Physical and Chemical Fruit Quality Properties of Some Walnut Cultivars and Promising Local Selections Grown Under Plain Conditions in Malatya

Abstract

This study was conducted between the years of 2017 and 2018 in Battalgazi county of Malatya Province, Turkey, in order to determine fruit quality properties of three walnut cultivars and three local walnut genotypes under plain conditions. For this aim; kernel color and shrinkage, nut height, width and thickness, nut and kernel weights, kernel/nut ratio, shell thickness were detected as physical parameters. Additionally, total oil, protein and ash contents of kernel samples were examined as chemical parameters. Results indicated significant differences in all evaluated parameters of genotypes included in the study. Nut height, width and thickness varied between 37.55 mm - 52.30 mm, 32.61 mm - 42.10 mm, and 30.09 mm - 41.10 mm, respectively. Nut weight varied between 11.22 g and 17.84 g and kernel/nut ratio varied between 43.89 % and 58.13 %. Total oil and protein contents varied between 64.10 - 73.75 %, and 13.50 - 19.66 %, respectively. The study resulted with various values in all evaluated physical and chemical parameters of the cultivars and the genotypes observed. Leading cultivar or genotype depended on different parameters, but according to overall evaluations two of the cultivars and two of the local genotypes were distinguished in terms of their performances under plain conditions. In addition, significant correlations were found between most of the characters examined in the study.