Bucida buceras - Black olive

Description and Uses

Bucida buceras (Black olive) is a tropical tree from Caribeans . It is mainly grown for its timber crops , which have a very long shelf life. The crop is harvested by total removing. It starts flowering after 8 - 11 years. The yield will be variable, but in its top season there will be a yield of 30 cm log size after 10-20 years. Other crop types include; ornamental, timber, fuel, apiculture, medicinal, poison herbicide, The fruit is used as inedible . The powdered leaf is used as " anti-bacterial, anti-cancer tumor, anti-fungal, " with DPPH (55.249 - ± 9.829 µg/mL) as its significant phytochemical. There is Bucida black olive oil extracted by solvent extraction from the tree's seed/nut yielding ? - ? oil. The tree's wood is called pucte and has a density of 750 - 930 kg/m³. Regarding firewood production the tree's growing speed is slow, it's energetic value is 4200 ckal/kg and the wood's drying speed is medium. After 30 years the tree can be totally removed as it reached its commercial and ecological goal. Bucida buceras has a lifespan of 45 years.

Environmental limitations

The tree is 27 meters tall with a crown of 20 meters wide. The tree prefers a planting distance of 300 cm and a row distance of 300 cm. It is slow growing and intolerant to shade. Bucida buceras has a shallow root-system and it has symbiotic associations with the Glomus intraradices and Glomus mosseae fungi (endo-mycorrhiza). It is not able to fix nitrogen with "any bacteria. The name(s) or string of bacteria include(s) "not applicable ". The tree's flower-morphology is monoecious and is pollinated by bees. Bucida buceras is evergreen and a bit allelopathic and has no thorns.

Bucida buceras thrives in an altitude of 0 to 450 meters above sea-level (tropical). The minimum temperature is 1°C; optimally between 24 - 28°C. The optimal rainfall is 1750 mm/year. Without irrigation the annual rainfall should be between 750 - 2000mm (L/m²). The optimal soil-pH is between 7.0 - 8.0 in a soil texture of loam. To salt it is tolerant to wind very tolerant and to fire intolerant.

Pests and Diseases

Bucida buceras is susceptible to the following pests: Eriococcus ironsidei , Aleurodicus dispersus , Aleurodicus buprestid . And it's susceptible to the following diseases: no disease , , .

Seed Propagation

Seeds are recalcitrant and can be stored for 1 months. There are approximative 37500 seeds/kg. The seeds can be propagated as followed:

• (1) Keep seeds in water between 20-27 C
• (2) Soak the seeds overnight in warm water before sowing.
• (3) Remove the seeds from cold to a permanent warm temperature.