Floral and Fruit Phenology in Three Young Olive (Olea europaea L.) Cultivars Grown in Central Northern Morocco. Part I: Reproductive Phenological Calendar and Agroclimatic Requirements According to the Olive Specific BBCH Scale
摘要
Three major olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars, namely ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’ and ‘Picholine Languedoc’, grown under sub-humid Mediterranean climate (central northern Morocco) were studied for a detailed reproductive phenology calendar (BBCH scale) and agroclimatic requirements according to cardinal points during the 2021/2022 crop season. The olive specific BBCH scale was used for different phenological observations including dormancy (BBCH00), inflorescence (BBCH51–59), flowering (BBCH61–69), fruit development (BBCH71–79), and fruit ripening (BBCH80–89). Cultivar effect was the main variability driver in our data, explaining more than 80% of total variance of most studied parameters, followed by cardinal point (up to 50.86%), while genotype-by-environment interaction was of a lesser magnitude. There were significant (p < 0.05) variations in growth degree days (GDD, 209.9–250.6) and growing degree hours (GDH, 5164.5–6211) required to start inflorescence, full flowering required GDD 608.5–714.7 and GDH 13,496–15,891.3, and full ripening needed GDD 2878.5–3428.2 and GDH 62,932.4–75,598.6. Inflorescence duration was 45.17–51.84 days, flowering 18.67–26.67 days, fruit development period 122.71–153.75 days, and ripening 34.09–63.25 days. Dormancy release was early in branches facing south and east. Fruit ripening date (BBCH89) was not uniform within the tree canopy; branches exposed to north and west ripened later (312.9–314.1 days of the year [DOY]) than those on the south and east sides (304.3–310.1 DOY) with longer ripening durations. In conclusion, the genotype was the main factor over cardinal point in controlling olive phenology. The obtained data offer an important basis for olive orchard’s establishment and management.
Graphic abstract