**3. Conclusion**

34 Olive Germplasm – The Olive Cultivation, Table Olive and Olive Oil Industry in Italy

(stem). Seed size and absolute shape vary greatly with cultivar.

reduced (Lagarda *et al.*, 1983a).

whole Mediterranean basin.

different olive-growing areas.

in water (Crisosto & Sutter, 1985).

(Hartmann, 1949).

traits.

The mature seed is covered with a thin coat that covers the starch-filled endosperm. The latter surrounds the tapering, flat leaf like cotyledons, short radicle (root), and plumule

The seed undergoes most of its development starting in July and ending in about September. The fruit is horticulturally mature in October or November (in Italy) and if harvested and stratified at that time, it will achieve the maximum of germination. However, seeds are physiologically mature in January or February when its germination is greatly

*Olea europaea* L. subsp. e*uropaea* var. *europaea* is a species of great economic importance in the

In fact, the genetic patrimony of the Mediterranean basin olive trees is very rich and is characterised by an abundance of varieties. Based on estimates by the FAO Plant Production and Protection Division Olive Germplasm (FAO, 2010), the world's olive germplasm contains more than 2.629 different varieties, with many local varieties and ecotypes contributing to this richness. It is likely that the number of cultivars is underestimated because of inadequate information about minor local cultivars that are widespread in

Current scientific knowledge offers the possibility of introducing new assessment systems, based not only on the varietal character phenology, usually adopted, but also on genetic

For seed production, the fruits should be harvested when ripe, but before they turn black. This period extends from late September to mid-November, depending on the cultivar (Largarda *et al.*, 1983a,b). Pits are removed from the flesh of the fruit with macerators. Pits can be stored in a dry place for years or planted directly, but germination is slow and uneven. Pre-germination treatments are designed to overcome both seed coat (mechanical) and embryo dormancy. Mechanical or chemical scarification is used to treat mechanical dormancy. During the scarification phase, the endocarp can be cracked mechanically or clipped at the radicle end, with care taken not to damage the embryo. Clipping just the cotyledonary end of the endocarp does not improve germination. Good germination results can be obtained using a seed cracking device before subsequent handling procedures (Martin *et al.*, 1986). Pits may be soaked in concentrated sulfuric acid to soften the endocarp. Soaking time depends on the thickness of the endocarp; typical soaking times for Manzanillo are between 24 and 30 hours. The acid bath is followed by 1 to 2 hours of rinsing

The pits can be planted directly after the endocarp treatments at a depth about 2 to 3 times their diameter. Seeds planted outdoors in December do not germinate until the following spring. Pits can also be planted in pots or seedbeds in a greenhouse maintained at a range of temperature between 21 - 24 °C. Germination takes up to 3 months *Olea europaea* L. represents one of the most important trees in the Mediterranean basin and the oldest cultivated plant. Among cultivated plants, the olive is the sixth most important oil crop in the world, presently spreading from the Mediterranean region of origin to new production areas, due to the beneficial nutritional properties of olive oil and to its high economic value.

The Mediterranean basin is the traditional area of olive cultivation and has 95% of the olive orchards of the world. From the Mediterranean basin, olive cultivation is presently expanding into areas of Australia, South and North America (Argentina, Chile, United States), South Africa and even in exotic place, like Hawaii. Given its wide range of distribution, it is becoming increasingly urgent to identify plants into different ranges of distribution in the world to avoid cases of homonymy, synonymy and mislabeling so that a reliable classification of all varieties can be achieved without unnecessary confusion.

In this context, along with morphological characteristics the acquisition of additional information on biochemical markers is essential. This aspect represents a fundamental and indispensable step to preserve the main olive varieties and also to safeguard minor genotypes, in order to avoid a loss of genetic diversity.

Recent research has focused on using morphological markers associated with molecular ones to characterize and identify olive varieties (Ercisli *et al*., 2009; Muzzalupo *et al*., 2009). The identification of varieties by using molecular markers is a crucial aim of modern horticulture, because such a technique would greatly facilitate breeding programmes and germplasm collection management.
