Characteristics of Olive Fruits and the Maturity Index (MI) for Chemlali and Coratina Cultivars under Local Conditions in Libya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61952/jlabw.v2i1.493Keywords:
Libyan Audit Bureau, financial corruption, public expendituresAbstract
This study aimed to evaluate the physical and chemical characteristics and the ripening index (MI) of two major olive cultivars, Chemlali and Coratina, grown under local environmental conditions in Libya, over a four-month development period (October to January), Simulated data were generated to reflect the expected differences between the two cultivars. The results showed that the Coratina cultivar significantly outperformed the Chemlali cultivar in terms of average fruit weight and oil content in dry matter, with the oil content reaching 26.31% for Coratina compared to 22.58% for Chemlali in January. Conversely, the Chemlali cultivar exhibited a faster ripening rate, with its RI reaching 5.07 in January, compared to 3.99 for the Coratina cultivar during the same period. Statistical analysis (T-test) indicated highly significant differences (P < 0.01) between the two cultivars in all measured characteristics at the end of the ripening period. These findings underscore the importance of selecting the appropriate olive cultivar and determining the optimal harvest time based on the ripening index to achieve maximum oil quality and quantity.
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