Articles
Wild apricots (zerdali): high morphological, biochemical and antioxidant diversity
Article number
1450_40
Pages
303 – 308
Language
English
Abstract
Wild apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.), zerdali, trees are common in each region in Anatolia and for centuries.
They are used as important food sources particularly in rural areas.
Seed propagated wild apricot trees are also an important cultural heritage source and show great environment plasticity.
There was an increasing interest in wild apricots in Türkiye because the fruits are more suitable for juice industry due to high aroma and better soluble solid content (SSC)/acidity balance.
Seeds of them are used as rootstocks for apricot cultivars for centuries.
Recently its sweet seeds gained more importance in market as a food.
In the present study, fruits of 180 wild apricot ecotypes widely grown in different parts of inner Anatolia were characterized by phenological (harvest period), morphological (fruit weight, flesh/seed ratio, fruit firmness, and color index), biochemical (SSC/acidity and vitamin C) and antioxidant capacity features.
The obtained results showed that wild apricot ecotypes greatly differed from eachother for morphological, biochemical, and antioxidant characteristics.
Fruit weight, flesh/seed ratio, and fruit firmness of 180 ecotypes were between 16.34 and 28.44 g, 7.66-13.11, and 4.22-6.71 kg cm‑2, respectively.
The antioxidant capacity is quite variable among genotypes.
Results indicate the importance of wild apricots for sustainable fruit production.
They are used as important food sources particularly in rural areas.
Seed propagated wild apricot trees are also an important cultural heritage source and show great environment plasticity.
There was an increasing interest in wild apricots in Türkiye because the fruits are more suitable for juice industry due to high aroma and better soluble solid content (SSC)/acidity balance.
Seeds of them are used as rootstocks for apricot cultivars for centuries.
Recently its sweet seeds gained more importance in market as a food.
In the present study, fruits of 180 wild apricot ecotypes widely grown in different parts of inner Anatolia were characterized by phenological (harvest period), morphological (fruit weight, flesh/seed ratio, fruit firmness, and color index), biochemical (SSC/acidity and vitamin C) and antioxidant capacity features.
The obtained results showed that wild apricot ecotypes greatly differed from eachother for morphological, biochemical, and antioxidant characteristics.
Fruit weight, flesh/seed ratio, and fruit firmness of 180 ecotypes were between 16.34 and 28.44 g, 7.66-13.11, and 4.22-6.71 kg cm‑2, respectively.
The antioxidant capacity is quite variable among genotypes.
Results indicate the importance of wild apricots for sustainable fruit production.
Publication
Authors
S. Ercisli
Keywords
apricot, characterization, composition, diversity
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