Variation in the fruit characteristics of local pear (Pyrus spp.) in the Northwest of Iran

Abstract

The Northwest of Iran has a high diversity of endemic Pyrus species. In this study, considerable variability in morphological and chemical characteristics was observed in the fruit of 19 local Pyranshahr pear accessions. Fruit samples of three accessions (14, 7 and 10) had higher contents of total soluble solids (TSS > 23 %) and total sugar (SC ~11.5 %) than other accessions with a mean SC of 9 %. There was significant positive correlation between SC and TSS (r = 0.40) as well as between SC and pH (r = 0.46). Cluster analysis of the studied parameters, which were used to ascertain the level of diversity, differentiated accessions into seven clusters with significant variability among them. This research shows that pear genetic resources in the Northwest of Iran show rich genetic diversity and could be useful germplasm for commercial exploitation, for use in breeding programs to improve existing cultivars, or for developing new cultivars.