Yielding Characteristics of Six Promising Apricot Genotypes

For evaluation and determination of genetic capacity of existing apricot genotypes in Iran, an experiment was performed in RCB design with seven treatments and three replications on August 2004 in Sahand Horticultural Research Station. Selected promising genotypes with numbers of 177, 190, 390, 414, 416, 464 and 269 were compared with Ordubad 90 cv. (as control) for a period of seven years. The results demonstrated that there was no significant difference between yielding and full blooming dates of the genotypes and control. The range of fruit maturation between the most early and the most late maturity genotypes was 45 days. Genotype 414 had the maximum fruit weight (57.6g) and the highest fruit to stone weight ratio (30.3). From the viewpoint of fruit flesh thickness, the lowest difference was observed between control and genotype 464, and the highest significant difference was detected between control and genotype 269 (p≤0.05). Despite relative height of stigma to anthers in genotypes 269, 414, 464 and 177, no problem was observed in fruit setting of them. Based on the biochemical traits results, the highest significant differences were observed between TSS value of genotypes 416 and 177 with 7.7% and also between total organic acids content of genotypes 390 and 177 with 1.2% (p≤0.05). Difference between fruit active acidity (pH) of genotypes was not significant. There was also a negative and significant correlation (r2 = 0.8) between total organic acids content and pH of the genotypes fruit. Based on all results, genotype 177 was recognized for fresh consumption, genotypes 464 and 390 for processing and genotypes 190, 414 and 269 for dual.