EFFECT OF IRRIGATION ON THE QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGANIC OLIVE OIL

Two isolated orchards, irrigated and non irrigated and subjected for 4 years to standard organic farming techniques were selected in the Gavolochori region of Western Crete, on a relatively isolated hill top. A total amount of 400 m³ of water was applied to the irrigated grove three times during spring and summer period. Olive oil quality was evaluated in fruit samples of the irrigated and non irrigated orchards. Olive fruit from the irrigated plot had increased fruit weight, moisture and oil content while the extracted olive oil had higher titratable acidity, peroxide value, oxidative stability, total phenols as caffeic acid and lower specific absorbance coefficients K₂₃₂ and K₂₇₀, compared with the fruit and the extracted oil from the non irrigated plot.