Selection and fruit development of Sakıt apricots and determination of chilling period of Sakıt valley

ABSTRACT Ph.D. THESIS SELECTION AND FRUIT DEVELOPMENT OF SAKIT APRICOTS AND DETERMINATION OF CHILLING PERIOD OF SAKIT VALLEY Coşkun DURGAÇ DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE INSTITUTE OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF ÇUKUROVA Supervisor : Prof. Dr. Nurettin KAŞKA Year: 2001, Pages: 257 Jury : Prof. Dr. Nurettin KAŞKA : Prof. Dr. Sevgi PAYDAŞ : Prof. Dr. AAytekin POLAT This study was carried out in Sakıt Valley of İskenderun, located at the 36,35 parallel, in the years of 1997-1999. In the study, different types of apricots were collected and 115 of which found to be promising were investigated. Selected types were graded according to the results of weighed grading test. 52 types had more than 600 points and 14 types were evaluated as important in terms of some properties such as yield, appearance and fruit size were found to be promising. Full bloom of the types occurred between the mid-March and end of April. The period below +7.2°C in İskenderun (5 m), Suçıkağı (450 m) and Sakıt (1000 m) were determined as 293.5, 639.5 and 1462.5 hours, respectively. Almost all the types were found as regular bearers. One-year-old shoots yielded fruits generally whereas some fruits were developed on spurs. In terms of yield, 4 types, 39 types, 50 types and 22 types were classified as highly fruitful, fruitful, medium fruitful and low fruitful respectively. The average fruit weight, stone weight, flesh/seed ratio of the selected types were varied between 18.17 and 54.28, 1.37 g and 3.44 g., 8.53 and 19.23, respectively, whereas index of fruit width/length, firmness, TSS, pH and titratable acidity were found to be between 0.82 and 1.05, 0.39 and 2.80 kg/cm2, 9.53 and 21.03%, 3.12 and 4.68, 0.51% and 2.76% in the order mentioned. The graphs drawn according to the data obtained from the growth of fruit were double sigmoid. As a result of this study, it could concluded, from the view point of the table apricot concept, that the types selected from Sakıt were good in aroma, appearance, storage and transport. Therefore, these types would be among the favourite ones both in Turkey and other apricot growing countries. Key Words: Apricot, Selection, Chilling, Fruit Development n