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<pre>Steve,
Thanks for the tips for next year's flower observation. With your advice and
Mohamed's fullsome posting on fruit set we have plenty of material that will
make observations more meaningful and relevant.
Re the bark splitting syndrome. The only herbicide used has been Glyphosate
[Roundup] for grass management but certainly not 2,4-D. It is unlikely that
the two trees in question have received any more than the 1200 other trees
treated the same way.
I am wondering if Boron deficiency may have something to do with the problem
as parts of our locality are noted for low levels of this element. We have
observed classic manifestations of this problem in Kalamatas, but strangely,
not evenly distributed amongst the grove. Is it possible to have isolated
pockets of Boron deficient soil that will severely affect one tree but not
its neighbour?
Although my reading of a few 'olive texts' mentions nothing about bark
splitting in relation to Boron deficiency I did find in an agricultural
journal this interesting passage on the impact of boron deficiency in
apples. "Dead areas appear on the bark of young wood and external and
internal lesions are found [apple measles]. The bark may be rough and
split". This closely describes the symptoms found on the two affected
olives.
I wonder if the Leslie's property is deficient in boron? I seem to recall
Mike Wilson [also in the Hunter Valley]suggesting his Kalamatas were showing
signs of such deficiencies.
I intend to get a leaf analysis done but should I be taking leaves from the
worst affected plants or their apparently healthy neighbours?
Alan Watt, Tanja Olives

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Sibbett [mailto:sibbett@lightspeed.net]
> Sent: Sunday, 7 January 2001 1:27
> To: OliveOil@egroups.com
> Subject: RE: [OliveOil] Bark splitting syndrome
>
>
> Alan:
>
> Thanks for the comments on the olive fruit set. It appears there are some
> consistencies with what we find causes poor fruit set here.
>
> I would also suggest that during bloom development and flowering next year
> that you again observe weather and tree condition (as you did this past
> year). Also, during bloom, look at the flowers (files attached of perfect
> and staminate flowers) and see if there is a preponderance of
> staminate vs.
> perfect flowers - this can suggest some types of tree stress during the
> flower development period. Of course, it doesn't take many perfect flowers
> to make a crop if they are adequately pollinized and ultimately get
> fertilized. However, we have seen groves where almost all flowers are
> staminate. Also some years are worse than others.
>
> One other question regarding the blistering bark - are there any
> herbicides
> used in this grove? We've seen symptoms like this when growers have used
> 2,4-D (I doubt you have used this but still a question)
>
> Steve Sibbett
> U.C. Farm Advisor
> Phone - office 559.733.6486
> Mobil 559.280.0666
> FAX 559.734.2708
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alan Watt [mailto:wattmeyer@one.net.au]
> Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 11:59 PM
> To: OliveOil@egroups.com
> Subject: RE: [OliveOil] Bark splitting syndrome
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
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</pre>
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