Abstract

This study evaluated the influence of pruning intensity on the chemical and sensory characteristics of the extra virgin olive oil in two olive ('Coratina') orchards, considered as independent trials. In each orchard, different intensities of one-year-old wood pruning were performed (September 2008) when the olive trees were in the phenological stage of exposed bouquet. Olive fruits were hand-picked in June, 2009, and the oils were obtained from 25 kg of olives using a small size oil extraction system (30 kg/h feeding capacity). Treatments were: (T1) control without pruning, (T2) 33.3% removal of one-year-old wood and (T3) 50% removal of one-year-old wood. Several tree and fruit measurements and resulting oil analysis were carried out. In both trials, the agronomic variables, fruit load, production efficiency, and number of fruits per tree showed a response to pruning intensity. Fruit average weight, size, maturity index and fruit oil content increased as pruning was intensified; oil content and moisture content showed an inverse relationship. Extra virgin olive oil free acidity, peroxide value, UV extinction coefficient, a-tocopherol content and fatty acid composition did not change significantly between treatments. Total phenol content and bitterness index showed the highest values in treatments with 50% removal of one-year-old wood in both olive orchards. Sensory characteristics revealed higher bitter notes in oils obtained from trees of treatment T3. Pruning intensity has an influence on some olive oil characteristics.