Cultivars and their importance in Sicilian olive oil.
The Sicilian varietal panorama is characterized by the predominance of eight cultivars (Biancolilla, Cerasuola, Moresca, Nocellara del Belice, Nocellara Etnea, Oglialora, St. Agata Messina, Tonda Iblea), which, together, account for 80% of all olive trees grown in Sicily.
Are also represented seven other cultivars (Brandofino, Crastu, Gamal, Petite, Pidicuddara, Verdello, Zaituna) with more limited diffusion but which, in the relevant areas are still experiencing some benefit for some agronomic characters.
To complete the indigenous Sicilian germplasm contribute approximately twenty other cultivars, which, although important, poorly in terms of territorial spread and quantities produced, are of considerable importance to the protection of biological diversity.

Nocellara del Belice.
In the province of Trapani, in particular in Castelvetrano, Partanna and Campobello di Mazara, including cultivar da mensa predominates the varieties Nocellara del Belice, which in 1999 accounted for 72 percent of the total regional for table olives.
As evidence of this data that demonstrate the growing vocation of the area, and in particular for table olives, was established at Community level the Dop Nocellara del Belice (reg. (EC) No 134/98 of 21.01.98), Nocellara del Belice, is the only one currently, Sicilian varieties from the cafeteria to have already obtained the above-mentioned community recognition. Although primarily used for canteen Nocellara del Belice (tab. 1) is a dual-purpose type, in particular in areas where it is most widespread target as a table olive, depending on the processing method called to castelvetrano, whereas in other areas is mainly grown as cultivars. Retains a strong schooling late maturation, ripening, good productivity of the plants, has an average predisposition to alternation and requires modest pedoclimatic conditions, but definitely is more demanding of the Biancolilla, the oil yield is an average of 18%.