Increased Yield in the Olive with Putrescine Treatment

Abstract

Aqueous solutions of putrescine and putrescine dichloride were sprayed on flowers and fruit of self-incompatible olive ( Olea europaea L.) ‘Leccino’ and Tendolino’. Both diamine formulas increased fruit-set and yield when applied on flowers before anthesis (‘Pendolino’) and at full bloom (‘Leccino’), but they slightly decreased fresh fruit weight. Putrescine dichloride was more effective than putrescine base, stimulating fruit-set with 5 × 10 –2 m solution compared to 5 × 10 –1 m to 1 m of putrescine base.