Includes bibliographical references (p. 357-398) and index.

History of olive growing -- Olive origin and classification -- Morphology and taxonomy of the olive -- Structure and composition of the olive fruit -- Acreage, number of trees of olive oil and table olives -- Rootstocks -- Major trends in olive farming systems in the European Union -- Climatic and soil conditions -- Flower bud induction and differentiation -- Flowering, pollination, fertilization, fruiting -- Alternate bearing -- Fruit thinning -- Systems of planting and canopy training -- Propagation of olive trees -- Olive irrigation -- Water use efficiency by olives -- Stress induced proline and mannitol accumulation -- Mineral nutrition of olive trees -- Growth and salt tolerance of olives -- Pruning -- Olive ripening -- Olive fruit harvesting -- Olive varieties -- Table olives -- Olive oil extraction, storage, quality, certification and authenticity -- Olive mill products and environmental impact of olive oil production -- Oleuropein, olive leaf extract, olive oil and the Mediterranean diet benefits to human health -- Biological and integrated olive culture -- Chemical and integrated weed management in olive orchards -- Pests and diseases -- Biotechnological aspects of olive culture.