ISSN 2756-3804
International Journal of Irrigation and Water Management ISSN 5423-5294 Vol. 3 (4), pp. 001-010, April, 2016. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Determination of fruit and oil characteristics of olive (Olea europaea L. cv. ‘Gemlik’) in different irrigation and fertilization regimes
Celil Toplu1*, Derya Önder2, Sermet Önder2 and Ercan Yıldız1
1Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mustafa Kemal 31034, Hatay, Turkey.
2Department of Agricultural Structures and Irrigation, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mustafa Kemal, 31034, Hatay, Turkey.
Accepted 09 October, 2015
Abstract
We evaluated plant growth, fruit and oil characteristics of olive (Olea europaea L. cv. ‘Gemlik’) grown on different fertilization and irrigation treatments. Irrigation regimes included rainfed-control (T0), two treatments with 50% (T50) of the full irrigation treatment (T100) which received 100% class-A pan evaporation. Four fertilization treatments included unfertilized-control (F0), traditional fertilization (F1) and application of P and K during different growing stages (F 2 - F3). Experiments were conducted in each of three years considered as repeated units in a repeated measurement design. Fruit and total oil yields of olive increased about three times in highest irrigation and fertilization combination compared to rainfed and unfertilized treatments. The fruit and oil yield increased from 11.46 and 2.78 kg/tree (T0F0) to 30.07 and 7.12 kg/tree (T100F 3), respectively. Mean fruit weight (from 2.87 to up to 4.24 g) and pulp stone ratio (from 3.68 to up to 5.60) also increased with additional water as P and K applied during flowering and endocarp hardening stages, respectively. Fertilization treatments had little effect on fatty acid compositions while additional irrigation resulted in increased palmitic and linoleic acid and decreased oleic acid content. Monounsaturated fatty acids/polyunsaturated fatty acids ratio was also decreased with irrigation supplements.
Key words: Olea europaea L., fertigation, fruit yield and quality.