CONTENTS:Funding Bodies, People and Organisations InvolvedTitle and Trial Sites Introduction and Main Points in Brief Cultivar performance - Climate - Planting - Tree training Nutrition - Growth - Flowering - Pollination Fruit Set - Fruit Maturity - Pests and Diseases Fruit Maturity - Pests & Diseases Yields - Oil Analysis - Acid Levels - Individual Sites Conclusion The full version of this report is available by mail order from NZTCA Publications;
Funding Bodies:Main AGMARDT, and NZTCAProject Leader: Roy Hart Advice and Assistance and hard work from: Wally Dyson, Helen Clausen, Bruce West, Tony Johnston, Sjef Lamers, Genevieve Nozer, Rose Wells, and of course all the trialists. People and Organisations Involved: Trees; Marlborough Olives Leaf & Soil Tests; Sjef Lamers, Sustainable Nutrition Oil Analysis; Garry Colebrook, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Acid analysis; Cawthron Institute Temperature Recorders; Escort Juniors, Tech Innovations Some Key Words: irrigation, nutrition. Boron, shelter, cultivar, economical harvesting, site selection, suitable districts, fruit set, thrips, tree support, favourable and poor seasons. OLIVE CULTIVAR EVALUATION FOR VARIOUS DISTRICTS Third Years Report July 2000
AGMARDT FUNDED PROJECT No. 9725 Trial Sites: Stretton, Seacliffe Grove, Oneroa, Waiheke Island. Benton, Taupiri, Waikato. Introduction:This is the end of our first 3 years of these trials. This is a short period to get very much definite information on olives, but quite a lot of useful data has been received. The top of the South Island has given most olives to assess so far, with the best growth of trees, and the most cultivars cropping. It is obvious that the bottom of the South Island has a frost problem with establishment, and harvesting, although individual sites may be much better or worse than the average. Site selection is extremely important. The top of the North Island, such as Waiheke Island, has plenty of time to ripen their fruit properly. Their problems seem to be fruit set and birds eating the fruit.It is obvious however that olives can be cropped successfully in New Zealand, but more thought needs to be put into planting on the most favourable sites, in whatever district. The economics of harvesting seem to be the main limitation to economic viability. This needs addressing either through mechanical harvesting, or pruning and training for ease of harvest. The oil being produced so far seems of excellent quality. Main points in brief:1. Most of New Zealand is marginal for heat units sufficient to fully ripen the olives.2. New Zealand olive oil is of top quality, full of interesting flavours, often missing from imported oils. 3. Harvesting costs may be the greatest limiting factor to the economic viability to growing olives. 4. Pruning and training need to be aimed at the best possible environment to mature the olives, and for ease of harvesting. 5. New planting should carefully select the most favourable sites for warmth and lack of frosts through May and June. 6. Cross pollination is desirable for good fruit set in commercial plantings. 7. All cultivars tested flower close enough to overlap for cross-pollination. 8. Strong wind curtails pollen release. 9. Date, rather than crop maturity may determine harvesting at many frosty South Island sites. 10. Birds can eat the whole crop before harvest. 11. Frost below -5°C can damage fruit and young trees. 12. Getting nutrition right at the start will pay dividends. 13. Calcium and boron were deficient at all our sites. 14. Older trees don't necessarily have a higher oil percentage. 15. Acid levels are generally low, which is desirable, but oil percentage is also generally low in many districts. End of report sample.
The full version of this report is available by mail order from NZTCA Publications;
http://www.treecrops.org.nz/research/olive/report3.html |
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