All about Arbequina: tree and olive characteristics, farming system
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02/01/2019Arbequina olive tree for super high density olive growing: information and techniques
Arbequina is an olive tree variety particularly suited to super high density olive orchard. Its name derives from its area of origin, which is located in Spain, near the town of Arbeca: for this reason, it is also known as Arbequì and Arbequìn.
After careful scientific studies and numerous tests, Buccelletti has elected the Arbequina olive tree as one of the most privileged for its super high density olive farming. Today, in fact, for the integrated Livita Plus system, Buccelletti uses Arbequina olive trees born and grown in Tuscany, near Arezzo.
Let's find out now all the characteristics of the Arbequina olive tree and why this variety is perfect for super high density olive orchards.
Arbequina, characteristics of plant and oil
Arbequina is a very resistant plant, very productive and that lasts a long time: these characteristics make it ideal for use in super high density olive farming, which has been adapted very well since the first experiments.
But what are the characteristics of the Arbequina olive trees in detail?
- Low vitality.
- Open crown.
- Medium-high density canopy.
- Leaves small and short, of medium width.
- Small fruits of black color when fully ripe.
- Ovoid-shaped nucleus with a rough surface.
Arbequina olive trees are considered self-fertilising and ensure an early entry into production, with a high and constant productivity; they also possess an excellent rooting capacity. It resists diseases such as tuberculosis, maculation of the leaf and verticillium, which can affect it only slightly; as for the cold, the Arbequina olive tree is widely resistant to low temperatures.
From the Arbequina olives you get an oil of high quality, even with low stability. It is a harmonious extra virgin olive oil, sweet, delicate and fragrant; its medium fruity taste has low levels of bitter and spicy. Arbequina oil can be marketed both as monovarietal and with other oils that increase its stability.
The yield of the Arbequina olive tree is very high and this is one of the reasons that has made it one of the most suitable olive trees to be used in super-intensive olive growing. The fat yield is high and the quality of the Arbequina oil is excellent, even if it has a low stability.
The Arbequina goes into production from the third year:
3rd year
50-80 qt/ha
4th year
100-120 qt/ha
From the 5th year
Over 150 qt/ha
As you can guess it is an incredible increase in yield: in just three years it can even triple. The average oil yield is between 12% and 15%.
Arbequina, Arbosana and Koroneiki: the olive trees suitable for the super high density production
Buccelletti has dedicated many years and all his experience in the field of olive growing to research an efficient and productive super high density olive planting.
Numerous studies have shown that there are mainly three varieties of olive trees suitable for super high density olive growing.
Arbequina
from Spain, has strong characteristics of resistance and durability over time
Arbosana
from Spain, is characterized by a rather high and constant productivity
Koroneiki
from Greece, its low vitality and its open posture make it a very high productivity plant.
Buying Arbequina certified virus-controlled plants
For those who want to start a super high density olive grove plant or already have one but want to try new varieties of olive trees, the key thing is to choose carefully where to buy the plants. Arbequina in nurseries is not easy to find and in any case it is important to make sure that the plants you buy are healthy.
Buccelletti is a point of reference for the sale of Arbequina olive trees precisely because it has been operating in the sector for several years and has developed highly professional skills. Today it has a plant in Castiglion Fiorentino (Arezzo, Tuscany), certified by the National Research Council and Massa Spin-Off, where it grows its own Arbequina olive trees. Every olive tree is virus and bacteria free and has a CAC (Conformitas Agraria Communitatis) certificate.
The integrated Livita Plus system, in addition to selling Arbequina in nurseries, allows you to have a turnkey super high density olive orchard, designed and installed by Buccelletti.
Super high density olive orchard with Arbequina: the Livita Plus method
Livita Plus is an intensive turnkey olive growing system based on precision agriculture principles. Olive trees are planted in parallel rows, with a density ranging from 600 to 1600 plants per hectare depending on the variety. The agricultural and maintenance interventions are reduced to a minimum. In this way, the development of olive trees is extremely precocious compared to traditional olive growing. From the third year of age, the olive trees come into production and reach full maturity in the fifth year; from that moment, olive production will be stable.
In order for the precision agriculture developed by Buccelletti for its super high density olive orchard to work properly, it is essential to choose the right variety of olive trees. The olive tree Arbequina responds optimally to the Livita Plus method and is in fact one of the most used: the sixth of planting is 4x1.5 meters and it is possible to plant up to 1666 olive trees per hectare; it is a very high quantity and in fact productivity and yield are excellent.
The other plants selected by Buccelletti to be used in super high density olive farming are the varieties Arbosana, Koroneiki, Maurino, Leccio del Corno and Piantone di Mogliano, all resistant to cold and highly productive.
Super high density olive orchard with Italian varieties is possible
Thanks to the continuous scientific research carried out by Buccelletti, 100% Made in Italy super high density olive growing is now possible.
Three of the selected cultivars are in fact completely Italian:
Piantone di Mogliano
originally from Macerata.
Maurino
which grows in the countryside of Lucca
Leccio del Corno
typical of the Val di Pesa, in Tuscany.
Favolosa F-17
Selected variety of italian genotype
The olive trees are planted 2 meters away from one another, with a density of about 1250 olive trees per hectare.
Already now it is possible to order olive trees from the three Italian varieties: these are grown by Buccelletti in a plant near Arezzo and are virus and bacteria free, a fundamental certification for the success of the super high density olive orchard.
And it's not over here. A genetic improvement program has been active for 5 years which has led to the development of 16 selections, all of Italian genotype, which will be released by 2020 and which are currently in the patent phase. This means that there will be many new possibilities to develop super high density olive farming respecting the Italian tradition.
