PICUAL
Country: Spain
Purpose: Oil
Distribution: is the most important variety in Spain in terms of diffusion. It occupies more than 600,000 hectares.
Synonyms: “Andaluza”, “Blanco”, “Corriente”, “De aceite”, “De calidad”, “Fina”, “Jabata”, “Lopereño”, “Marteño”, “Morcona”, “Nevadillo”, “Nevadillo blanco”, “Nevado”, “Nevado blanco”, “Picúa”, “Salgar”, “Temprana”.
Agronomic and commercial considerations: It is considered a rustic variety due to its capacity to adapt to different climate and soil conditions; in particular, it is considered tolerant to cold, salinity and excessive soil moisture; however, it is considered sensitive to drought and calcareous soils. The entry into production is early. The flowering period is medium, and it is considered a self-compatible variety. It ripens early and has a low resistance to fruit detachment, which facilitates mechanized harvesting. It is widely appreciated for its high and constant productivity with a high oil yield. The oil is very stable with a high percentage of oleic acid. Tolerant to olive knot (Pseudomonas savastanoi) and olive anthracnose (Gleosporium olivarum), sensitive to olive leaf spot (Cycloconium oleagineum), verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae) and to the olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae).
