New insights into olive micropropagation

The Italian olive sector is currently dealing with significant challenges in ensuring both production and sustainability. This is attributed to the increasing demand for extra virgin olive (EVO) oil and the alarming proliferation of new entomological and phytopathological emergencies, exacerbated by ongoing climate change scenarios. To address these issues and enhance the sector’s productivity and competitiveness, the “Olive and Oil Sector Plan” advocates for the restructuring, modernization, and expansion of olive groves through initiatives such as reform, replanting, and the establishment of high-density olive groves (MIPAAF, 2016). Achieving these goals requires a substantial increase in the production of high-quality nursery material. This is crucial in meeting the escalating demand for new high density (HD) and super high density (SHD) orchards, particularly in light of the Xylella emergency. The urgency is underscored by the need for cultivars tolerant/resistant to the pathogen and the exploration of complementary strategies for ex situ conservation of olive biodiversity. Currently, the olive tree nursery sector boasts high production, with updated estimates indicating that Italy produces over 800,000 plants annually through micropropagation, constituting just nearly 2% of the total in vitro production (Lambardi and Micheli, unpublished data). In the last 10 years few commercial nurseries pioneered the market with micropropagated olive plants, and today numerous commercial labs are adopting this technique to meet the escalating demand. However, the use of micropropagation in olive remains relatively constrained compared to current market needs. The adoption of this methodology enables the production of large quantities and ensures a high quality of nursery productions. This is achieved through the implementation of genetic health certification schemes under the supervision of competent phytosanitary authorities.