The current state and future of olive growing in Spain 4ϯ stiff branches or rather loose crowns. Thus, a key factor in the introduction of this cultivation system was the availability of the Arbequina variety, which by nature had a compact growth habit due to its early ripening, high yield and consistent fruit set, allowing for harvesting with grape-harvesting machines. Subsequently, the Arbosana variety was also identified, which was even better suited to the system, as its vigour and growth habit were less pronounced than those of the Arbequina. The initial expansion of the terraced olive cultivation system was thus almost exclusively due to these two varieties. This situation encouraged the development of breeding programmes aimed at broadening the range of varieties suited to this new system. However, due to the lengthy time required, it is only recently that breeding has been incorporated as a further common practice in olive cultivation. The recent boom in the hedgerow olive system and the need for new, adapted varieties have, in recent years, encouraged the development of breeding initiatives in this direction. onsequently, new varieties resulting from breeding have been introduced, such as Oliana, Lecciana and oriana (Agro-millora1), I15 (Todolivo2) and Sultana ( alam3), the result of various public and private breeding programmes. And all the signs suggest that the number of new varieties will increase in the coming years. In all of them, the aim has been to achieve low vigour, early entry into production, high yield and oil content, as well as olive oils with remarkable nutritional and sensory characteristics. A potential future risk stems from the fact that the new varieties mentioned above are derived from crosses in which the Arbequina variety has always been involved as a parent (either directly or indirectly, since the Arbosana variety, also In Spain, work carried out since the 1ϵϵ0s has enabled the selection and registration of new varieties from breeding programmes. The first variety obtained was Chiquitita / Sikitita (Rallo et The recent boom in the hedgerow olive-growing system and the need for new, adapted varieties have, in recent years, encouraged the development of breeding initiatives… commonly used as a parent, stems, in turn, from the same Arbequina variety). This aspect may result in a dangerous genetic homogeneity in the new varieties. Consequently, the al., 2008), adapted for high-density terraced planting, the result of a joint programme between IFAPA and the University of Cordoba dedicated to developing new varieties for olive oil production. Within this same breeding programme, two new varieties have recently been registered, continuing the series that was started: Sikitita-2 and Martina. These are early-bearing and highyielding varieties, with a tree architecture suited to medium-to-high planting density, and they produce Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) of high quality, stability and distinctive organoleptic profiles. These three varieties are descended from Arbequina and Picual. range of varieties available remains limited, and many more will be needed in the coming years to meet various requirements relating to plant architecture, adaptation to limiting factors, olive oil quality, etc. Another area in which breeding work is yielding new, adapted varieties is the development of new materials resistant to the plant’s main diseases. In this regard, as part of IFAPA’s breeding programme for resistance to verticillium wilt, three new varieties (Urgavona, Castula and Iliturgitana) have been registered, exhibiting a high level of resistance and good agronomic characteristics, derived from crosses involving 1https:. . www.agromillora.com. olintͬ nuevas-variedades-para-el-olivar-en-setoͬ 2https:ͬͬ www.todolivo.comͬ todolivo-i-15-dossierͬ 3https:ͬͬ balam.esͬ sultanaͬ
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