Morphological, pomological and chemical characterization of genetic sources of mulberry (Morus spp.) distributed in Diyarbakır

This work was conducted in 2022 to determine and identify the morphological, pomological and chemical characteristics of mulberry genotypes distributed in Diyarbakır and to identify genotypes with different characteristics. Regular surveys were carried out in mulberry fields with natural distribution in Diyarbakır and its districts and 22 genotypes showing differences in terms of morphological, pomological and chemical characteristics were marked and evaluated. Differences in tree, leaf and fruit morphology and pomological characteristics were determined in the selected genotypes. Inter-node length was 1,43 – 2,94 cm, leaf length 62,67 - 166,67 mm, leaf width 57,33 - 123,33 mm, petiole length 16,33 – 44,67 mm, petiole thickness 1,26 – 4,56 mm. Fruit weight was 1,33 - 5,00 g, fruit width was 8, 70, 16, 15 mm, fruit length was 15,66 - 24,64 mm, SSC was 16,72 - 43,90, pH was 3,45 - 6,31, total acidity was 0,87 - 4,33. Wort yield of the genotypes was 31,49 – 67,80%, drying yield was 19,09 - 52,51%, total phenolic content was 22.81 – 98,02 (mg GAE/100 g), total antioxidant content was 3,19 – 17,30 (µmol TE/g) and protein content was 4,60 - 10,36%. Phenolic compound, organic acid and mineral content of the genotypes were also analysed. Phenolic compounds such as chlorogenic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, rutin, ferulic acid, narinjin and rosmarinic acid were detected in mulberry fruit. The highest amount of phenolic compound in terms of content was found to be cloogenic acid. It was determined that mulberry fruits contained the highest amount of citric acid in terms of organic acids. In mineral analysis, the highest amount of nutrient element was K, followed by Ca, P, Mg, Al, Fe, Mn, Na, Cu, Ni, Cr and Co, respectively.