Determination of phenological and pomological characteristics of local olive varieties grown in mut district of mersin province

Olive cultivation is gaining increasing importance in Türkiye, as it is worldwide. The growing understanding of the importance of olive oil in human nutrition has led to a rise in demand for olive oil, which in turn has led to a continuous increase in its prices. Türkiye, the homeland of the olive, boasts a wide genetic diversity, and there are numerous local varieties whose botanical descriptions remain largely unknown, and whose agronomic and technological properties are insufficiently understood. Identifying the characteristics of these varieties is crucial both for their contribution to olive production and for preserving genetic material that is threatened by various factors. This research was conducted to determine the phenological, pomological, and technological characteristics of the local olive varieties 'Beyrut' and 'Çopur' grown in the Mut district of Mersin province. Tree, leaf, and flower characteristics; phenological characteristics such as bud burst, beginning of flowering, full bloom, end of flowering, and beginning of harvest; pomological characteristics such as fruit and seed weight, length, and width; and technological characteristics such as fruit number per kilogram, flesh and seed ratios, the separation of flesh from the seed, and oil content were examined. Tree growth vigour was 'medium' in the 'Beyrut' variety and 'vigorous' in 'Çopur'; crown structure was broad in both varieties; crown density was 'medium' in 'Beyrut' and 'dense' in 'Çopur'; yield was high in both varieties; alternate bearing was partial in 'Beyrut' and severe in 'Çopur'. In both varieties, leaf width was 'narrow', length was 'medium', leaf shape was 'lanceolate', and inflorescence length was 'short'. The number of flowers per inflorescence was 'medium' in 'Beyrut' and 'high' in 'Çopur'. Phenological observations revealed bud swelling in mid- to late March, bud burst in late March, flowering onset in early to mid-April, full bloom in late April to early May, and harvest maturity in late October to early November. Phenological periods in 'Çopur' begin approximately 7-10 days later than in 'Beyrut'. The number of days from full bloom to maturity in each variety is 184 (Çopur)-185 (Beyrut) days. Fruit size was found to be 'very large' in the 'Beyrut' variety and 'large' in the 'Çopur' variety; the fruit shape was 'oval' in the 'Beyrut' variety and 'long' in the 'Çopur' variety; and the seeds were 'very large' in both varieties. The number of fruits per kilogram in the 'Beyrut' variety was 157.9 and 217.8 in the 'Çopur' variety; the flesh ratio was 83.51% in the 'Beyrut' variety and 75.27% in the 'Çopur' variety; the seed ratio was 16.49% in the 'Beyrut' variety and 24.73% in the 'Çopur' variety; the separation of the flesh from the seed was 'medium' in the 'Beyrut' variety and 'easy' in the 'Çopur' variety; and the oil content was 'low' in both varieties. In conclusion, both local varieties studied are suitable for table use due to their large fruit size. The regional adaptation capacity and suitability of both varieties to climatic conditions provide significant advantages for sustainable olive cultivation in the Mut district. The study results are expected to contribute to scientific and practical applications, particularly for the conservation and development of local olive varieties. It will be beneficial to examine the adaptability of the 'Beyrut' olive variety, which exhibits high productivity, partial alternate bearing, fairly large fruits, and a high flesh content, in different regions, as well as its fertilization biology, oil characteristics, sensitivity to alternate bearing and environmental factors, and to develop its genetic map. The 'Çopur' variety, despite its severe alternate bearing, is also considered a high table value variety. Protecting this variety as genetic material and conducting research on alternate bearing would be beneficial.