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Phenotypic diversity and relationships of fruit quality traits in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) germplasm

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Abstract

Fruit quality attributes were studied for two consecutive years in forty-three apricot cultivars and selections grown in a Mediterranean climate. Physical parameters (weight, size, flesh and skin colour, percentage of blush, firmness and percentage of dry matter), chemical parameters (total soluble solids content and acidity) and sensory parameters (attractiveness, taste, aroma and texture) were evaluated. A high variability was found in the set of the evaluated apricot genotypes and significant differences were found among them in all studied quality attributes. Year-by-year variations were observed for some pomological traits such as harvest date, flesh colour, fruit weight, firmness and soluble solids content. A high correlation was found among some apricot quality attributes. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) made it possible to establish similar groups of genotypes depending on their quality characteristics as well as to study relationships among pomological traits in the set of apricot genotypes evaluated.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Spanish CICYT (Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología) Projects AGL2004-04126-C02-01 for financial support. We wish to thank A. Martínez Adsuar, for technical assistance, Dr. David J. Walker (IMIDA, Murcia), for his critical review of the manuscript, and the MEC, for financially assisting Dr. Ruiz.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unité de Génétique et d’Amélioration des Fruits et Légumes, INRA-Avignon, Domaine St Maurice, BP-94, 84143, Montfavet, France

    David Ruiz

  2. Department of Plant Breeding, CEBAS-CSIC, Campus Universitario, P.O. Box 164, Espinardo, Murcia, 30100, Spain

    Jose Egea

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  1. David Ruiz
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  2. Jose Egea
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Correspondence to David Ruiz.

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Ruiz, D., Egea, J. Phenotypic diversity and relationships of fruit quality traits in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) germplasm. Euphytica 163, 143–158 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-007-9640-y

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