Edafoclimatic region for olive and olive oil production In Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Abstract

The objective of this paper was the identification of an edafoclimatic region for the production of olive and olive oil in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Based on the monthly averages of air relative humidity, chilling hours below 10ºC and degree-days above 0°C from agrometeorological stations for the period 1967/86 and on the soil survey map from Radambrasil Project, an edafoclimatic region was established, which was characterized by mean summer relative humidity below 70%, degree-days above 0°C during the olive vegetative period above 5300°C and chilling hours below 10°C for the rest period of olive trees above 400h. The localities of Alegrete, Quaraí and Uruguaiana have those climatic conditions. The edafoclimatic region has 40.000 ha adequate to grow olive trees and, if explored, may produce 15 thousand tons of olive oil and 150 thousand tons of olives per year.