2026-04-14T09:33:33Zhttps://recercat.cat/oai/request

oai:recercat.cat:20.500.12327/51612026-03-20T07:41:10Zcom_2072_4428com_2072_4427col_2072_487898

Exploratory Study of the Correlation Between the Vegetative Growth of Olive Trees (Olea europaea L.), the Quality Characteristics of Olive Oil and Sensory Properties in Algerian and European Cultivars Chalabi, Nadjya Bahlouli, Fayçal Romero, Agusti Producció Vegetal Fructicultura 633 663/664 Olive tree cultivation occupies a central place in Algerian agriculture and is of considerable economic and cultural importance. Several production factors strongly influence the quality of olive oil. Among the determinants of this quality, the vegetative growth of the olive tree plays a crucial role, as it controls photosynthetic capacity, the distribution of assimilates, and fruit filling. These physiological mechanisms directly influence oil percentage, as well as fatty acid and phenolic compound compositions, and consequently, sensory characteristics such as bitterness and pungency. This study examines the quantitative relationships between vegetative growth, chemical parameters, and sensory attribute interactions that are still poorly understood using seven representative olive cultivars: local varieties (Chemlal, Bouchouk Lafayette, Blanquette de Guelma, Sigoise, and Limli) and European varieties (Frantoio and Belgentéroise). Vegetative growth was characterized by the average shoot length; fruit oil content was expressed as a percentage on a dry basis, and fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography after derivatization. The total polyphenol content was determined by spectrophotometry and expressed as concentration, and oxidative stability was measured using the Rancimat method. Sensory analysis was conducted by a trained panel in accordance with international recommendations. The results indicate substantial positive correlations between vegetative growth parameters, oil concentration, olive oil composition, and those sensory attributes related to polyphenols, for all varieties studied. This functional consistency suggests that improvement in one parameter is generally associated with improvement in others. The Algerian variety Chemlal stands out for its optimal performance profile in agronomic, chemical, and sensory aspects compared to the other varieties. These preliminary results suggest that optimizing oil characteristics is directly linked to the physiological and biochemical performance of the olive tree, thus confirming the relevance of a systems approach in the selection and management of olive varieties. Agusti Romero acknowledges the financial support to IRTA from the CERCA Program from the Generalitat of Catalonia (Spain). info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2026-03-13 info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2073-4395 https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12327/5161 https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16060616 eng Agronomy Attribution 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess 18 MDPI