Mesocarp Cell Division and Expansion in the Growth of Olive Fruits

Long-term effects of partial root-zone drying (PRD) on yield, oil composition and quality of olive tree (cv. Chemlali) irrigated with saline water in arid land

“…Some findings indicated lower oil content for olive trees grown under soil water deficit (Lavee and Wodner, 1991;Inglese et al, 1996Inglese et al, , 1999Stefanoudaki et al, 2009), while other studies claimed that oil content decreased with increased applied water (Grattan et al, 2006;Gomez-Rico et al, 2007). In addition, some authors reported no difference in oil content between irrigated and non-irrigated trees (Michelakis et al, 1994;Manrique et al, 1999;Patumi et al, 2002;d'Andria et al, 2004). Saline irrigation induces a slight increase of oil content (Klein et al, 1994;Gucci and Tattini, 1997;Wiesman et al, 2002Wiesman et al, , 2004.…”

Physiological, biochemical and molecular changes occurring during olive development and ripening

“…Olive fruit development and ripening are a combination of biochemical and physiological events that occur under strict genetic control and influence of several environmental conditions (Connor and Fereres, 2005). Olive fruit growth and development lasts for 4-5 months and includes 5 main phases ( Figure 1) (Lavee, 1996;Manrique et al, 1999;Proietti et al, 1999), involving cell division, cell expansion and storage of metabolites, dominantly, but not exclusively, in the following order: (i) fertilization and fruit set, from flowering to approximately 30 d afterwards, characterized by rapid early cell division promoting embryo's growth, (ii) seed development, a period of rapid fruit growth due to both intense cell division and enlargement involving mainly growth and development of the endocarp (seed/pit), with little flesh (mesocarp) development, (iii) seed/pit hardening, during which fruit growth slows down as the endocarp cells stop dividing and become sclerified, (iv) mesocarp development, representing the second major period of fruit growth, due to the mesocarp development mainly by the expansion of preexisting flesh cells, and intense oil accumulation, and (v) ripening, when the fruit changes from dark ARTICLE IN PRESS Figure 1. Olive fruit growth and stages of fruit development.…”

The Physiology of Adaptation and Yield Expression in Olive

“…Growth of the olive fruit (botanically a drupe) lasts for 4 to 5 months (PS71 to PS89) and involves cell division, cell expansion, and storage of metabolites, dominantly, but not exclusively, in that order. After a 1 to 2 months of intense cellular division, during which 80% of final cell number is formed (Manrique et al 1999), the three component tissues, exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp, can be identified visually. The first, comprising a layer of epidermal cells rich in chloroplasts, is covered by a thin cuticle and contains rudimentary stomata that are lost in the following month (Proietti et al 1999a).…”