High-density olive plantations

Abstract

Hand-harvested traditional plantations with 70–100 trees ha –1 are being replaced by high-density mechanically harvested orchards. Diverse typologies of highdensity orchards are currently planted. Intensive orchards (150–250 trees ha–1 under rainfed conditions to 200–400 trees ha–1 under irrigation) are harvested with trunk shakers and catching frames.Wide hedgerow (450–800 trees ha–1 and up 4m wide) is harvested with self-propelled trunk shakers with slanted canvas or with big sized continuous harvesters. Narrow hedgerow (800–1,000 trees ha–1 in rainfed conditions and>1,500 trees ha–1 with rows less than 1.5mwide under irrigation) is harvested with straddle harvester. Earliness of bearing a..