An Overview of our Work (Part 3: Olives)

Torturing Fruit for the Greater Good











OLIVES

SAT verbal analogy challenge (time limit: 50 minutes):

1. Corn : Americans :: ? : Greeks
A. Mythology
B. Nescafe and cigarettes
C. Olives
D. 1-MCP
E. All of the above, and then some

If you completely filled in the bubble beside "olives" with your #2 pencil, congratulations. If not, there there. Either way, take solace in the fact that your intellectual potential has been accurately measured by experts.
Anyway, given the importance of olives and olive oil to the Greek economy and diet, it's no surprise that many of the grad students in our lab work with this marvelous crop. For our part, we've been helping with a multi-national EU project designed to determine the effects of deficit irrigation on fruit quality and safety. Water resources available for agriculture are diminishing worldwide, so finding water-frugal methods for producing high quality fruits (and vegetables) of all kinds is critical. As it turns out, past research indicates that deficit irrigation may actually boost the quality of some horticultural crops in terms of taste and nutrition. As plants become stressed, they often increase the production of phenolic compounds (powerful antioxidants) and sugars, resulting in a more healthful and tastier product. We’re helping with this olive research by taking soil samples:

…harvesting:

…and conducting numerous quality and nutrition studies in the lab like the ones mentioned in previous posts. At this point in Greece, much of the farm labor, including olive harvesting, is performed by migrant farm workers from Albania (Mexico : USA :: ? : Greece). But even though the groves can be peaceful and beautiful places to work:

(that's Volos in the background), I don't know if I'd recommend it as an occupation, given the going rate of about $4/hour. Our work crew has been great, though:

Maybe 30 Euros a day isn't that bad after all.