Promising apricot genetic resources from the Lake Van Region

This study was conducted in order to select valuable genetic resources(Prunus armeniaca L.) of apricot in Geva situatedon Lake Van Region (East Anatolia) of Turkey during 1998 and 1999. Allpopulation consisted of native apricot genotypes were examined with respect tofruit and tree characteristics for two years, and twenty-eight genotypes wereselected for future breeding efforts. Their flowering habit and desirable fruitcharacteristics were determined in comparison withHachalilolu. All selected apricots grown at 1700m in the region were not affected by late spring frosts. In themajority of genotypes, bud break, first flowering, full flowering and end offlowering occurred a few days earlier than the cultivarHachalilolu in both years, whereas, harvest waslater than that. Some selections produced larger fruits thanHachalilolu. All genotypes showed a range of25–48 g for fruit weight, 11–21% for soluble solids and0.19–2.90% for acidity. Soluble solids content was more than 20% in threeselections (G12, G29 and G33), and the acidity was lower than 1% in fivegenotypes (G2, G12, G27, G29 and G33). Selections with attractive fruit colorshad small to medium-sized fruits. Many genotypes were evaluated as promising forfurther breeding efforts.