**4. Conclusion**

Although many efforts have been made in the last years, genome studies in *Olea europaea* L. are currently behind those of other crops. Several groups have started to work on the olive genome sequencing and, thanks to the rapid development of the new sequencing technologies; hopefully soon the complete sequence of olive genome will be available. Identification of all genes within a species permits an understanding of how important agronomic traits are controlled, knowledge of which can be directly translated into crop improvement.

The availability of reliable genotype data of olive varieties and oils deriving from them, in publicly accessible curate and regularly update databases will be the challenge for the next few years. Recent advances in DNA sequencing technology are radically changing biological and biomedical research and will have a major impact on crop improvement. The new information on genome sequence will be very useful to identify genes involved in agronomical traits that could be used to improve the nutritional characteristics and the productivity of this crop. A possible application could be, for example, the studies of molecular mechanisms of drought and salinity tolerance of olive, in order to improve the cultivation of this important fruit crop also in the most arid and semiarid areas of the world. The knowledge of genome nucleotide sequences also could be useful to identify new sequence polymorphisms, which will be very useful in the development of many new variety-specific molecular markers and in the implementation of more efficient protocols for tracking and protect olive oil origin.
