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In this study, we tested the effects of short day (SD), chilling (Ch) and gibberalic acid (GA3) treatments on the yield and fruit characteristics of 'Camarosa' and 'Sweet Charlie' plug plants under a freeze-protected greenhouse in Mediterranean conditions for two growing seasons in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. The treatments included control (ambient day length and temperature); SD (8 h days) and ambient temperature; SD + Chilling (Ch) (18/12°C day/night temperatures); SD + Ch (10°C); SD + Ch (2°C); and, GA3 (10 ppm applied to the plants in November). In each growing season, the plug plants were planted in mid-August using bag culture. Yield, fruit weight, firmness, total soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), and SS/TA ratio were investigated. Considerable amounts of early yield (March and April) were recovered from 'Sweet Charlie'; 116 and 72 g/plant in the first and second growing seasons, respectively. 'Sweet Charlie' also had consistently higher total yield than 'Camarosa' (457 vs. 400 g/plant in the 2006-2007 season and 446 vs. 406 g/plant in the 2007-2008 season). Treatment did not have a consistent effect on the fruit quality traits measured. The results indicated that although SD conditioning, Ch and GA3 treatments may have an effect on the total and early yield of strawberries, these effects may be cultivar-dependent and further regulated by environmental factors. Therefore, we propose that low-chilling varieties be utilized for early fruit production that can initiate flower buds in warmer, longer days.

This study was designed to determine the effects of different chemical fertilizers on the yield and quality of some strawberry cultivars such as Douglas, Chandler, 216 (Doritt) and Oso Grande which are popular in California, Israel and Spain. Four different chemical fertilizers including Urea, Fetrilon (13 % Fe), Sheffer (S 5-3-7) and Bayfolon (enriched with amino acid 11-8-6) were used in different doses. Experiment was designed as 4 replicates. Fertilizers were administered 0.5-1 gram pure nitrogen per plant during growing season from January to early May, twice a week. Totally 40 applications were made. Pure nitrogen necessary for every application was calculated according to the fertilizers and doses and given from the soil. Honey and bumble bees alone and together were used for pollination. Phenological observations and pomological analyses were done according to the cultivars, fertilizers and doses. The highest yield was obtained from Douglas and it was followed by Oso Grande. Although all the fertilizers and their doses have given satisfactory results in yield/plant depending on cultivars, due to the economical reasons urea is recommended. Better shaped fruits were obtained in cultivars pollinated with both bumble and honey bees.

The research was carried out on apple, peach, nectarine and apricot cultivars during 1992-1994. In this work, the cold hardiness of apple, peach, nectarine and apricot cultivars were investigated. For this purpose, the relationship between the carbonhydrates or plant nutrient elements and the cold hardiness of the cultivars were investigated by viability tests. According to the results, apples and among them Granny Smith and Starkrimson cultivars, J.H. Hale and Monroe peach cultivars among the peaches. Maygrand among the nectarines and Precoce de Colomer and Canino apricot cultivars among the apricots were found as the most cold resistant cultivars. This cultivars were found to be more resistant in January and the highest amount of total sugar and macro element contents such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were determined especially in apple cultivars but no direct relationship was found between the cold hardiness and nitrogen content of peach, nectarine and apricots.

In this study, fertilization biology of 3 summer apple varieties, namely "Summerred", "Jerseymac" and "Raritan", grown in Pozanti ecological conditions, was investigated. For this purpose, the pollen viability, germination capacity and production level of these 3 apple varieties were tested in vitro. The percentage of fruit-set obtained from free, self and cross-pollination experiments performed in vivo. In order to determine the parthenocarpic fruit setting ability, the flowers were emasculated and isolated. Additionally, the fruit-sizes were determined and the number of seeds per fruit were counted in all experiments. As far as the pollen viability, production level and morphological homogenity of pollen were concerned the "Raritan" variety gave the best results. In 20 % sucrose concentration, which is the best medium for all 3 varieties, pollen germination rates were changed between 54.32 % and 64.42 %. In vivo studies "Summerred" was found to be the best pollinator variety for "Jerseymac" and "Raritan". On the other hand "Raritan" was found to be the best polinator for "Summerred". In addition "Raritan" showed a limited ability to set parthenocarpic fruit whereas, other 2 varieties have no parthenocarpic fruit setting capacity.

In this study, the effect of GA on the production and quality of strawberry runners per area were examined. Cold stored of the planting stocks of Cruz. Vista. Tufts. Pocahontas and Aliso varieties were used as plant materials. In order to determine the optimum application time and rate, GA was applied to spring planted mother plants 30 and 60 days after planting at the concentration of 50 and 100 ppm. The number of runners per m2 and stem diameter were increased significantly with GA3 application, whereas GA3 did not affect the length of root. Cruz which has low runner production characteristic, became one of the best variety on runner production with GA3 application. Pocahontas gave the best response to GA3 application. Varieties which has the ability to produce high number of runners, also yielded with higher number of runner plants than the contral plants.

This work was carried out in the orchards of the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture. University of Çukurova during 1992-1993. In the research, the growth rate and flowering periods of the 11 experimental nectarine cultivars were determined. On the other hand, the ripening periods of the cultivars were found and in the weighted degree calculations by considering fruit weight, size (width, length and height), fruit flesh/seed rate, total malic acid, pH content, fruit rind color, the following results were obtained; Armking and E. Sun Grand were recommended as early season. Weignberger and Cherokee were recommended as middle season, Redgold and Maygrand were recommended as late season nectarine cultivars. The yield per tree of the recommended cultivars were generally high. In the both experimental years, Weinberger, Maygrand, Cherokee cultivars gave the highest value from the view point of yield per tree. For the yield per trunk section, Armking and Weinberger gave the highest results. However, the yield per tree of Armking and Firebrite were low. Weinberger was found as the satisfying cultivar for the yield per tree and yield per trunk section. For the fruit size, E. Sun Grand, Snow Queen and Crimson Gold were the best cultivars in 1992. Redgold and Firebrite gave the highest results for fruit flesh firmness. Firebrite also gave the highest TSS content in the both experimental years.

In this study, fertilization biology of Santa Maria and June Beauty summer pear cultivars, grown under Adana ecological conditions, were investigated. In addition to these two cultivars Prococe di Fiorano was taken as pollinators. In order to determine the pollinator ability of these cultivars, the polen viability, germination capacity and production level of pollens were tested in vitro. Viability of the pollens was determined by TTC and FDA tests. In vitro pollen germination experiments with "hanging drop" method were done in 0, 5. 10, 15 and 20 % sucrose solutions. In addition, pollen production of the cultivars were detemined by using "hemacytometric method". The percentage of fruit-set obtained from free-, self- and cross-pollination experiments, determined in vitro. In order to determine the parthenocarpic fruit settings ability, the flowers were emasculated and isolated. Additionally, the fruit sizes and the number of seeds per fruit determined in all experiments. Santa Maria has given the best results on the pollen viability and germination test. The most suitable pollen germination media were 10 and 15 % sucrose solutions depending on the cultivars. The highest pollen production level was obtained from Santa Maria. After cross-pollinations, it was found that Santa Maria and June Beauty were good pollinators for each other. Moreover, Santa Maria cv. was found to have a tendency for parthenocarpic fruit set.

These investigations were carried out during 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons in Adana (altitude: 50m) and Pozanti (altitude: 1100m) ecological conditions in order to compare the behaviour of 8 strawberry cvs (Aliso, Tioga, Tufts, Vista, Pocahontas, Cruz, Douglas and Dana) with summer planting system. The plantings were repeated each year in Adana but the plants of the first year were kept in their places and their second crop was obtained in second year. During 1991-92 season the yield per plant in Adana was found much higher than that of the Pozanti. However, since the second crop of Pozanti's plants was quite satisfactory, this type of growing is recommended. In Adana spring rains during the flowering and peak season reduce the yield therefore here protected cultivation is recommended. When the yield/plant, average size of the fruits, TSS were considered, Tufts, Vista and Cruz were found superior than the other cvs tested.

In this research the fertilization biologies of mid and late flowering 4 almond types (101-9,101-13, 101-23 and 106-1) selected from different parts of Turkey and Texas cultivar were studied. For this purpose, first of all, pollen viability tests with TTC and FDA and pollen germination tests in 0 %, 5 %, 10%, 15 % and 20 % sucrose mediums by hanging drop method were performed. On the other hand, the amount of pollen production and their morphological homogenity levels were determined. In addition, besides self and open pollinations with cross pollinations the pollen tube growth rates were investigated. In pollen viability tests 106-1 and 101-9; in pollen germinating tests 106-1 and 101-13; in the determination of pollen production 101-13, 101-23 and Texas gave the highest values. Morphological homogenities were found high in all the types and Texas cultivar. In cross pollinations, pollen tubes reached the ovules in 5 to 12 days. In self pollinations, pollen tubes couldn't reach the ovules and stayed in different parts of the style.

The aim of this work is to combine the ultra rich aroma of 'Ottoman', a Turkish variety, and the yield, fruit size, and earliness traits of some Californian and European varieties. For this purpose crossing have been carried out since 1984. In crossing trials 'Ottoman' was used as female parent and Californian and European varieties were used as male parents. From these crossings some promising candidates from stand point of size, firmness, colour, appearance, flavour etc. were obtained and selected. In this paper, some important characteristics such as yield per plant, fruit weight, TSS, and aroma volatile production are reported. The aroma volatile production of the different hybrids determined by GC-head space technique differed from each other in a very wide range. Some of the volatile characteristic seems to be transferred from the 'Ottoman' to the hybrids. Up to now 14 cultivar candidates were obtained which were quite satisfactory from the aroma point of view, but the fruits were not firm enough, though the yield was high and even in alkaline soils chlorosis was not a problem.

This budding experiment was carried out in Adana during 1991-92 on the loquat seedlings grown in the open and in a heated greenhouse. The bud sticks of Gold Nugget cv. were used. The buddings (T, chip and patch) were done on the 15th of December, 15th of January and 15th of February. The success rate of buddings was 85.55% in the greenhouse and 67.72% in the open air.

Between 1989 to 1991 four strawberry varieties (Pocahontas. Vista, Tufts and Cruz) were investigated in the open fields on sea sand dunes in Alata. The effects of five different growing substrates including sand + farmyard manure + solarization ( S + FYM + So); sand + farmyard manure (S + FYM); sand + solarization + farmyard manure (S + So + FYM): sand + solarization (S + So), and sand alone (S); and three planting systems (summer (SP), fresh runner plants rooted in pots (FRPRP). and fall planting (FP)) were applied. The first fruit dates and yield per plant were determined. The first picking was delayed by winter frosts; thus, planting systems and varieties could not have effected the time of first picking. Cruz, being the earliest variety, was severly damaged by frosts, and plants from FRPRP and FP were affected more adversely by frosts. Although there was no significant difference among the growing substrates, fruit loss was higher in growing substrates containing FYM. The first fruits were observed in mid March and at the end of March. However, main pickings were usually initiated in April. The highest Yield per plant was obtained from SP and this was followed by FRPRP. The lowest yield per plant was obtained from FP. The highest yield occurred with Pocahontas and in solarized and non-solarized S + FYM growing substrates. Considering all treatments over the two experimental years, the best results was obtained from SP in Pocahontas in S + So + FYM (average yield per plant was 780.35 g). The lowest yield in all varieties was obtained from FP in S and S + So growing substrates. Vista and Tufts yielded 41.22-43.31 g per plant in S growing substrate which represent the lowest values.