Bosana
Encyclopedia
The Bosana is the most common cultivar
of olive
s in Sardinia
. It makes up over 50% of the olive production on the island. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but it could refer to an alleged origin in the territory of Bosa. It is maintained, however, that the cultivar is of Spanish
origin. It is used primarily for oil, but can also be eaten. The Bosana is a variety well adapted to less hospitable environments.
, Nurra
, Marghine, Planargia) and to a lesser degree also in central southern Sardinia, particularly in some districts of the Province of Medio Campidano. This olive variety can also be found in Montenegro
.
, plain, elliptic-lanceolate leaves
, an open crown, and average size. The olives are of middle weight (2,5–3 g), slightly egg-shaped and quite symmetrical, with the greater diameter towards the top. The apex of the stone is rounded and smooth. The surface is covered in tiny lenticel
s.
The maturation process starts at the apex and advances from there. When mature, the colour of the fruit is black. It is a middle-to-late cultivar, in Medio Campidano it matures between November and December.
, and gives a good yield (17–18%). The quality of the oil is improved if the olives are collected early, at the start of the maturation. Its taste is described as "fruity, bitter, and spicy".
The fruits of greater size are often transformed to table olives, whether green or black. They are considered to have the quality of not fading during the process.
, irrigation
, pruning
).
It is generally agreed that the cultivar is self sterile, so it can take advantage of a certain presence of pollinator
s. Among the olive cultivars used for pollination are the Nera di Gonnos (Tonda di Cagliari), Pizz'e carroga, Nera di Oliena (Nera di Villacidro or Paschixedda) and Cariasina.
It does not show and particular vulnerability to the major pests, with the exception of the Peacock butterfly
(Inachis io), this particularly in the dampest parts of north-central Sardinia. It has an average sensitivity to the olive fruit fly
, and a high resistance to heat, moth
s and Pseudomonas savastanoi
.
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...
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 Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
. It makes up over 50% of the olive production on the island. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but it could refer to an alleged origin in the territory of Bosa. It is maintained, however, that the cultivar is of Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
origin. It is used primarily for oil, but can also be eaten. The Bosana is a variety well adapted to less hospitable environments.
Extent
The Bosana is particularly common in the olive-growing areas in the centre and north of Sardinia (SassariSassari
Sassari is an Italian city. It is the second-largest city of Sardinia in terms of population with about 130,000 inhabitants, or about 300,000 including the greater metropolitan area...
, Nurra
Nurra
The Nurra is a geographical region in the northwest of Sardinia, Italy. It is the second largest plain of the island, located between the towns of Sassari, Porto Torres and Alghero...
, Marghine, Planargia) and to a lesser degree also in central southern Sardinia, particularly in some districts of the Province of Medio Campidano. This olive variety can also be found in Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
.
Synonyms
It is generally accepted that other varieties of local extent are identic with the Bosana. Synonyms that are mentioned in the literature include: Palma, Aligaresa, Algherese, Tonda di Sassari, Sassarese, Olia de Ozzu, Olieddu, Sivigliana piccola and Bosinca. For the most part these are names identifying other varieties of limited range, that are local types of the Bosana.Characteristics
It is a cultivar of middle strength, with an expansive 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...
, plain, elliptic-lanceolate 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....
, an open crown, and average size. The olives are of middle weight (2,5–3 g), slightly egg-shaped and quite symmetrical, with the greater diameter towards the top. The apex of the stone is rounded and smooth. The surface is covered in tiny lenticel
Lenticel
A lenticel is an airy aggregation of cells within the structural surfaces of the stems, roots, and other parts of vascular plants. It functions as a pore, providing a medium for the direct exchange of gasses between the internal tissues and atmosphere, thereby bypassing the periderm, which would...
s.
The maturation process starts at the apex and advances from there. When mature, the colour of the fruit is black. It is a middle-to-late cultivar, in Medio Campidano it matures between November and December.
Processing
Traditionally considered a dual use cultivar, it is in reality mainly 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 (17–18%). The quality of the oil is improved if the olives are collected early, at the start of the maturation. Its taste is described as "fruity, bitter, and spicy".
The fruits of greater size are often transformed to table olives, whether green or black. They are considered to have the quality of not fading during the process.
Agronomy
It is considered a very productive cultivar, well adapted to use in intensive growth olive groves, also under difficult conditions for growing and harvesting. It lends itself better to alternating use, but in intensive olive groves this can be amended with different forms of land management (manuringManure
Manure is organic matter used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Manures contribute to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients, such as nitrogen, that are trapped by bacteria in the soil...
, irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
, pruning
Pruning
Pruning is a horticultural practice involving the selective removal of parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. Reasons to prune plants include deadwood removal, shaping , improving or maintaining health, reducing risk from falling branches, preparing nursery specimens for...
).
It is generally agreed that the cultivar is self sterile, so it can take advantage of a certain presence of 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. Among the olive cultivars used for pollination are the Nera di Gonnos (Tonda di Cagliari), Pizz'e carroga, Nera di Oliena (Nera di Villacidro or Paschixedda) and Cariasina.
It does not show and particular vulnerability to the major pests, with the exception of the Peacock butterfly
Inachis io
The European Peacock , more commonly known simply as the Peacock butterfly, is a colourful butterfly, found in Europe, temperate Asia as far east as Japan. It is the only member of the genus Inachis...
(Inachis io), this particularly in the dampest parts of north-central Sardinia. It has an average sensitivity to the olive fruit fly
Olive fruit fly
The olive fruit fly is a species of fruit fly which belongs to the Dacinae subfamily MUNRO, 1984. It is a kind of phytophagous species, whose larvae feed on the fruit of olive trees, hence the common name...
, and a high resistance to heat, moth
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
s and Pseudomonas savastanoi
Pseudomonas savastanoi
Pseudomonas savastanoi is a Gram-negative plant pathogenic bacterium that infects a variety of plants. It was once considered a pathovar of Pseudomonas syringae, but following DNA-relatedness studies, it was instated as a new species....
.