In recent years many olive groves have been recording an increase in early olive drop, a complex and multifactorial phenomenon that combines spring thermal and water stress, latent infections from Botryosphaeriaceae, attacks by phytophagous insects such as the Asian bug (Halyomorpha halys) and, last but not least, physiological imbalances that manifest themselves in the delicate phases of flowering and fruit set.
In this context, agronomic research is paying increasing attention to tools capable of stabilizing the physiological processes of the olive tree during its most vulnerable moments.
Among the tests conducted by AIPO in 2025 it was also included Gravity Invigorate, a biostimulant developed to support plants in their reproductive processes and stress management, evaluated in the field without commercial purposes, but as part of a larger study on anti-drop strategies. The product's formulation is based on four substances that perform a specific and distinct physiological function in the plant, such as:
- carbohydrates, important for overcoming conditions of water stress, maintaining cell turgidity, respiration and energy production.;
- extracts of natural molecules, which influence the development of vascular tissues, xylem and phloem, help the plant to grow in a balanced way and to better transport water and nutrients;
- hormonal promoters, which stimulate the production of plant hormones, such as auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, which regulate fruit set, cell division, and the growth of small olives, important for avoiding early physiological fruit drop;
- plant peptides, are small chains of amino acids that help the plant resist drought, tolerate temperature changes, regulate the opening of stomata, and stabilize cell membranes; they are among the most important components for resilience to spring stress.
The combination of these mechanisms results in consistent with a potential anti-drop effectThe fall of small olives, in fact, is often the consequence of a disruption in the energy and hormonal balance in the first three or four weeks after fruit set.
Supporting energy metabolism, hormonal modulation, membrane protection, and improving vascular conduction all contribute to reducing the olive's vulnerability to the stresses that normally trigger its loss.
Although it has no phytosanitary activity, the physiological mechanisms activated by the product can mitigate the indirect effects of biotic stresses such as Botryosphaeriaceae, which reduce xylem conduction and increase oxidative stress, or the brown marmorated stink bug, which alters hormonal balance and weakens tissues.
The product's antioxidant complex neutralizes molecules formed when the plant is under stress and which damage cells, leaves, and fruit. Trials conducted in 2025 in olive groves in the Verona and Garda areas revealed several agronomic benefits.
Field results and methods of use
The tests conducted in 2025 in the Verona area, Garda area, used a dosage of 0,8 – 1,2 l/ha in pre-flowering and post-flowering.
In the treated plots a increased leaf turgor in the weeks following flowering, a more stable fruit set in the presence of thermal stress, a reduction of early fruit drop compared to untreated plots and improved vegetative-productive continuity in plants that showed mild symptoms of biotic stress. These results do not indicate a direct anti-drop action, but suggest a physiological stabilizing effect which results in less fruit loss in critical stages.
An innovative aspect emerged from the combined use with wood distillate, Bio GoddessThis mixture appears to have improved the leaf's ability to absorb products, enhancing the antioxidant response and improving leaf permeability.
The result is a more reactive plant and less inclined to lose fruit in critical conditions.
An operational aspect, advantageous for the olive grower, also concerns the miscibility of Gravity Invigorate with synthetic hormones, such as auxins and gibberellins, allowing for the optimization of the passages in the field and strengthening the physiological response of the plant.
The evidence collected indicates that Gravity Invigorate It can be a useful tool in managing olive fruit drop, not as an "anti-drop" product in the strict sense, but as a biostimulant capable of stabilizing physiological processes in the most sensitive phases.
The effect observed in combination with wood distillate deserves further investigation, as it suggests a functional synergy in the management of oxidative stress and fruit set stability, opening up interesting perspectives for the definition of integrated protocols in areas most exposed to spring stresses.
AIPO Director
Interregional Association
Olive producers
