Morphological evaluation of olive germplasm present in Tuscany region

This work was done to quantify, evaluate and preserve the genetic variation of the olive (Olea europaea L.) from Tuscany and to look for ready-to-use valuable characters. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compare fruit, pit, leaf and growth habit characteristics among 83 accessions. Clu stering of cultivars would suggest the existence of a strictly related gene tic base with little morphological differences. Numerical analysis of pheno typical characters enabled to discriminate among accessions and to reduce t he number of cultivars for further studies. It can be used as a rapid metho d to classify and compare phenotypes within large olive collections. The co llected germplasm can be a useful sources of variability for those attribut es not traditionally accounted for in olive plant selection. Several late-r ipening cultivars, interesting for oil-quality; two cultivars with suited f or low-pruning cultivation growth habit as well as four accessions with pec uliar leaves, employable as ornamental, were identified. Furthermore, some cultivar with different initial growth potential, susceptible to be used fo r wood production or high density plantation, were catalogued. Data and pho tographs of most of the accessions here described were transferred to Inter net where are available for consultation at the address http://www.area.fi. cnr.it/olivo/olivit.htm.