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Heat accumulation period in the Mediterranean region: phenological response of the olive in different climate areas (Spain, Italy and Tunisia)

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Abstract

The main characteristics of the heat accumulation period and the possible existence of different types of biological response to the environment in different populations of olive through the Mediterranean region have been evaluated. Chilling curves to determine the start date of the heat accumulation period were constructed and evaluated. The results allow us to conclude that the northern olive populations have the greatest heat requirements for the development of their floral buds, and they need a period of time longer than olives in others areas to completely satisfy their biothermic requirements. The olive trees located in the warmest winter areas have a faster transition from endogenous to exogenous inhibition once the peak of chilling is met, and they show more rapid floral development. The lower heat requirements are due to better adaptation to warmer regions. Both the threshold temperature and the peak of flowering date are closely related to latitude. Different types of biological responses of olives to the environment were found. The adaptive capacity shown by the olive tree should be considered as a useful tool with which to study the effects of global climatic change on agro-ecosystems.

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Acknowledgements

F.A. is grateful to the Fundación Ramón Areces (Madrid, Spain) for a post-doctoral grant. The authors are grateful to the Italian Network stations of the National Council of Agricultural Research, the Agroclimatic Stations Network of the Andalusian Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca, and the Tunisian Network stations of the National Meteorological Centre for the meteorological data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Biology, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121, Perugia, Italy

    Fátima Aguilera, Marco Fornaciari, Bruno Romano & Fabio Orlandi

  2. Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), University of Jaén, Campus of the Lagunillas s/n, 23071, Jaén, Spain

    Luis Ruiz

  3. Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), University of Córdoba, Campus of Rabanales, 14071, Córdoba, Spain

    Carmen Galán & Jose Oteros

  4. Institut de l’Olivier, BP 208, 1082, Tunis, Tunisia

    Ali Ben Dhiab & Monji Msallem

Authors
  1. Fátima Aguilera
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  2. Luis Ruiz
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  3. Marco Fornaciari
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  4. Bruno Romano
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  5. Carmen Galán
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  6. Jose Oteros
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  7. Ali Ben Dhiab
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  8. Monji Msallem
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  9. Fabio Orlandi
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Correspondence to Fátima Aguilera.

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Aguilera, F., Ruiz, L., Fornaciari, M. et al. Heat accumulation period in the Mediterranean region: phenological response of the olive in different climate areas (Spain, Italy and Tunisia). Int J Biometeorol 58, 867–876 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0666-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0666-7

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