• 1.2 million hectares of olives, representing 65% of Morocco’s fruit tree area.
• Morocco ranks among the world’s top six olive producers, with 1.3 million tonnes per year.
• The sector supports hundreds of thousands of rural households and contributes significantly to agricultural GDP.
• Winter chill declined below cultivar variaty needs, creating irregular flowering and reducing the yield.
• The warmer and drier conditions reduce photosynthesis rate, water exchange, and overall productivity.
• Low winter chill was the main reason 2024 became the worst yield year.• Flowering stages (IE & FLO) are the most sensitive, and stress during these periods reduces flower formation and fruit set, resulting in lower yields.
• WUE increased under stress because trees reduced water loss, but this also limited carbon uptake, weakened growth, and ultimately led to lower yields.
• Adaptation is essential: introduce low-chill cultivars, use phenology- aligned irrigation and apply kaolin for cooling.