Pomological and chemical characteristics of apple genotypes in Simav District, Kutahya, Turkey

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the pomological (physical) and chemical characteristics of some local apple genotypes grown in Simav district of Kutahya, Turkey. Due to the negative effects of climate change, the adaptability of local genotypes to the environmental stress conditions is becoming an important tool for reaching sustainability in production. However, it this case, the pomological and chemical characteristics of the local genotypes is becoming an important question for the consumers and have to be answered before the cultivation and marketing of the local genotypes. As a result of the surveys conducted in Simav district, six different apple genotypes were collected for analysis. According to the results obtained, the highest fruit weight was found in SIM-04 genotype as 205.34 g; and the lowest fruit weight was in the SIM-06 as 130.51 g. We found values of total phenols between 348.13 mg GAE/l (SIM-01) and 265.49 mg GAE/l (SIM-05). Total antioxidant activity was determined between 7.28 % (SIM-01) and 4.13 % (SIM-02). Total flavonoids were measured between 732.11 GAE/l (SIM-03) and 400.37 GAE/l (SIM-06). Malic acid is the most important acid in apple and genotypes malic acid content ranges between 3526.70 mg/100 ml (SIM-03) and 2448.51 mg/100 ml (SIM-06). Results suggested that there is a significant difference between the pomological and chemical characteristics of the genotypes and the selection of the most appropriate genotype is highly dependent upon the preferred characteristics of the apples. It can be recommended from the results that the SIM-04 is superior in terms of pomological characteristics. Moreover, when the preferred characteristics are the antioxidant activity and total phenols, SIM-01 genotype is superior.