Isa Arji - Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran
Mansour Safari - Department of Horticulture, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Unit, Karaj, Iran
Ibrahim Hadavi - Department of Horticulture, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Unit, Karaj, Iran

Olive is one of the most important fruit trees for oil and table purpose. Olive tree nutrition is inadequate in calcareous soils because of problem in nutrient availability. To solve this problem, combining chemical fertilizer with organic manure and placing in a suitable area of the root may be appropriate. This research was carried out to evaluate the effect of some organic manure with or without of chemical fertilizers placement in root zone on growth and fruit characteristics of ten years old Zard olive cultivar during two consecutive years. Treatments were vermicompost (V), chicken (Ch), cow (C) and sheep (Sh) manures with or without of chemical fertilizers (F) in compare to controls (Co) (with or without of chemical fertilizer). Different vegetative and reproductive traits were measured. The highest growth rate was recorded from chicken manure and chicken manure + chemical fertilizers treatments. Applying animal manures with chemical fertilizers improved trunk growth rate in compare to the animal manure alone. Number of inflorescences per twig and flower number per inflorescence were significant under different treatments in the second year. The maximum fruit and flesh weight were obtained by applying Ch, Ch+F, V and V+F treatments in compare to the control in the first year. Fruit yield was higher through the application of Sh+F, Sh, C+F and Ch+F treatments in the second year respectively. Fruit dry matter was higher in the second season in comparison with the first year under combination of manures and chemical fertilizers. Oil content (based on dry matter) was mainly affected by Sh+F and V treatments. In general, the results revealed that a combination of chemical fertilizers with vermicompost, sheep and cow manures were more effective for two years in calcareous soil, but chicken manure must be used every year.

Chemical fertilizer, Oil content, Vegetative growth, Reproductive traits