Arbequina is a cultivar of olives. The fruit is highly aromatic, small, symmetrical and dark brown, with a rounded apex and a broad peduncular cavity. In Europe, it is mostly grown in Catalonia, Spain,
Etymology
The name comes from the village of
Arbeca in the Catalan
comarca of
Les Garrigues. It is said to have been introduced there from Palestine in the 18th century by the Duke of Medinaceli,
[ Valme Parias: Aceite Arbequino de Casa de Medinaceli (in Spanish) Retrieved April 2023] though this might be just a legend. The Arbequina olives that are now grown in Israel were re-introduced from Spain.
Countries of cultivation
Arbequina is grown in
Albania,
Algeria,
Argentina,
Australia: Areas of
Adelaide, Buaraba, Loxton, New South Wales,
Queensland,
South Australia, and Western Australia,
Bolivia,
Brazil: (Paraná),
Chile: Areas of
Arica,
Huasco, and Limari,
Egypt,
France: Areas of
Alpes-Maritimes and Hérault,
Iran (
Gilan),
Israel,
Libya,
Mexico: Areas of
Aguascalientes,
Caborca, and
Sonora,
Morocco,
Peru: Areas of
Arequipa and
Moquegua,
Portugal,
Saudi Arabia,
Spain: Areas of
Albacete,
Almeria, Andalucía, Aragón, Avila,
Barcelona,
Catalonia, Córdoba, Cuenca, Girona,
Granada,
Guadalajara,
Huesca,
Lleida,
Madrid,
Sevilla,
Tarragona,
Teruel, and
Zaragoza,
South Africa (
Western Cape),
Turkey, the
United States (Winter Garden Region,
Texas),
[ Texas A&M- Retrieved 2018-07-09] and
Uruguaiana,
Brazil.
Synonyms and areas
Arbequina is also known as:
21 kilo in Córdoba, Cuyo, and Mendoza,
Alberchino in areas of
Granada and
Guadalajara,
Arbequi in
Lleida,
Arbequin in
Albacete,
Almeria, Avila,
Guadalajara,
Huesca,
Lleida, Logroño,
Tarragona,
Teruel and
Mendoza in Argentina,
Arbequina Catalana in some areas of Córdoba,
Arlequin in Almería,
Blanca in
Huesca,
Blanca De Espãna in some areas of Argentina, K 18 in Al-Jouf,
Manglot (Del) in some areas of Albacete and
Valencia.
[ Olea Database- Retrieved 20180-07-08]
Agronomic characteristics
Arbequina trees are adaptable to different conditions of climate and soil, although it does best in
alkaline soils; it thrives in long, hot, dry summers, but is frost-hardy and pest-resistant. Its relatively small cup, allows it to be cultivated under more intense, high-density conditions than other plantation olives.
The variety is very productive and enters early into production (from the first half of November). The fruit does not ripen simultaneously, and has an average resistance to detachment. Unlike most varieties, Arbequina has a high germination percentage, making it a common seedling tree for use as a rootstock. 78% of olive oil acres in California are planted on Arbequina rootstock.
Gastronomy
Although sold as a table olive as well, Arbequina olives have one of the highest concentrations of oil, and are therefore mostly used for
olive oil production.
Harvesting is easy since the trees are typically low to the ground and allow for easy hand picking. Oils made from Arbequina are generally buttery, fruity, and very mild in flavor,
being low in
.
The combination of low polyphenol levels and high levels of polyunsaturated fat as compared with other olive cultivars means that it has relatively low stability and short shelf-life.
Cross breeding
Hybridization using the Arbequina and
Picual (Rallo et al 2008) resulted in the newer
Chiquitita variety.
See also
External links
