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Title: Characterization of Libyan olive, olea europaea L., cultivars using morpholigical data

Author
item ABDUL, SALEM - Colorado State University
item Volk, Gayle
item Richards, Christopher
item HUGHES, HARRISON - Colorado State University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/23/2013
Publication Date: 7/23/2013
Citation: Abdul, S., Volk, G.M., Richards, C.M., Hughes, H. 2013. Characterization of Libyan olive, olea europaea L., cultivars using morpholigical data. American Society for Horticultural Science Meeting, Paper No.15849.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Olive (Olea europaea L.) consumption and production are important socially and economically in Libya. Olive cultivars that are adapted to local conditions produce olives that have high quality and quantities of oil. Many of the important Libyan olive cultivars were included in this research. One goal of our project was to determine the plasticity of morphological traits collected from olive cultivars that have been grown at diverse locations within Libya. Another goal was to identify a set of traits that are independent and stable regardless of the environmental growth conditions. This set of traits can then be used in subsequent analyses to correlate genetic and phenotypic characteristics of Libyan olives. We compared two different groups of olive: 45 local cultivars and 45 introduced cultivars of Olea europaea sativa. Morphological data were collected for quantitative traits such as fruit weight, volume, width and length as well as seed and leaf weight, width and length. Scanned images were analyzed to determine cross sectional area and perimeter for fruit, leaf, and seed samples. Qualitative data were also collected for fruit and seed shape, symmetry, surface characteristics using standardized descriptors. Large differences were observed for many of the morphological traits across the diverse cultivars. We plan to use these sets of data to develop methods to identify unique and desirable Libyan cultivars morphologically and to then use these data as part of our genetic analyses.