nitrogen treatments did not cause any damage to the foliage and fruits nor did it cause appreciable changes in leaf photosynthesis and specific weight, fruit-drop, ripening pattern and weight, water and oil contents, pulp/pit ratio of the fruits, fatty acid composition, polyphenols content, and sensorial characteristics of the oil. The N provided via foliar fertilization during the oil accumulation phase in trees in conditions of good supply of N does not induce significant effects on the vegetative-productive activity of the tree. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Science and Techniques for the Development of a Sustainable Oliveculture)

9 pages, 1194 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A First Description of the Phenolic Profile of EVOOs from the Maltese Islands Using SPE and HPLC: Pedo-Climatic Conditions Modulate Genetic Factors

by Frederick Lia, Marion Zammit-Mangion and Claude Farrugia

Agriculture 2019, 9(5), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture9050107 - 15 May 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 6136

Abstract

Achieving economic sustainability in the olive oil production sector is a challenge. This is particularly so for small scale producers who are faced with pressing, production and marketing costs that relative to overall sales, minimise profits. In this study we aimed to describe the phenolic profile of extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) derived from the Maltese islands. The polar fractions from EVOOs from nine indigenous (six Bidni and three Malti), one historically acclimatized tree (Bajda), 12 locally-grown but foreign cultivars and 32 foreign EVOOs were extracted using SPE (solid phase extraction), separated using HPLC analysis at 280 nm and 320 nm and identified using mass spectrometry. Application of ANOVA and Tukey post hoc hypothesis testing for analysis of variance on the peak areas identified a significantly higher concentration of p-coumaric acid, tyrosol acetate, DHPEA-EDA and oleocanthal in EVOOs derived from indigenous or historically acclimatized cultivars. Imported but locally grown cultivars showed differences when compared to the same cultivar grown in other countries, confirming that pedo-climatic conditions modulate genetic factors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Science and Techniques for the Development of a Sustainable Oliveculture)

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18 pages, 12273 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Planting Systems for Modern Olive Growing: Strengths and Weaknesses

by Riccardo Lo Bianco, Primo Proietti, Luca Regni and Tiziano Caruso

Agriculture 2021, 11(6), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11060494 - 26 May 2021

Cited by 45 | Viewed by 12208

Abstract

The objective of fully mechanizing olive harvesting has been pursued since the 1970s to cope with labor shortages and increasing production costs. Only in the last twenty years, after adopting super-intensive planting systems and developing appropriate straddle machines, a solution seems to have been found. The spread of super-intensive plantings, however, raises serious environmental and social concerns, mainly because of the small number of cultivars that are currently used (basically 2), compared to over 100 cultivars today cultivated on a large scale across the world. Olive growing, indeed, insists on over 11 million hectares. Despite its being located mostly in the Mediterranean countries, the numerous olive growing districts are characterized by deep differences in climate and soil and in the frequency and nature of environmental stress. To date, the olive has coped with biotic and abiotic stress thanks to the great cultivar diversity. Pending that new technologies supporting plant breeding will provide a wider number of cultivars suitable for super-intensive systems, in the short term, new growing models must be developed. New olive orchards will need to exploit cultivars currently present in various olive-growing areas and favor increasing productions that are environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable. As in fruit growing, we should focus on “pedestrian olive orchards”, based on trees with small canopies and whose top can be easily reached by people from the ground and by machines (from the side of the top) that can carry out, in a targeted way, pesticide treatments, pruning and harvesting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Science and Techniques for the Development of a Sustainable Oliveculture)

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21 pages, 7638 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sustainable Management of Olive Orchard Nutrition: A Review

by Isaac Zipori, Ran Erel, Uri Yermiyahu, Alon Ben-Gal and Arnon Dag

Agriculture 2020, 10(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10010011 - 3 Jan 2020

Cited by 79 | Viewed by 11280

Abstract

Intensification of olive orchard management entails increased use of fertilizers, especially nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. In this review, plant responses to nutritional aspects, as well as environmental considerations, are discussed. Nutrient deficiency impairs production, whereas over-fertilization may reduce yields and oil quality, and increase environmental hazards and production costs. The effect of irrigation on nutrient availability and uptake is very significant. Application of organic matter (e.g., manure, compost) and cover crops can serve as substitutes for mineral fertilization with additional benefits to soil properties. Recycling of the pruned orchard material, olive pomace and olive mill wastewater, as well as the use of recycled wastewater for irrigation, are all potentially beneficial to olive orchard sustainability, but present the risk of environmental pollution. Some considerations regarding optimization of olive orchard nutrition are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Science and Techniques for the Development of a Sustainable Oliveculture)

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