Investigation of qualitative characteristics, nutrient concentration and yield of six commercial pistachio cultivars on tissue culture of Badami-Zarand

Since now all pistachio rootstocks in most pistachio orchards are seed cultivation and heterogeneity causes differences in the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of each cultivar and it is also not possible to reproduce resistant rootstocks with seed cultivation. Therefore, use of tissue culture and research about compatibility of cultivars with tissue culture is inevitable necessity in the development of pistachio gardens. The aim of this study was comparison of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of pistachio nuts, leaf nutrients concentration and yield of six commercial pistachio cultivars (Kale-Ghochi, Rezaie-Zodras, Fandoghi, Forootani, Akbari and Ahmad-Aghaie) with tissue culture of Bademi Zarand. This experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with six pistachio cultivars in three replications at Kerman Pistachio Research Station. The results of variance analysis showed that Ahmad Aghaei had the best quality of nuts and quantity of yield. So that Ahmad Aghaie's blank percentage was 43% lower than Akbari and Ahmad Aghaie's splitting percentage was 13% more than Forootani and Aghaie’s yield was 67% more than Kale-Ghochi. Although Ahmad Aghaie had highest concentration of leaf nutrients but only Mg and Mn concentration were significant and 40% and 35% more than Akbari respectively. In fact, the best adaptability to the tissue culture belonged to Ahmad Aghaie cultivars. Therefore, it can be achieved to best quality and yield with using tissue culture with appropriate cultivars for each region.