This book of 'olives' is the result of many years' endeavours in collecting valuable information from the existing literature concerning the olive tree and its culture; a proportion of this information, and experience, has originated from scientific projects of the author and his scientific team. Topics include all aspects of olive culture, from its history, through traditional practices to modern techniques and horticultural procedures. Furthermore, this book covers the basic physiological and horticultural principles of olive culture in both theory and practice. The objective is to provide knowledge appropriate for students, scientists, both experienced and inexperienced horticulturists and, in general, for anyone wishing to obtain knowledge and experience of olive culture to increase productivity and improve product quality.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 357-398) and index.

History of olive growing -- The olive : origin and classification -- Morphology and taxonomy of the olive -- Structure and composition of the olive fruit -- Hectarareage, number of trees and production of olive oil and table olives -- Rootstocks -- Major trends in olive farming systems -- Climatic and soil conditions -- Flower bud induction and differentiation -- Flowering, pollination, fertilization and fruiting -- Alternate bearing -- Fruit thinning -- Systems of planting and canopy training -- Propagation of olive trees -- Irrigation of the olive -- Water use efficiency by the olive -- Stress-induced accumulation of proline and mannitol -- Mineral nutrition of the olive -- Growth and salt tolerance of the olive -- Pruning -- Olive ripening -- Olive fruit harvesting -- Olive varieties -- Table olives -- Olive oil -- Olive mill products and environmental impact of olive oil production -- Oleuropein, olive leaf extract, olive oil and the benefits of the Mediterranean diet to human health -- Biological and integrated olive culture -- Chemical and integrated weed management in olive orchards -- Pests and diseases -- Biotechnological aspects of olive culture.

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Also available in print format.

Title from PDF title page (viewed August 11, 2013).