Pollination management of Tunisian self-incompatible table olive (Olea europaea L.) variety “Meski”

Abstract

The cross-pollination of olive self-incompatible variety Meski (Tunisia) was accomplished by interplanting Picholine variety (France) in an irrigated field in the central and continental location of Sidi Bouzid with a density of 204 trees ha-1 (7 m / 7 m). Olive production was averaged for each tree Meski for 2006-2015 period. Trees were grouped according to the minimum distance from the first pollenizer tree and to the number of pollenizers in the first three squares around the tree Meski. The relationships between olive production and the distance from Picholine pollenizer as well as the relationships of Meski olive production and the number of Picholine pollenizer were analyzed with regression models. No significant effects were observed. Thus, the first pollenizer could be placed in the second row (14 m). The pollenizer number might be 0 in the first square around Meski, 1 in the second square and 3 in the third square. In total, the three first squares should totalize a maximum of 4 pollenizer trees. Results showed an optimum olive production with 8% of pollenizers in Meski plantations. Thus, the low productive performance of Meski is not due to low autopollination but other factors could be involved.

Keywords

• Olive
• Meski variety
• Pollination
• Tunisia