Olive Tree Propagation
The propagation of olive tree by seed and asexually is relatively easy. The propagation by seed is not recommended for commercial use, because the varieties of olives may differ significantly from the variety of the seed. Moreover, the plants-seedlings are characterized by very long period of juvenility, resulting in remarkable delay of fruition. The olive tree is asexually propagated by rooted suckers, cuttings and grafting. Professional olive farmers choose cuttings or grafts in order to achieve product uniformity and quality. In a few words, professional growers benefit from a tree that is a combination of two different plant tissues, the rootstock and the scion. The rootstock is the lower part of the tree and produces the root system. Rootstock also determines the tree’s final height. The scion produces the upper part of the tree and of course determines fruit’s characteristics. Both the rootstock and the scion must be carefully selected and each one of them may result in poor production.
Olive Tree Pollination
Most varieties of olive trees are self-fertile, meaning that you can get fruit by having just one tree. Pollen from the anthers (the male part of the plant) is transferred to the stigma (the female part of the plant) of the same tree. However, there are some varieties of olive trees that are not self-fertile. Those varieties need another tree or sometimes more than one tree for pollination, not of the same variety. The olive tree pollen is transferred primarily by wind. Research findings recommend that growers plant at least three olive varieties in close proximity in their farms to promote some cross-pollination, which has been found to increase yield by at least 10%.
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5.) Olive Tree Propagation & Pollination
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