SIKITITA OUTSTANDING TRAITS

This cultivar comes from a breed cross between ‘Picual’ (female progenitor) and ‘Arbequina’ (male progenitor) which are currently the two major cultivars for oil in Spain. Specific relevant traits of ‘Sikitita’ are its low vigor and its compact and weeping habit of growth. The tree volume of ‘Sikitita’ only reaches 70% that of ‘Arbequina’, the standard cultivar for high density hedgerow orchards (Superintensive plantations). These new planting systems reaches densities up to 2000 trees ha-1. ‘Sikitita’ increases the commercial life span of superintensive orchards and reduces the cost of pruning. Along the first year of plantation ‘Sikitita’ training should ensure the growth of the central axis of the tree by periodically tying it to the corresponding stake. ‘Sikitita’ is an early bearer cultivar that initiates fruiting by the second year of planting and reaches full bearing after three years of planting. ‘Sikitita’ fruits ripening is reached some days before to those of ‘Arbequina’ and more than 2-3 weeks to those of ‘Arbosana’. Its oil content is higher than ‘Arbequina’. Oil yield from the first commercial orchards have reached above 1.7 t ha-1. Sensory evaluation indicates a fruity sweet VOO with a well balanced bitterness and pungency. ‘Sikitita’ is tolerant to winter frost.