Pollen production by popular olive cultivars

When choosing pollinator cultivars and breeding programs, both the quality and the quantity of viable pollen produced per flower should be considered. In some cases, some cultivars might be preferred as pollinator because of a more abundant and effective pollen production. The aim of the present study was the evaluation of the viable pollen production of a large and important olive varietal population. The observations were carried out with the use of a Burker haemocytometer. The data obtained provide a better insight on the pollen producing capability of the cultivars considered.