Aglandau
Encyclopedia
The Aglandau is one of the more important of approximately a hundred cultivar
s of olive
s in France
. It is grown primarily in Provence
, but also as far away as Azerbaijan
and Ukraine
. The Aglandau is primarily used for production of oil
, but can also be eaten. When used as table olives, the fruit is normally called Beruguette. The oil is highly valued for its fruity taste.
, particularly in the counties of Aix-en-Provence
and Salon-de-Provence
. It can also be found in Australia
, as well as in Azerbaijan
and Ukraine
.
is spreading with a dense canopy, and the leaves
are flat and elliptic-lanceolate, of medium length and width. The olives are of relatively low weight, with a rounded apex and a truncated base. They are slightly asymmetrical, and ovoid in shape. The stone has a rugose surface, with a rounded apex and a pointed base.
The cultivar is harvested in November and December, before the frost, which can harm the fruit. The trees are often maintained quite low, for ease of access at harvest. This is necessary because the olives are firmly attached to the branches. When fully mature, the colour of the fruit is green. The olive is clingstone – the stone clings to the flesh.
, and gives a good yield (19–23%). The taste of the oil is highly valued, and is considered to have a particularly fruity taste. The smell of the oil has alternately been described as "almond
", "green apple
", and "artichoke
". The cultivar is used in several officially approved appellations
: such as "AOC Haute Provence", "AOC Pays d'Aix" and "AOC Vallée de Baux".
There is a certain disagreement over the fertility of the Aglandau trees, but generally they are considered self-sterile, so it can take advantage of other local varieties as pollinator
s.
It is vulnerable to certain biological pests, such as the black scale insect
of olives Saissetia oleae, sooty mold
and the olive leaf-spot fungus Spilocaea oleaginea. Its resistance to the Verticillium dahliae
and the Pseudomonas syringae
, on the other hand, is good. It has a good tolerance to drought; less so to cold.
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s of olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
s in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is grown primarily in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, but also as far away as Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The Aglandau is primarily used for production of oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, but can also be eaten. When used as table olives, the fruit is normally called Beruguette. The oil is highly valued for its fruity taste.
Extent
The Aglandau is common in ProvenceProvence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, particularly in the counties of Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
and Salon-de-Provence
Salon-de-Provence
Salon-de-Provence is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France. It is the location of an important air base.-History:Salon was a Gallo-Roman oppidum well positioned on the salt trade routes between Adriatic, Atlantic and Mediterranean seas, hence its name...
. It can also be found in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, as well as in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
Synonyms
Locally, this cultivar is known under a number of different names, including Beruguette, Blanquette, Plant d'Aix, Verdale du Vaucluse. In Azerbaijan and Ukraine it is known as Nichitskaia 7. Beruguette is the common name when the Aglandau is served as a table olive.Characteristics
The Aglandau is a cultivar of medium-to-weak vigour. Its growth formPlant life-form
Plant life-form schemes constitute a way of classifying plants alternatively to the ordinary species-genus-family scientific classification. In colloquial speech, plants may be classified as trees, shrubs, herbs , etc...
is spreading with a dense canopy, and the leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are flat and elliptic-lanceolate, of medium length and width. The olives are of relatively low weight, with a rounded apex and a truncated base. They are slightly asymmetrical, and ovoid in shape. The stone has a rugose surface, with a rounded apex and a pointed base.
The cultivar is harvested in November and December, before the frost, which can harm the fruit. The trees are often maintained quite low, for ease of access at harvest. This is necessary because the olives are firmly attached to the branches. When fully mature, the colour of the fruit is green. The olive is clingstone – the stone clings to the flesh.
Processing
A dual-use cultivar, the Aglandau is primarily used for extraction of oilOlive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, and gives a good yield (19–23%). The taste of the oil is highly valued, and is considered to have a particularly fruity taste. The smell of the oil has alternately been described as "almond
Almond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
", "green apple
Granny Smith
The Granny Ramsey Smith green apple is a tip-bearing apple cultivar, which originated in Australia in 1868. It is named after Maria Ann Smith, who propagated the cultivar from a chance seedling. The tree is thought to be a hybrid of Malus sylvestris, the European Wild Apple, with the domestic...
", and "artichoke
Artichoke
-Plants:* Globe artichoke, a partially edible perennial thistle originating in southern Europe around the Mediterranean* Jerusalem artichoke, a species of sunflower with an edible tuber...
". The cultivar is used in several officially approved appellations
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
: such as "AOC Haute Provence", "AOC Pays d'Aix" and "AOC Vallée de Baux".
Agronomy
It is considered a cultivar of medium productivity, with good rooting ability. It has a tendency towards biennial bearing, i.e. that a good yield is followed by a weaker one the next year. This can to a large extent be controlled through pruning.There is a certain disagreement over the fertility of the Aglandau trees, but generally they are considered self-sterile, so it can take advantage of other local varieties as pollinator
Pollinator
A pollinator is the biotic agent that moves pollen from the male anthers of a flower to the female stigma of a flower to accomplish fertilization or syngamy of the female gamete in the ovule of the flower by the male gamete from the pollen grain...
s.
It is vulnerable to certain biological pests, such as the black scale insect
Scale insect
The scale insects are small insects of the order Hemiptera, generally classified as the superfamily Coccoidea. There are about 8,000 species of scale insects.-Ecology:...
of olives Saissetia oleae, sooty mold
Sooty mold
Sooty molds are Ascomycete fungi which grow on plant exudates and the sugary honeydew secreted by insects such as aphids, scales, the whitefly, and other insects which suck sap from their host plants. The name itself is descriptive, as sooty mold is a black, powdery coating adhering to the leaves...
and the olive leaf-spot fungus Spilocaea oleaginea. Its resistance to the Verticillium dahliae
Verticillium dahliae
Verticillium dahliae is a fungal plant pathogen. It causes verticillium wilt in many plant species, causing leaves to curl and discolor. It may cause death in some plants.- External links :* *...
and the Pseudomonas syringae
Pseudomonas syringae
Pseudomonas syringae is a rod shaped, Gram-negative bacterium with polar flagella. It is a plant pathogen which can infect a wide range of plant species, and exists as over 50 different pathovars, all of which are available to legitimate researches via international culture collections such as the...
, on the other hand, is good. It has a good tolerance to drought; less so to cold.