Modelling potential growth and yield of olive (Olea europaea L.) canopies

The wide variability and complexity of olive orchards makes it difficult to provide solutions to the numerous management questions using a pure experimental approach. In this paper we calibrate and validate a simple model of olive orchard productivity based on the Radiation-Use Efficiency (RUE) concept of Monteith. A calibration experiment was performed in Cordoba from 1998 to 2001 with drip-irrigated olive trees cv. ‘Arbequina’. Destructive samples of 18 trees and non-destructive measurements on 80 trees were used to determine RUE and dry matter partitioning coefficients. Validation experiments were performed in 18 drip-irrigated orchards of seven locations in Southern Spain, including two cultivars (‘Arbequina’ and ‘Picual’). Average RUE was 0.86 g dry matter (MJ PAR)−1 which is equivalent to 1.56 g glucose (MJ PAR)−1. Aboveground accumulated biomass was allocated equally to fruits and vegetative growth, which in turn was partitioned into 30% for leaves and 70% for stems, branches and trunk. The fraction of oil in fruits was 0.38 which implies that the average ratio oil yield/intercepted PAR, which is an equivalent RUE for oil production (ɛo), is 0.17 g oil (MJ PAR)−1. The prediction of oil yield as the product of 0.17 and total intercepted PAR was tested successfully in the validation experiments (relative RMSE = 0.26). Errors of this simple model were partly due to alternate bearing and partly to a decrease in ɛo as canopy size increases, which deserves further research. The concept of ɛo may be also useful for the evaluation of alternate bearing in olive trees.Estimated potential carbon sequestration by intensive irrigated olive orchards in Southern Spain was 7 t CO2 ha−1 year−1 which is much higher than that of other agricultural systems in Europe.The simple model of growth and yield presented herein is the core of a complete model of olive growth and yield and may be useful not only for evaluating productivity at different scales but also for solving different management problems (nutrient requirements, plant protection, etc.)