EFFECT OF CROP LOAD ON FRUIT RIPENING AND OLIVE OIL (OLEA-EUROPEA L) QUALITY

The influence of individual plant yield on olive fruit ripening, oil a ccumulation pattern and oil quality was investigated on plants of cv. Cassanese, at full yield (100% = 26.2 kg tree-1), partially reduced yi eld (70% = 18.4 kg tree-1) and halved yield (50% = 12.5 kg tree-1). Fr uits of trees with halved yield were bigger and reached full black mat uration stage 30 d earlier than those of the more heavily loaded trees while oil accumulated faster and reached higher final amounts. No dif ferences in acidity, peroxides, alcohol and sterol content were record ed between treatments, but polyphenols, palmitic and linoleic acid con tents were highest when the crop load was halved.