Grape and Small Fruit Growing in Turkey

Abstract

Turkey has important potential in world fruit production. Anatolia, which constitutes a bridge between Asia and Europe, is the motherland of numerous fruit species. Pear, quince, plum, sweet cherry, sour cherry, filbert, pistachio nut, olive, grape, fig, and pomegranate are the major species. The suitable climate and soil conditions play a great art in Turkey being an important germplasm source for fruits (gzbek, 1977; Ens and Barut, 1992). Turkey is a country surrounded by seas in three directions (Figure 1); The Black, Marmara, Aegean, and Mediterranean Seas border the country on the north, north-west, west, and south, respectively. A subtropical climate is prominent in the coastal regions of the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, whereas there exists a continental climate in Central Anatolia and East Anatolia. The Black Sea coasts have a humid and partially cool climate due to high rainfall. The Mediterranean Region has calcareous soils while the Black Sea