Morphological evaluation of olive germplasm present in Tuscany region

This work was done to quantify, evaluate and preserve the genetic variation of the olive (Olea europaea L.) from Tuscany and to look for ready-to-use valuable characters. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compare fruit, pit, leaf and growth habit characteristics among 83 accessions. Clustering of cultivars would suggest the existence of a strictly related genetic base with little morphological differences. Numerical analysis of phenotypical characters enabled to discriminate among accessions and to reduce the number of cultivars for further studies. It can be used as a rapid method to classify and compare phenotypes within large olive collections. The collected germplasm can be a useful sources of variability for those attributes not traditionally accounted for in olive plant selection. Several late-ripening cultivars, interesting for oil-quality; two cultivars with suited for low-pruning cultivation growth habit as well as four accessions with peculiar leaves, employable as ornamental, were identified. Furthermore, some cultivar with different initial growth potential, susceptible to be used for wood production or high density plantation, were catalogued. Data and photographs of most of the accessions here described were transferred to Internet where are available for consultation at the address http://www.area.fi.cnr.it/olivo/olivit.htm.