Le olive tree production performance are strongly influenced by the relationship between climatic elements and main phenological phases of floral biology. In particular, microclimatic conditions would influence the success of fertilization, even following self-pollination.
These are the results obtained from studies conducted by two Pisan university institutions, the Department of Agricultural, Food and Agro-environmental Sciences and the Sant'Anna School on different olive tree genotypes over a period of 25 years (1993-2016). Given that floral biology is a salient theme for the olive tree on which the productivity of the plants depends, the long-term work has made it possible to analyze the main phenological phases in light of meteorological eventswhich have followed one another over the years, with the aim of contributing to the understanding of the reproductive behavior of the most widespread cultivars in Tuscany.
The phenological phases relating to: emission of inflorescences, flowering, pollination, fruit setting. In each phase, biological and morpho-anatomical analyzes were carried out in order to detect the qualitative characters of floral organs,germinative ability of pollen , pollen-pistil relationship with controlled pollination plans (self- and cross-pollination). The climate data were acquired using data loggers positioned in the experimental fields and possibly integrated with those found at the nearby climate stations (SIR Toscana).
From January to June of each year, the temperature, precipitation and solar radiation parameters were considered daily. Among the 'quality' parameters taken into consideration, pollen analyzes revealed a significant influence of the average temperature in the thirty days preceding flowering, with an improvement in germination potential both in vitro and in vivo. Conditions of reduced solar radiation, like those that occur inside the canopy, have instead had an influence negatively on germination and pollen vitality.
The in vivo observations on pollen compatibility have made it possible to highlight that, in the majority of the genotypes analysed, the pollen germinates and penetrates the ovarian cavity without self-incompatibility reactions. THE meteorological conditions would play a key role in determining the failure of the fertilization process. In particular, one has been identified negative relationship between high temperatures and fruiting index.
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