Productivity and Fruit Quality Influenced by Bioestimulant in Olive under Hot and Arid Environment of Mexico

Abstract

Actually modern fruit trees physiology is focused on the stimulation of plant cell development and fruit production using bioestimulant. This study evaluated the effect of bioestimulant ‘Engordone’ under two doses (0.5 and 1.0 L ha-1) and two times (pea-size fruit and 28 days later) in olive tree cv Manzanilla under hot and arid environment of Mexico. The experiment was carried out during 2018 and 2019 at National Research Institute for Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock (INIFAP) in the Experimental Station Coast of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. The experiment was carried out on olive tree of eight years old, planted at distance of 10 x 5 m (200 trees ha-1) and under drip irrigation system. The experiment was analyzed using a randomized complete block design and four replications. The variables evaluated were olive yield, classification by size and fruit characteristics (fruit weight and pulp-pit ratio). The results showed that bioestimulant application had little effect on olive yield which increased the yield by 14.1 and 6.5% in 2018 and 2019, respectively compared to untreated trees, but without statistical difference. Fruit characteristic were no affected by treatments. Only the percentage of non-marketable fruit was statistically (P<0.05) reduced in the first year. Finally, new biostimulants and times of application are necessary to carried out to improve the size of table olives.