The Department for Fruit farming and Olive growing




Studying of fruit trees and olives in Dalmatia starts at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. At this time tested are the traits of the sorts, fertilizations, and determined the stages of the olive maturation. At the beginning of the 20th century, inn the framework of the Institute, founded was an oil department that tested chemical, physical and organoleptic traits of the Dalmatian oil. Tied with the work and the development of the oil industry in Dalmatia the oil department had the task of further developing the production of the fine olive oil. For this purposes were held courses for machinists and apprentices, and exhibitions where the bestproducers of oil were awarded. From the end of the past century to the first world war, beside the improvement in the olive growing, special attention was given to the growth maraska cherry and its development in regions where it may reach the best quality.

An important influence in developing fruit and olive growing during that time had the nurseries. From 1892 to 1902, 14 nurseries were established and didn't satisfy the needs of the production. Those small nurseries stopped functioning in 1902 upon the establishment of a bigger nursery in Vrana which stayed open for 20 years under expert supervision.

Three phases of development are manifested in the activity of the Institute for fruit and olive growing:

  • I. from 1946 - 1952
  • II. from 1952 - 1960
  • III. from 1960 - to present

    I. In this period fruit and olive growing in the coastal regionsfinds itself at the start. There are no large, closed, intensive objects, but just trees of small cultural importance, thrown about on small parcels with a mixture of other cultures in an extensive agricultural cultivation.

    Due to lack of personal experience,, before establishing intensive fruit farming objects it was necessary to test the ecological, biological, physiological and economical conditions. For that purpose, in Kastel Stari, on grounds that were expanded by 8 acres, was put up a nursery of parent culture plants of olives, almonds, maraska cherries, peaches, apricot, plumbs, figs and a parent nursery of fruit foundations. Also oleaster types of nurseries were raised for researching traits of sorts and foundations.

    The Croatian coast is divided into fruit-olive growing sub regions, meaning that testing and fixing of a sorting system of fruit and olives is done in a specific sub region. The selection of oleaster started in the nurseries near the reservation of wild olives F Lun on the island of Pag. Organized are tests of researching the cutting of olives and confirming the rejuvenation of trees in Brsecina near Dubrovnik.

    Special attention was given to testing the production of olive plantings. Researched was the preparation of seeds of wild olives, the style and the time of sowing, the style and time of replanting seedlings, the style of grafting and the nurturing of nurseries. Researched were other types of vegetative repopulation methods.

    In that period research and selection was done on the almond types. Made out was a pomologic classification and trade typing of almonds. Separated were two types of maraska cherry ( field and oval). Confirmed was the preparation technology and the time of sowing RASELJKA.

    With the acquisition of the equipment for the reproduction of olives started tests on the technology of multiplying of different olive sorts.

    Beside those scientific research works there were seminars, fruit and olive courses, many lectures with the purpose applying results into practice.

    II. Near the end of 1952 The Department for fruit farming and olive growing grew into a Station for fruit and olive farming that became independent from the Institute as its own institution. In 1960 it returned to the Institute as a Department for fruit farming and olive growing.

    The stations in Fazana and Dubrovnik and the Department for the subtropical cultures in Bar Separated from the Institute as independent stations.

    From 1952 to 1960 were planned and raised new fruit and olive farms and machines for finishing olives. The making of the investment programs was entrusted to the scientific institutions, which in that way participated in the action of creating new machines.

    The scientific research in fruit growing in that period was significantly diminished and it encompassed only the testing of some major problems that came up in the raising of new nurseries. Those were the sorting of peaches in ecological conditions of the coastal area, the sorting of almonds and almond foundations, regular fertility of olive trees and the technology of olive reproduction.

    In accordance with those needs the scientific research took on the following problems:

    1. the testing of self-compatibility and inter-compatibility of olive sorts.
    2. determining the sorting of peaches in the conditions of the southern Croatian climate. For that purpose was raised a nursery of new California peach sorts and Morettini hybrids.
    3. the selection of late blooming types of almonds. That selection was performed in the regions Split and Sibenik.
    4. The testing of almond foundations for roc ky terrain. As a foundation for almonds used were seedlings Amygdalus webu Spach.
    5. testing of the oil content and the oil making process of individual olive sorts.

    Along with that, raised were new demonstrative olive nurseries with domestic and foreign sorts of olives in the framework of the Union of olive producers and finishers in Split. Created were many projects for new planting of fruit trees and olives and projects for new oil refineries.

    III. With the establishment of the Republic fund for scientific work started a period of years long systematic research in the fruit and olive growing, in the coastal Croatia.

    In step with that stand that was dictated by the need of practice, in 1960 priority was given to problems concerning intensifying the reproduction of olives. In that period the following was done:

    1. researching the economical value of the sorts and types of olives. These researches covered all important olive sorts growing in Istria and Dalmatia. Tested was the biology of the flower and insemination, pomotechnical traits of the sorts, oil contents and moisture content in a mature fruit.
    2. with testing of the new style of olive multiplying confirmed was a technology of taking root by the olive shoots by a "mist" method. For that purpose was ordered a special apparatus called "Electronic leaf". Confirmed was the most suitable substratum, the time of relifting of the shoots and the function of different hormonal sources.
    3. fertilization of olives on the basis of folial diagnostics. After a five year research on the activity of fertilizer, on the basis of element analysis in the olive leaves, it was concluded that this is the way the best relationship between the main elements can occur.
    4. by testing the olive conservation method researched was a technological process of conservation of the green fruit, to be used as food.
    5. by researching the problem of renewing old olive nurseries, in old nurseries was researched the method of renewing old trees, and tested was the application of herbicide on an olive plantation.

    Maraska is another culture with a significant place in the Dalmatian agriculture. However, in the growing of this culture basic factors of production such as sorts and foundations were not researched. That position in the growing dictated the need for special attention in the development of Maraska production, during that period.

    It was considered necessary to continue researching the causes of irregular fertility of olive sorts, and so were tested the influences of ecological factors on cell genetics and cell chemical traits. Also was tested the technology of olive conservation. Continued was the research of new almond traits in order to wipe out factors hindering the development of that culture.

    Regarding those, from 1965 to 1970, the Institute studied the following:

    1. maraska type selection. In the field of nurturing that culture, on the basis of researching biological and morphological characteristics, Separated was 12 types of Maraska.
    2. confirming the best type of dusting for the Maraska types. For field and oblong types of maraska confirmed were the best dusters.
    3. RASELJKA selection (Pr. mahaleb). Separated was a few types of early and late vegetation, of lush and weak growth.
    4. creating new olive sorts by induction methods. Applied was radiation of the pollen in different dosages of X-rays. With the radiated pollen dusted were olive sorts (oval, elongated, LASTOVKE). Confirmed was the most suitable dosage of radiation.
    5. eradication of the irregularity of olive fertility. Concerning the diminishment in the alternation of the olives period, researched was how the decline of fertility influences that occurrence in the year of excessive fertility. Analyzed was the influence of climate, the intensity of hermaphroditic flours, the length of phenophase blooming and the length of the embryonic sac vitality.
    6. researching traits of introduced sorts and almond types. Confirmed are the traits of introduced sorts and almond types.
    7. researching the technology of the conservation of olives for table use.
    In the period from 1970 to 1974 as research subjects were chosen maraska types, foundations for maraska, new almond sorts and introduced olive table sorts.

    The main themes of the research in that period are the following:

    1.researching quality and fertility of selected types of maraska. Testing the intensity of self-fertility, blooming dynamics, the nature and the quality of fruits of selected maraska types.
    2. RASELJKA selection. foundations for maraska. This a continued work of previous selection of RASELJKA. Envelopes the problem of vegetative multiplying of important RASELJKA types and the testing of the compatibility of important types of maraska with the already executed types of RASELJKA.
    3. testing the economic value of domestic and introduced table olive sorts. The subjects were two domestic and five foreign table olive sorts.
    4. studying the intensification of production of almonds in the mountain range of the Adriatic region.

    From 1974 to today with the goal of developing fruit production continued is research of biological and physiological traits of new olive sorts. In the research was included 43 sorts from an area between Istria and South Dalmatia.

    From the field of olive growing researched are , with the already mentioned, the following themes:

  • introduction and testing of traits of foreign sorts in our ecological circumstances. Used was 35 sorts.
  • testing the multiplying of olives and the production of planting materials, from the classical nurturing systems of nurseries to the contemporary methods of root-taking shoots, by the "mist" method.
  • testing the problems concerning the founding of new intensive nurseries. This research relates toto the region of western Istria where new nurseries are being installed;
  • studying the problems of rejuvenating old olive nurseries technology of olive conservation (green and black olives)

    Beside the research in the field of olive growing , researched are other fruit cultures, among whom in the first place are almond and maraska.

    1.Selection of late blooming domestic sorts and types of almond.
    2. Introduction and testing of foreign almond sorts (from Italy, France, Spain ,SAD, USSR, and Bulgaria)
    3. Hybridization between peach and almonds in order to create new foundations for almonds.
    4. Multiplying by the "mist" method of the newly created foundations of peach X almond.
    5.Selection of maraska types.
    6. Selection of RASELJKA as a foundation for maraska.
    7. Hybridization between maraska types with the goal of creating new types of suitable traits.
    8. Vegetative multiplying of selected RASELJKA types.
    9. Testing of traits of introduced cherry sorts.
    10. Research on dusting powder for the "Tugarka"sort.
    11. Testing the traits of introduced peach sorts and nectarines.
    12. Testing of plumb foundations and hybrids peach X almond for growing peaches and nectarines on carbonated ground.
    13. Testing of sorts and foundations of mandarines (this is done at PIK "Neretva")
    14. Introduction of foreign plumb sorts.
    15. Introduction and testing of summer apple sorts.
    16. Testing of the technology of fig drying.
    Comparative research on introduced and domestic olive sorts
  • Testing the possibility of producing olive nurseries by the "FOG" method.
  • Supplement in the creation of the "GENE BANK" of almonds, sour cherries, maraska, olive, fig and carob.

    The testing on olive sorts is a component of the international project "Improving the olive production" which carried on within the framework of FAO.

    The supplement to the creation of the "GEN BANK" of almonds, sour cherries and olives is a theme in combination with the regional project UNDP/FAO "The European cooperative program for conserving and exchanging genetic sources for plant selection". With this project the following goals would be achieved:

  • increase of interest in genetic resources from Croatia
  • activation of work on describing and documenting the existing collections of genetic materials;
  • perfecting the research of methods and keeping of the gene pool
  • enabling the exchange of genetic materials in Europe.

    Beside the scientific research of the Department in fruit and olive farming their activity is present in the transfer of science to practice. That activity is especially visible in the cooperation they have with FAO concerning the development of olive growing. Big attention is dedicated to the regeneration of old olive nurseries. For that purpose are raised demonstrational nurseries of regenerated olives. It is significant to mention that olive growing in combination with sheep farming (on the island of Cres) has had good results.

    The transfer of science to practice is done through the projects raising new olive nurseries (Porec 105 acres), almonds (Opuzen 200 acres), nectarines (Opuzen 70 acres), peaches (Knin 10 acres), apples (Vrgorac 40 acres, Opuzen 50 acres).

    The special influence of the Department on the development of fruit growing is placed through plant materials that are produced in their personal nurseries by usual methods, and in recent times by methods of quick multiplying , primarily olives, but also other fruit sorts, actually their sorts and foundations. In the production of seedling material a significant role is played by the new green house made for the production of seedlings by the "mist propagation" method.

    A great attention is given to the making of testing and demonstrational nurseries. This is significant for the scientific and professional work of the Department and its activity in developing fruit growing in the private sector. The results of the scientific and expert work of the Department are already widely used in production, and in raising of new and renewing the old existing fruit nurseries.

    The effectiveness of our expert and scientific answers in the fruit growing production is best seen in the results accomplished in Dalmatia and elsewhere:

  • selected types of maraska were put up on social and private surfaces of Dalmatia
  • selected types of RASELJKA, step by step by way of seedling material of maraska and cherries, enter the Dalmatian field as the best foundations.
  • work on hybridization between the viticultural peach and the wild almond (Prunus Webbii) created are new foundations for peach and almond on carbonated and somewhat more moist grounds in Dalmatia. studied and observed was the domestic and introduced assortment of almonds, olives, cherries, fig and sour cherries.

    For the work of the Department, the established cooperation with kin institutions and professorships of fruit growing, from within the country and abroad, was of great significance. The collaboration with fruit institutes was generally done through interpersonal visits during which occurred exchange of information, publications and biological material.

    With the scientific institutes from Italy, Spain, and France exchanged was the assortment of olives and almonds.

    The experts of the Department for fruit growing and olive growing participated in conferences in many domestic and international fruit congresses and gatherings (Zagreb 1962, Nice 1964, Pescara and Novi Sad 1965, Malaga and Vrnjacka Banja 1971, Montpelier 1975, Chania (Crete) and Ohrid 1976, Bari and Bar 1977, Cordoba 1989, Maribor and Sibenik 1980, Chania (Crete) 1981, Split and Zadar 1982, Porec 1984), which contributed to the affirmation of the Departments work in the country and the world. From 1976 the experts of the Department are members of an active group concerned with selection and bioclimatology of the olive, the Commission for olive growing FAO, the present Regional program concerned with the advancement of olives in the countries on the Mediterranean and in the Middle east.