Abstract
This research was carried out to assess the biochemical diversity of the fruits of mulberry genotypes grown in Mus Province in the eastern Anatolia region and to determine the genotypes available for breeding. Morphological and biochemical characteristics of 13 mulberry fruit genotypes, including 5 white (Morus alba) and 8 black (Morus nigra), were determined. Fruit antioxidant capacity was determined by Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assay. Fruit weight, pH, soluble solid content, titratable acidity, vitamin C, and antioxidant capacity were 1.38-3.77 g, 4.77-6.79, 14.33%-23.50%, 0.53%-2.20%, 4.47-35.83 mg 100 g-1, and 4.33-13.63 µmol Trolox equivalent g, respectively, indicating enough diversity among genotypes for future breeding activities. Considering all genotypes, malic acid was dominant, and the highest malic acid content was detected in 4 Morus nigra genotypes as 8.546 mg g-1 fresh weight. Chlorogenic acid, rutin, and gallic acid were determined as the main phenolics among white and black mulberry genotypes. The highest chlorogenic acid, rutin, and gallic acid contents were found in black mulberry genotypes as 2.511 mg g-1 (Morus nigra 1), 1.285 mg g-1 (Morus nigra 1), and 1.162 mg g-1 (Morus nigra 3), respectively. In general, the genotypes sampled and used in the present study exhibited a broad range of variation.
Highlights
Turkey is referred to as a small continent with regard to its rich floristic and faunistic diversity due to having 3 different bioclimates and 3 biogeographical regions (Europe–Siberia, Mediterranean, and Iran–Turan) seen in Turkey (Aytepe and Varol, 2007).Anatolia is known as one of the diversity centers for mulberries
The mulberry trees that have been cultivated in Anatolia over the past 400 years exhibit great morphological, biochemical, and molecular diversity at both intra- and interspecies levels (Erdoğan, 2003; Ercisli and Orhan, 2007; Kafkas et al, 2008; Okatan, 2018)
Each region of Turkey has special mulberry populations mostly produced from seeds in the past; in general, 95% of Turkish mulberry trees belong to M. alba, 3% belong to M. rubra, and 2% belong to M. nigra (Ercisli, 2004)
Summary
Turkey is referred to as a small continent with regard to its rich floristic and faunistic diversity due to having 3 different bioclimates and 3 biogeographical regions (Europe–Siberia, Mediterranean, and Iran–Turan) seen in Turkey (Aytepe and Varol, 2007).Anatolia is known as one of the diversity centers for mulberries. A study previously conducted on mulberry fruits indicated an average fruit length between 21.66 and 27.04 mm among 28 black mulberry genotypes sampled in the Mediterranean region of Turkey (Koyuncu et al, 2014). Orhan (2009) conducted a mulberry selection study in Erzurum Province in eastern Anatolia and reported the fruit weight, width, and length and the peduncle length as 1.36–5.77 g, 9.97–17.36 mm, 19.75– 31.03 mm, and 4.02–12.75 mm, respectively.
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