Olive (Olea europaea L.) is among the most important crops, particularly fruit ones, grown in the Mediterranean area. Olive tree is used for its fruits (oil), leaves, wood, and all parts have important role in the Mediterranean diet and way of life. In addition to its role in diet or history, olive has an important economic role in the area.

Olive leaves have been always linked with folk medicine remedies. Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol are considered the main active olive compounds and their health benefits thought their anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial proprieties has been proven. Nevertheless, oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol as well as total phenols, have specific role plant protection and resistance against fungal pathogens which may be of crucial importance for sustainable olive growing. In general, it has been noticed that phenolic and polyphenolic compounds, as pre-formed antibiotic compounds, are ubiquitous in plants and play an important role in host plant’s pre-existing chemical defences against filamentous fungi. The phenolics in olive leaves, beside upgraded resistance to fungal pathogens, may have potential in the production of functional food and nutraceuticals. They could be easily used as oral remedies in the treatment of stomatognatic pathological conditions, where the need of finding new therapeutic procedures has led to increased interest in the use of natural substrates.

There are evidence that agricultural practices can increase phenolics in olive leaves. Only a few studies have been focused on studying the effects of olive mineral nutrition on the olive leaves phenolic profile. In this project, series of experiments are planned to be conducted in order to determine the effect of selected mineral elements and elicitors on leaf phenolic profile of olive cultivars. The effect of previously selected mineral/elicitor treatment as the best phenolic enhancer, on the development of olive leaf spot (Venturia oleaginea – syn. Spilocaea oleaginea), will be tested under greenhouse and field conditions. The impact of best phenolic enhancer will be tested thought quality of olive oil on Leccino cultivar grown at different terroirs. The preclinical and clinical studies investigating the effect of olive leaf extract on oral cavity candidiasis will be conducted during this project as well.

In this multidisciplinary project, agricultural, chemical and medicinal researches are joined together to explore the role of selected plant nutrients in changes of phenolic profile. Effect of changes in phenolic profile on resistance to fungal diseases and olive leaves application in stomatology will be part of the project as well.