Olive ripening and harvest time in Portuguese cultivars of 'Beira Interior' region.

摘要

Portuguese growers of Beira Interior, an inland region in the centre of Portugal, start harvesting olives only in late November or December and finish in January and sometimes February. Studies on olive ripening carried out in different groves showed that, in general, oil content (% d.w.) stabilized during November and ripening index rose regularly throughout the sampling period. However, there were some differences among cultivars. The results suggest that harvest can begin from mid-October to the 1st fortnight of November, according to location, for cv. Galega, in the 1st fortnight of December for cv. Bical, in the 1st fortnight of November for cv. Carrasquinha and in the 2nd fortnight of November for cv. Cornicabra, therefore harvest time should begin long before the traditional time.