Influence of canopy fruit location on morphological,histochemical and biochemical changes in two oil olive cultivars |
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Authors: | S Bartolini A Leccese L Andreini |
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Institution: | 1. Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Institute of Life Science, Piazza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56127, Pisa, Italysusanna.bartolini@sssup.it;3. Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Institute of Life Science, Piazza Martiri della Libertà 33, 56127, Pisa, Italy |
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Abstract: | The influence of different irradiance conditions was evaluated under natural solar radiation by comparing well-exposed (in) and shaded fruit (out) in canopies of olive trees (Olea europaea L). Over a 2-year period, from 50 days after full bloom up to harvest time, “in” and “out” olive samples of two genotypes (“Frantoio Millennio” and “Coratina 5/19”) were periodically collected. Morphological, histochemical, and biochemical analysis were performed to study the changes on fruit morphometric traits, oil body accumulation, and β-glucosidase enzyme activity. Some parameters were modified by shading inside the canopy in which the proportion of incident photosynthetically active radiation intercepted by the crop was 47%. Shaded fruits developed at slow rate and were characterized by late darkgoing time, reduced size, with a tendency toward oblong shape. The rapid histochemical procedure proposed to estimate the oil body accumulation during fruit ripening showed that a reduced irradiance caused a decrease in oil body density. The canopy position influenced, in a different way, the β-glucosidase activity in relation to the fruit-ripening stage in both genotypes. These findings indicate that providing an adequate and uniform lighting of the olive canopy by careful choices of orchard management practices can be a key factor for several yield components. |
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Keywords: | β-glucosidase fruit growth fruit location oil body Olea europaea L |
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