RESEARCHES ON THE NATURAL DEVELOPMENT OF FRUIT MATURITY IN OLIVES

In this trial, studying various parameters related to the natural fruit maturity, their variations and interactions within them have been ascertained. This study has been done with ‘Ayvalik’ and ‘Memecik’, the two important cultivars of Aegean Region, during the harvesting periods of 1980/81, 1982/83 and 1984/85. During this study, it was seen that certain low temperatures happening in maturity period made some negative effect on the normal ripening progress. While the fruit fall was going on normally, in a short time, a massy fall has occurred. Therefore, some difference was seen in the distribution of the fall owing to this fall in mass which was stimulated by the frost happened in maturation period. While the ratio of green and purple olives showed and important decrease, the date-like olives were showing an increase. This was very evident in ‘Memecik’ than that of ‘Ayvalik’. FRF progress is lower rate in ‘Ayvalik’ than that of ‘Memecik’. The decrease seen in FRF and increase in fallen fruits and the change of color groups are in accordance with each other. The composition of the fruit and aborted embryos were also investigated.