SEED AND LEAF CHARACTERISTICS OF OLIVE GENOTYPES COLLECTED FROM KAHRAMANMARAS REGION OF TURKEY

Abstract

Because of it can be used as a table, for oil or wood and practical medicine, olive became highly valued in Mediterranean basin. Olive oil is considered more important due to its nutritional and health advantages. The olive tree can adapt to adverse soil conditions because it is not very selective in terms of soil requirements. Turkey has a very rich diversity because it is located in the homeland of olives and has been cultivated for many years. There are olive populations that show variation in tree form, leaf and fruit characteristics in different regions of Turkey. Identifying and revealing the characteristics of plants in these populations is important for their evaluation. In this study, some morphological features were determined in olive populations in Kahramanmaraş region, which has a significant diversity. Within the olive populations, seed and leaf characteristics were revealed in 44 genotypes that were visually different and over 50 years of age. Statistical differences were found between genotypes in terms of all parameters studied. The kernel weights of the genotypes varied between 0.76-0.38 g. Kernel length and width values were determined as 16.03-12.21 mm and 10.07-8.01 mm, respectively. The highest leaf length of the genotypes was 7.42 cm and the lowest 5.70 cm. Leaf widths were determined as 15.82-8.49 mm. The results revealed that there is a significant olive diversity in Kahramanmaraş region. It is important to conservation this richness and use it in breeding and genetic studies.