Diversity of local pomegranate types (Punica granatum L.) in eastern Turkey

Abstract

The similarities and/or differences of twenty-five local pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) genotypes grown in mountainous and continental climate of Eastern Anatolia were determined by pomological and phenological analyses. Results were evaluated by factor and cluster analysis. Out of fifteen measured variables, three were employed for factor analysis. These three factors accounted for 64% of the observed variables. Fruit weight, length, diameter, sepal number, juice and seed yield, skin thickness, seed firmness, the weight of 100 seeds, acidity along with taste were high discriminating characters of the factor analysis. Cluster analysis produced a dendrogram with six clusters. The lowest similarity level (31.06%) was determined between cluster 5 consisting of BH8 and BH16 genotypes characterized by large fruit and cluster 6 consist of BH23 genotype characterized by low juice yield and seed yield. The highest similarity level (80.05%) was observed between BH13 and BH14 genotypes.