title: Influence of some environmental factors on drupe maturation and olive oil composition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Understanding the relationships between olive cultivars and the cultivation environment as well as optimising cultivation choices can lead to maximum expression of oil production in terms of both quantity and quality. For this purpose, samples of the Ortice olive cultivar grown in two different environments in southern Italy at altitudes of 500 and 50 m above sea level (a.s.l.) were harvested on various dates to monitor drupe maturation and determine the nutritional and chemical characteristics of the oils.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fruits grown at 50 m a.s.l. ripened about 10-15 days earlier than those grown at 500 m a.s.l. The oil obtained at 500 m a.s.l. was characterised by a higher content of total polyphenols and a higher content of oleic and stearic acids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The different heat accumulation related to the environment affected drupe development as well as the colouring trend and oil content. Consequently, the growth environment changed the content of Ortice oil fatty acids and polyphenols, while the flavour profile remained fairly stable in both environments, with the cultivar effect prevailing over the environment factor.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Arboricoltura, Botanica e Patologia Vegetale, Università di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Vaio
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nocerino
authors.forename: Antonello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paduano
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sacchi
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D063427:Food Quality; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007558:Italy; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009753:Nutritive Value; D031658:Olea / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012677:Sensation; D013045:Species Specificity; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013649:Taste; D014887:Weather
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D010938:Plant Oils; D059808:Polyphenols; D013229:Stearic Acids; D019301:Oleic Acid; C031183:stearic acid