Phenological, morphological, pomological and molecular characteristics of the wild almond genotypes collected from different ecotypes of Turkey

In this study, phenological, pomological and morphological characteristics of wild almond genotypes in our country?s natural flora were investigated for three years. Molecular identification of them were performed by RAPD markers. Since there is not much study on the determination of these wild almond genotypes, the characteristics and the evaluation of them. In future scientific studies and in practice were investigated in this study. As a result, total 69 almond genotypes were selected. These were; 7 types from İvriz area and 7 genotypes from Ayrancı dam area in Konya-Ereğli; 11 genotypes from Open Museum area in Nevşehir and 10 genotypes from Göreme-Kayseri road; 11 genotypes in Niğde-Ulukışla area; 2 genotypes from Yukarı İncirli area and 6 genotypes from Cennet Bahçesi area in Şanlıurfa-Birecik; 8 genotypes at 15 km distance of Gaziantep-Nizip road; 2 genotypes from Küllü road area and 5 genotypes from İbrahim Şehri area in Gaziantep- Nizip. Nonpareil and Cristomorto almond cultivars and Hacı Alibey (48-5), Gülcan-1 (101- 23) local selected almond cultivars and 101-13 almond genotype were used to compare these wild almond genotypes in molecular analysis. As a result, wild almond genotypes grown naturally in Konya-Ereğli, Nevşehir- Göreme and Niğde in Middle Anatolia region were found to be similar to each other both for the morphological and molecular characteristics. On the other hand, wild almonds in Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa-Birecik in South Anatolia region were divided into two groups considering the results of morphological and molecular analysis. The plants in these groups were different from each other as well as they were different from the wild almond genotypes selected in Middle Anatolia region. In dendogram of the results of RAPD analysis, cultured almond cultivars (Prunus dulcis L.) were placed in the same group with Middle Anatolia wild almonds