НАУЧНОЕ ОБОСНОВАНИЕ И РАЗРАБОТКА ПРИНЦИПОВ ПОДБОРА СОРТОВ ГРАНАТА С ВЫСОКИМ ВЫХОДОМ СОКА

Abstract

Juice yield is a very important characteristic of pomegranate fruits (Punica granatum L.) in economic terms. In this study, the limits of variability of morphological and technological characteristics of fruits of 25 varieties and forms of pomegranate from Geokchai (Azerbaijan) were studied. The values of these features were determined using the weight method. An attempt was also made to establish the nature of the formation of the ratio between the individual parts of the fruit using the method of biological statistics. The results showed that the studied varieties and forms can be grouped into three different groups, taking into account the changing balance between individual parts of the fruit during its active growth and development on the tree. In the fruits of one group of the studied varieties and forms, the increase in the total mass of the rind and bare seeds was slower than the increase in the mass of the juice. 5 medium-fruited varieties and forms with juice yield from ripe fruits averaging 53.2 % of their total weight were assigned to this group. The other two groups included 7 small-fruited and 13 large-fruited varieties and forms, in which this indicator was significantly lower (juice yield 45.4 and 43.1 %, respectively). Thus, it is the medium size fruit (and not the large size fruit, as is now customary) that should serve as the main phenotypic feature – a guideline when choosing juice material from existing varieties and creating new pomegranate juice varieties. This result can be included in the instructions for processors of this specific raw material and guidelines for breeders working towards the creation of new juice varieties of pomegranate. Key words: POMEGRANATE, VARIETIES AND SHAPES, FRUITS AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL PARTS, RIND, JUICE, BARE SEEDS, THE NATURE OF THE FORMATION OF THE NATURAL RATIO