Self – sterility and cross – pollination responses of nine olive cultivars in Central Italy

The research work concerned aspects of floral biology regarding the necessity of cross-pollination for fruit set of nine olive cultivars, cultivated or of interest in Central Italy. As a first step the self-fertility behaviour of these cultivars was studied from 1999 to 2002. Self-incompatibility was detected on Orbetana, Dolce Agogia, Leccino, Maurino and Carolea cv.s, in which the average fruit set was lower than 0.1 fruits per inflorescence. Nostrale di Rigali showed a varying degree of self-fertility. Frantoio showed self-fertility but it increases fruit set by cross-pollination. The cv. Frantoio, Leccino and Moraiolo were the most suitable pollinizers for Carolea; the cv. Moraiolo was for Dolce Agogia; the cv. Kalamon, Moraiolo, Maurino, Carolea and Leccino for Frantoio; the cv. Leccino, Maurino, Moraiolo and Frantoio for Kalamon; the cv. Carolea, Dolce Agogia and Maurino were for Leccino; the cv. Frantoio and Moraiolo for Maurino; the cv. Kalamom, Maurino, Carolea and Dolce Agogia for Moraiolo; the cv. Leccino and Moraiolo for Nostrale di Rigali; the cv. Carolea, Kalamon, Maurino and Nostrale di Rigali for Orbetana. The blooming period was 8-11 days long, Dolce Agogia, Maurino, Leccino and Frantoio showed a contemporary flowering; Nostrale di Rigali was the earliest cultivar to bloom, followed by Carolea; the latest were in order Moraiolo, Orbetana and Kalamon.