OliveOmics - Understanding the influence of climate change on olive fruit development and olive oil: an omics’ approach

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Antioxidant adjustments of olive trees (Olea europaea) under field stress conditions

Publication . Araújo, Márcia; Prada, João; Mariz-Ponte, Nuno; Santos, Conceição; Pereira, J.A.; Pinto, Diana; Silva, Artur; Dias, Maria Celeste

Extreme climate events are increasingly frequent, and the 2017 summer was particularly critical in the Mediterranean region. Olive is one of the most important species of this region, and these climatic events represent a threat to this culture. However, it remains unclear how olive trees adjust the antioxidant enzymatic system and modulate the metabolite profile under field stress con-ditions. Leaves from two distinct adjacent areas of an olive orchard, one dry and the other hydrated, were harvested. Tree water status, oxidative stress, antioxidant enzymes, and phenolic and lipo-philic metabolite profiles were analyzed. The environmental conditions of the 2017 summer caused a water deficit in olive trees of the dry area, and this low leaf water availability was correlated with the reduction of longâ€ chain alkanes and fatty acids. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide radical (O2•–) levels increased in the trees collected from the dry area, but lipid peroxidation did not augment. The antioxidant response was predominantly marked by guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX) activity that regulates the H2O2 harmful effect and by the action of flavonoids (luteolinâ€ 7â€ Oâ€ glucu-ronide) that may act as reactive oxygen species scavengers. Secoiridoids adjustments may also con-tribute to stress regulation. This work highlights for the first time the protective role of some metabolite in olive trees under field drought conditions.

2021Journal article

Open access

Effects of Summer Water Deficit Stress on Olive Fruits and Oil Quality

Publication . Araújo, Márcia; Rodrigues, Nuno; Santos, Conceição; Pinto, Diana; Pereira, J.A.; Silva, Artur; Dias, Maria Celeste

The Mediterranean basin is the leading worldwide region for olive production. Extreme weather is increasingly frequent in this region, and how these climate extremes will affect olive products and quality remains unknown. We aim to study the effects of the water deficit stress, which occurred in the summer of 2017, on olive fruit and oil quality from a 30-year-old orchard. Fruits from olive trees standing on (i) one hydrated and (ii) one dry area of an orchard at the north of Portugal were harvested. Fruits’ water content, oil yield and quality, fruit carbohydrates, and fruit and oil phenolic metabolite profiles were analyzed. Fruits from the dry area presented low water availability and increased carbohydrates, oleuropein, oleoside, and elenolic acid glucoside abundance. Oil yield was lower in the dry area, but the abundance of oleacein increased, together with traits of some sensory sensations. Climate stress events can reduce oil yield but stimulate the accumulation of bioactive compounds that improve oil quality and nutritional value.

2024Journal article

Open access