GENETIC VARIATION OF FRUIT TRAITS IN HELLENIC CHESTNUT (CASTANEA SATIVA MILL.) POPULATIONS: A FIRST ASSESSMENT

Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) fruits were sampled from two distant geographic regions harboring different population types (old-growth natural, coppice and orchard). Fruits were measured for the quantitative traits: fruit length, length to the widest point, thickness, width, hylum length, hylum width, weight, while the ratios width to length, thickness to length and thickness to width were calculated.
Combined analysis revealed significant differences among regions and populations within region for most of the fruit traits.
Repeatability varied among fruit traits.
High repeatability values were estimated for fruit length, width and weight.
Coefficient of genetic variance for fruit traits (morphological and weight) ranged among 10.6% and 38.4% across regions.
Correlation among traits was found to be high among fruit weight and width, fruit length and width, fruit weight and thickness, hylum length and weight, as well as hylum length and width.
The quantitative genetic variation recorded for fruit traits indicates the potential for breeding and the necessity for conservation of the species’ genetic resources.

III International Chestnut Congress

P.G. Alizoti, F.A. Aravanopoulos

fruit morphology, quantitative variation, natural populations, management practices

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.693.51