A Comparative Study of the Growth, Yield, and Physiological Responses of Arbosana, Arbequina, Coratina, and Maraqi Olive Cultivars

Expanding olive cultivation into marginal, newly reclaimed soils is vital for meeting global demand but poses significant challenges due to abiotic stresses. Success in these conditions depends heavily on cultivar selection, but there is a dearth of comparative information on contemporary cultivars in these settings. To evaluate the performance of four olive cultivars Arbosana, Arbequina, Coratina, and Maraqi in a recently reclaimed sandy soil, this study carried out an extensive two-year field experiment. A range of physiological (chlorophyll content, relative water content (RWC), leaf proline concentration, reproductive (inflorescence traits, fruit set, yield), vegetative growth, and fruit physical properties, oil content parameters were evaluated. The findings showed that adaptive strategies varied significantly by genotype. With the highest absolute fruit yield, the most vigorous vegetative growth, and the highest oil content, "Coratina" demonstrated a high-productivity but high-stress strategy. However, this was accompanied by the highest proline accumulation and the lowest RWC, suggesting extreme physiological stress. However, "Arbequina" and "Arbosana" showed a cautious, effective approach, maintaining a high RWC with little proline accumulation and achieving superior yield efficiency (kg fruit/m³ canopy), which is a sign of successful stress avoidance. With intermediate growth and yield, the highest RWC, and the lowest proline levels, "Maraqi" showed a balanced, stress-avoidant profile that suggested strong innate resilience. The results show a basic trade-off between resource use efficiency and productivity. In conclusion the best cultivar selection depends on management objectives and resource availability: "Coratina" for maximizing yield in situations where resources are not limited, "Arbequina" and "Arbosana" for high density, resource efficient intensive systems, and "Maraqi" as a robust option for sustainable cultivation in unpredictable water regimes.