Fruit and Seed Characteristics of some Genotypes of Citrus and Their Progenies Obtained form Open Pollination

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Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of fruit and seed of some citrus genotypes and their progenies obtained from open pollination, grown in the collection garden of Citrus Research Institute in Ramsar and Darab (Fars), using 27 pomological and morphological characteristics. According to the results, significant differences in most traits related to fruit characteristics of parents and vegetative characteristics of progenies were observed among genotypes. Results of simple correlation analysis of fruit characters showed significant positive and negative correlations between some traits such as fruit length and width, fruit skin thickness and number of seeds and pulp per fruit, fruit pH and EC, seedling height and diameter and leaf number, progenies leaf and petiole length and width and leaf length, width and leaf number. Cluster analysis using all traits, divided genotypes into two main groups at distance of 25. Most genotypes (28) placed in the first group while six genotypes in the second group, which had the highest number of seeds per fruit and maximum fruit skin thickness and weight. First cluster was divided into two subgroups at distance of 14. Genotypes of the first group had more seeds per fruit and higher fruit skin thickness than the second group. They had also minimum soluble solid content. The second group had the lowest fruit skin thickness and lower number of seeds per fruit. This group had more soluble solid content than the other groups. Cluster analysis of vegetative characters using all traits separated lemons and Cleopatra from other genotypes. These genotypes had the highest number of leaves, but smaller in size than other genotypes and had the highest number of thorns.

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