Articles
MASTIC SECRETION CANALS AND THE CHANGES OF MASTIC LEVEL IN PISTACHIO (P.VERA L.)
Research was carried out on P.vera seedlings obtained from seeds under field conditions in Gaziantep.
The amount of mastic and positions of secretion canals were determined by using the soxhelet extraction method and safranine-fast green staining technique respectively.
It was observed that mastic resin is located in secretion canals arranged in the phloem tissue in rows.
Newly formed secretion canals were observed within the secondary phloem, near the cambium and evaginated to the periphery.
The amount of mastic increases with age and thickness of the seedlings.
The results showed the amount of mastic increased in the spring (March – April) had little change from June to August, and then increased again.
In some cases the amount of mastic secretion also increased up to dormancy.
No direct correlation between the amount of mastic secretion and successful budding was observed.
However, the results of all experiments showed that budding should be done when the mastic secretion is lowest and the cuttings on the seedling is minimal.