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This study investigates whether, and how, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) is concerned in flower bud abscission of pistachio (Pistacia vera L.). Abscission was studied about the activation of the abscission zone, located between shoot and flower bud, from Uzun pistachio cultivar where the abscission profiles and the scanning electron micrographs pictorial differences in the abscission program, under natural conditions of flower bud. ACC content was investigated in the flower bud abscission zone during growth and abscission using liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-MS/MS). Results showed that abscission layers were started at first 45 days after full blooming (DAFB) and accomplished on 55 and 65 DAFB from 'On' year sampling. The activities of ACC in the flower bud abscission zone were significantly increased and decreased by flower bud abscission. A strong rise of ACC synthase in leaf and panicle was observed at the beginning of abscission, corresponding to stage 45 DAFB. High levels of ACC activity were found in whole abscission period indicating a possible role of ACC in pistachio flower bud abscission. At the end of the period (65 DAFB), the ACC levels gradually decreased and reached to minimum. Consequently, abscission-promoting effect of ACC depends on the phenological periods. These results provide strong evidence of flower abscission zone and the role of ACC in flower bud abscission possibly for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternate bearing is a significant economic problem that affects fruit producers, consumers and the economy of a country. Concentrations of cytokinin (CK)-like compounds in different tissues of pistachio trees (Pistacia vera 'Uzun') were measured to elucidate the relationship between endogenous CKs and flower bud abscission (alternate bearing). Identification and quantification of CK-like compounds of the Z, DHZ and iP types from different physiological stages and tissues were performed using high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionisation–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLCESI-MS/MS) techniques. Five to seven different CK-like compounds were detected, respectively. Isopentenyl adenine riboside (iPR) and trans-zeatin-O-glucoside (t-ZOG) were the main isoprenoid CKs, as the dominant conjugates in all the analysed organs of pistachio trees. The leaves and shoots of 'On'-year trees had significantly higher CK contents than those of 'Off'-year trees on all the sampling dates. Interestingly, the relatively high CK activity was recorded before flower bud abscission in the fractions corresponding to iPR and t-ZOG, while this activity dropped considerably during the flower bud abscission period (55 DAFB). Consequently, the strong negative correlation between CK concentration and bud abscission could be the first indication of the role of CK-like compounds in this unique phenomenon in the 'Uzun' pistachio cultivar. It was concluded that CKs could have an important role in the alternate bearing in pistachio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant genetic resources are easy to dispose of, but their recovery is almost impossible. The collection and preservation of genetic materials are of great importance for future breeding programs. The selection, amplification, characterization, and maintenance of genotypes are possible using molecular markers. DNA marker systems are used to characterize genetic materials of different ecologies. The aim of this study is to contribute to the geographic marking region-specific Bagrıbutun melon with unique taste and aroma which is cultivated intensively in Aydincik district by extracting DNA fingerprints using SSR (Simple Sequence Repeats) molecular marker technique. Genetic characterization of 4 local melon genotypes was determined using 24 polymorphic SSR primers. Among all 4 primers (CMSSR12254, CMSSR10506, CMSSR07989, and CMSSR0890) showed high polymorphism and were used for DNA fingerprinting. Using these SSR primers, genetic relations of melon genetic resources can be determined in a shorter time and with more reliable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regulation of auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) level in plants is a complex mechanism and the concept is not completely understood. There are many lines of evidence suggesting that amino acid conjugates of IAA play a vital role in auxin homeostasis, but the involved plant enzymes are still under investigation. In the present study, the alteration in the levels of auxin and its conjugates in the different physiological stages and organs, as well as its role in flower bud abscission in Pistacia vera L., were investigated. The levels of the auxin and its conjugates, such as IAA, indole butyric acid (IBA), IAA-Ala, IAA-Leu, IAA-Asp, and IAA-Glu, were analyzed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-MS/MS) technique. Among the auxin conjugates, IAA was the main conjugate and dominant indole detected in pistachio extract observed in this work. It has also been determined that quite a few organs of 'Off-year' trees have higher auxin content than 'On-year' trees. It was observed that the auxin level is low in fruit-bearing trees in both leaves and shoots. It affects fruit yield and fruit bud abscission and plays some role in the alternate bearing. Decreased levels of auxin were observed in most of the organs of 'On-year' trees during kernel development resulting in bud abscission. This study shows that auxin conjugates play an important role in IAA metabolism, particularly in flower bud abscission and fruit kernel development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternate bearing is a significant economic problem adversely affecting the producers, consumers, and economy of a country. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the physiological role of free polyamines (PAs) in fruit bud abscission of the Uzun pistachio variety, which has a strong alternate bearing tendency. The identification and quantification of PAs, such as putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd), and spermine (Spm), at different physiological stages and in different organs, were carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography. Putrescine was the major PA in all the organs of pistachio trees. Furthermore, the concentrations of Put and Spd in the leaves and shoots sharply declined and reached the minimal levels during the fruit bud abscission period (June), and then increased during the period of kernel development. The concentration of Put and Spd in the panicles increased gradually until the beginning of kernel growth and then decreased until harvest. The concentration of Spm exhibited a negative correlation between shoots and leaves, especially in the 'On-year' trees. There was a significant decrease in PAs in the leaves during the period of bud abscission in the 'Off-year' trees. In the 'On-year' trees, the concentration of PAs exhibited a negative correlation with the panicles, especially when the concentration of Put and Spd increased during the kernel development period, and then decreased. The concentration of PAs in the panicles of the 'On-year' trees was higher than that in the nuts, and it exhibited a negative correlation with that in the nuts. The results suggest that PAs might lead to physiological changes during the growth and development stages of pistachios, and a strong relationship was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Turkey, quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) is found as both a wild and a cultivated tree species. The Karanlıkdere Valley is a pit area between Şefaatli and Yerköy districts in Yozgat Province that originates from the River Delice. Members of the Yozgat Karanlıkdere Valley quince population, containing 17 quince accessions and 15 commercial quince cultivars, were DNA fingerprinted using 30 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers to identify the genetic relationships among them. A total of 111 alleles were detected for all 32 accessions, and the number of alleles revealed by SSR analysis ranged from 2 to 10 alleles per locus with a mean value of 3.70 alleles per locus. The Ms06g03 primer gave the highest number of alleles (Na = 10). Polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.20 (CH05e04) to 0.78 (Ms06g03) with a mean PIC value of 0.45. Structure analysis and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA) clustering of the accessions depicted three major clusters, where several pairs of accessions could not be separated. This study indicated that the SSR markers could be utilized as a reliable tool for the determination of genetic variations and relationships of quince accessions. Furthermore, the results of this study will be useful for starting a cross-breeding cultivar program for quince. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) is one of the most important nut crops in the world. There are about 11 wild species in the genus Pistacia, and they have importance as rootstock seed sources for cultivated P. vera and forest trees. Published information on the pistachio genome is limited. Therefore, a genome survey is necessary to obtain knowledge on the genome structure of pistachio by next generation sequencing. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are useful tools for germplasm characterization, genetic diversity analysis, and genetic linkage mapping, and may help to elucidate genetic relationships among pistachio cultivars and species. Results: To explore the genome structure of pistachio, a genome survey was performed using the Illumina platform at approximately 40× coverage depth in the P. vera cv. Siirt. The K-mer analysis indicated that pistachio has a genome that is about 600 Mb in size and is highly heterozygous. The assembly of 26.77 Gb Illumina data produced 27,069 scaffolds at N50 = 3.4 kb with a total of 513.5 Mb. A total of 59,280 SSR motifs were detected with a frequency of 8. 67 kb. A total of 206 SSRs were used to characterize 24 P. vera cultivars and 20 wild Pistacia genotypes (four genotypes from each five wild Pistacia species) belonging to P. atlantica, P. integerrima, P. chinenesis, P. terebinthus, and P. lentiscus genotypes. Overall 135 SSR loci amplified in all 44 cultivars and genotypes, 41 were polymorphic in six Pistacia species. The novel SSR loci developed from cultivated pistachio were highly transferable to wild Pistacia species. Conclusions: The results from a genome survey of pistachio suggest that the genome size of pistachio is about 600 Mb with a high heterozygosity rate. This information will help to design whole genome sequencing strategies for pistachio. The newly developed novel polymorphic SSRs in this study may help germplasm characterization, genetic diversity, and genetic linkage mapping studies in the genus Pistacia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-incompatibility plays an important role in the fertilization of fruit species such as apricot. Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) shows gametophytic self-incompatibility, which is controlled by a multi-allelic S-locus. In this study, S-alleles of 77 F1 progenies derived from Paviot, which is one of the French local cultivars, and Kabaasi, one of the most important Turkish dried apricot cultivars, parents were identified by S-RNase intron regions polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and DNA sequencing. The results from the S-allele PCR analysis revealed that the Paviot female parent had an ScS2 genotype and the Kabaasi male parent had S1S9 alleles. Forty-three of the F1 progenies showed self-compatibility allele (Sc) by having either ScS9 or ScS1 alleles. Thirty-four of the F1 progenies were self-incompatible by having either S2S1 or S2S9 alleles. The distributions of detected alleles in F1 progenies were determined as follows: ScS1 31.2%, S1S2 27.3%, ScS9 24.7% and S2S9 16.8%. The results from the study are relevant for the data obtained in apricot breeding programmes in the selection of crossing combinations and in the establishment of commercial orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost all commercially grown apple cultivars in Turkey are exotic, with local varieties serving as important genetic resources for breeding and marker development purposes. Among the latter is Amasya, which has a pleasing taste and flavor, but is unsuitable for commercial use because of its small fruit size and alternate-bearing characteristics. Genetic maps of apple cultivars are important resources to facilitate marker-assisted selection. Because of its good eating quality, Amasya is a good genetic resource for marker development to enhance fruit quality, especially flavor. In this study, we constructed a simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker-based genetic map of the Amasya apple cultivar using 96 F1 progenies generated from a cross between Kaşel-41 (a selection from Amasya) and Williams' Pride cultivars. Of 187 bacterial artificial chromosome SSRs, 150 expressed sequence tag SSRs, and of 362 genomic SSR primer pairs, 400 markers were mapped, with parental and consensus maps constructed independently. A reference map was also constructed using 207 common SSR markers, thereby producing the most dense SSR-based reference map currently reported for apple. The reference genetic map was 1351 cM long, with a mean marker density of 6.5 cM. The consensus map obtained by mapping 396 markers had a length of 1476.4 cM and a 3.82-cM mean marker density. We also identified the positions of 57 SSR loci previously unmapped in apple. As a result, once additional markers have been incorporated into the maps to increase saturation, the evaluation of phenotypic traits in the mapping population should facilitate linkage between molecular markers and fruit quality traits. Additionally, the constructed apple reference genetic map, with 207 SSR markers, should also assist the construction of new genetic maps and aid integration of various apple linkage maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pistachio ( Pistacia vera L.) is the only commercially grown species within the genus Pistacia and there are a limited number of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in the literature for Pistacia species. Therefore, genomic libraries enriched with CA, GA, AAC and AAG repeats were constructed using genomic DNA of P. vera cv. Siirt to develop SSR markers for pistachio and to determine their transferability in eight Pistacia species. A total of 228 clones were sequenced by selecting 57 clones from each library; 68 were duplicates, whereas 94 contained repeats. Eighty-four primer pairs were designed, 59 generated PCR products, and 47 were polymorphic within seven diverse pistachio cultivars. The number of alleles ranged from two to nine among 47 polymorphic loci with an average of 3.6. The GA-enriched library was the best, whereas the AAC library was the worst among the four libraries in terms of perfect repeats, number of alleles, polymorphism, and informativeness. A higher number and frequency of SSRs was obtained from di-nucleotide-enriched libraries than tri-nucleotide libraries. Testing of 59 SSR primer pairs in eight Pistacia species showed that 54 loci were transferable to at least one of the tested Pistacia species. P. atlantica had the highest number of transferable loci (51 loci), followed by P. integerrima (47 loci). The SSR loci in tri-nucleotide (72.7%) enriched libraries had higher transferability than di-nucleotide (54.7%) ones. The SSR markers developed in this study provide valuable tools for genetic studies in pistachio and related species, such as germplasm characterization, fingerprinting of individuals, population genetics, genetic mapping and marker assisted selection, as well as integrating genetic linkage maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) is a dioecious species that has a long juvenility period. Therefore, development of marker-assisted selection (MAS) techniques would greatly facilitate pistachio cultivar-breeding programs. The sex determination mechanism is presently unknown in pistachio. The generation of sex-linked markers is likely to reduce time, labor, and costs associated with breeding programs, and will help to clarify the sex determination system in pistachio. Results: Restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) markers were used to identify sex-linked markers and to elucidate the sex determination system in pistachio. Eight male and eight female F1 progenies from a Pistacia vera L. Siirt × Bağyolu cross, along with the parents, were subjected to RAD sequencing in two lanes of a Hi-Seq 2000 sequencing platform. This generated 449 million reads, comprising approximately 37.7 Gb of sequences. There were 33,757 polymorphic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci between the parents. Thirty-eight of these, from 28 RAD reads, were detected as putative sex-associated loci in pistachio. Validation was performed by SNaPshot analysis in 42 mature F1 progenies and in 124 cultivars and genotypes in a germplasm collection. Eight loci could distinguish sex with 100% accuracy in pistachio. To ascertain cost-effective application of markers in a breeding program, high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis was performed; four markers were found to perfectly separate sexes in pistachio. Because of the female heterogamety in all candidate SNP loci, we report for the first time that pistachio has a ZZ/ZW sex determination system. As the reported female-to-male segregation ratio is 1:1 in all known segregating populations and there is no previous report of super-female genotypes or female heteromorphic chromosomes in pistachio, it appears that the WW genotype is not viable. Conclusion: Sex-linked SNP markers were identified and validated in a large germplasm and proved their suitability for MAS in pistachio. HRM analysis successfully validated the sex-linked markers for MAS. For the first time in dioecious pistachio, a female heterogamety ZW/ZZ sex determination system is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Turkey has a rich walnut germplasm that has arisen from populations of naturally grown seedlings over many years. Despite this enormous genetic potential, only a few studies on molecular characterization studies have been carried out so far. In this study, the genetic relationships among 59 walnut genotypes and cultivars of international and Turkish interest were analyzed by 25 RAPD primers, 25 ISSR primers, and 16 SSR primer pairs. Among the molecular assays tested, SSR provided a very high polymorphism rate of 99.1%, while ISSR and RAPD results showed similar to each other but lower polymorphism (71.1% and 69.1%, respectively). The dendrogram constructed divided the genotypes into three main groups: ‘Group A’ included mainly genotypes originating from the Kahramanmaras and Yalova provinces, while ‘Group B’ contained genotypes originating from the Kırsehir, Tokat and Corum provinces of Turkey. ‘Group C’ contained only cultivars originating from the USA and France. According to the clustering in the dendrogram genotypes grouped largely in accordance with their geographical origin, although certain exceptions were present. The pairs of ‘Akca-2’ with ‘Karabodur’ and ‘Yalova-1’ with ‘Yalova-3’ were the most closely related walnut genotypes in this study. In conclusion, our study indicated that molecular markers are useful tools for use in to determining genetic relationships among walnut genotypes. The results will provide valuable information to walnut cultivar breeding programs for use in parental selection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study was performed to construct the first genetic linkage map of pistachio using progeny from a cross between Pistacia vera L. ‘Siirt’ and monoecious Pistacia atlantica Desf. (Pa-18 genotype). In total, 242 primers were screened. Seventy inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR), sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP), and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) primer pairs were chosen, and they produced 321 segregating markers. A double pseudo-testcross mapping strategy was applied to construct the ‘Siirt’ and ‘Pa-18’ maps. The ‘Siirt’ map consisted of 144 testcross and 21 intercross markers, and the ‘Pa-18’ map included 134 testcross and 22 intercross markers. The ‘Siirt’ map had 17 linkage groups spanning 1237.3cM with a mean marker density of 7.50cM, while the ‘Pa-18’ map comprised 19 linkage groups covering 1337.5cM, with the average marker density being 8.57cM. One hundred fifty-seven of the segregating markers were distorted, of which 38.2% were in the ‘Siirt’ map, and 60.3% were in the ‘Pa-18’ map. The maps of P. vera and monoecious P. atlantica may help to clarify the genetic basis of sex determination and inheritance in Pistacia, as well as other notable agronomic characters, and in identifying markers for marker-assisted selection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pistachio is economically important in Iran. Selection of suitable rootstocks, resistant to unfavorable and soil conditions and diseases, is important for increasing yield and the acreage of this crop. It is essential to identify the genetic relationships among Pistacia species for the breeding of pistachio rootstocks. The goal of this study was to determine the genetic relationship among Pistacia species ( P. vera L., P. khinjuk Stocks., P. eurycarpa Yalt., P. atlantica subsp. atlantica Zoh., P. atlantica subsp. mutica Fish et C.A. Mey and P. atlantica subsp. cabulica Stocks.) with potential in the breeding of rootstocks using the selective amplification of microsatellite polymorphic loci (SAMPL) technique. Six primer combinations produced a total of 182 bands, with an average of 30.33 bands per primer pair, of which 128 were polymorphic. Three branches were obtained, the first containing P. vera, and the second containing P. khinjuk, P. eurycarpa, P. atlantica and subspecies mutica and cabulica, with numerous leaflets clustered in the third branch. UPGMA analysis separated P. atlantica subspecies from P. eurycarpa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic relationships among 18 Turkish hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivars were investigated using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR), and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Twenty-five RAPD primers, 25 ISSR primers, and eight AFLP primer pairs generated a total of 434 polymorphic marker loci. The three marker systems were able to differentiate the cultivars. Genetic similarity index values ranged from a high of 0.96 for 'Kan' and 'UzunMusa' to a low of 0.73 for 'Yassi Badem' and 'Kalinkara'. The genetic relationships were presented as an unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA) dendrogram and a three-dimensional principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) plot. The UPGMA dendrogram showed two main clusters, while PCoA analysis showed three groups. Cultivar-specific markers were produced by all marker systems for 10 cultivars. This study demonstrates the usefulness of molecular markers for identification of hazelnut cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the phylogenetic relationship between Pistacia species by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). The plant materials of this study consisted of a total of 44 accessions belonging to P. vera, P. eurycarpa, P. khinjuk, all subspecies of P. atlantica ( atlantica, mutica, kurdica and cabulica), three unknown genotypes and three accessions, proposed to be hybrid from P. eurycarpa × P. atlantica. The accessions were from Iran, Turkey, USA and Syria. Six AFLP primer combinations produced a total of 475 fragments, with average of 79.16 fragments per primer pair, of which, 336 bands were polymorphic. Unweighted pair group method based on arithmetic average (UPGMA) analysis was performed on jaccard’s similarity coefficient matrix and also average similarity of each species. According to the results, two main clusters were developed and P. vera, P. eurycarpa, P. atlantica (subsp. atlantica, kurdica, mutica, cabulica) and the hybrid genotypes located in the first main cluster. P. khinjuk accessions from Iran and USA localized in second main cluster. The hybrid accessions located between eurycarpa and atlantica species and their hybrid nature between these two species were confirmed. One of the unknown accessions clustered with the hybrid ones and the two other were grouped closely with P. Khinjuk. According to this study, the closest species to P. vera was Eurycarpa group, followed by P. atlantica. UPGMA analysis separated P. atlantica subsp. mutica and cabulica from P. atlantica and P. eurycarpa. Subspecies mutica and cabulica were two closest genotypes; hence, P. atlantica subsp. mutica could be classified as a distinct species as P. mutica and the cabulica as a subspecies of P. mutica. This study revealed that P. eurycarpa is synonym for P. atlantica subsp. kurdica and should be considered distinct from P. atlantica; however, P. atlantica showed a closer genetic similarity to P. eurycarpa than the other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pistacia is a common wild plant in the Southeast Anatolia part of Turkey. The experiment was planned to screen and select the most suitable arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) for enhancing Pistacia species seedling growth by improving phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) uptake. This study was carried out under greenhouse condition at the Department of Soil Science, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey. Two genotypes from each of P. vera (cvs 'Siirt' and 'Kirmizi'), P. eurycarpa, P. atlantica, and P. terebinthus species were tested with ten different mycorrhizal species. Plants were grown in a growth medium with a mixture of sand, soil and compost with 6:3:1 ratio, respectively. Seedling plants were harvested after eight months and transplanted to pots. There were significant differences between Pistacia species in growth, nutrient uptake and the percentage of mycorrhizal infection. Also mycorrhizal species were different in terms of enhancing plant growth and nutrient uptake. The results were that Siirt, Genotype 08, 11, 13, and 14 gave a high response to the mycorrhizal inoculation and Glomus clarium gave the best improvements in growth and nutrition, resulting in greater plant biomass and Zn and P uptake. Following this, G. etunicatum, G. intraradices, G. caledonium, and G. mosseae species were effective species. In general, G. mosseae and G. fasciculatum mycorrhizae enhanced plant growth; G. clarium was the most efficient species in terms of P and Zn uptake. It has been concluded that these mycorrhizae species significantly enhance the Pistacia plant growth and nutrient uptake. Also using AM fungi in the pistachio nursery should be taken into consideration for better seedling production. Further work needs to be done to determine how much inoculum is needed for sufficient inoculation and how the mycorrhizal seedlings can be adapted under field conditions especially under drought and high calcareous marginal soil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the genetic diversity and the genetic structure of Turkish wild barley ( Hordeum spontaneum Tell.) populations, 76 genotypes from ten ecologically and geographically different locations were analyzed by means of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Five primer combinations produced 187 scorable bands, of which 117 (62.6%) were polymorphic. Several population-specific and genotype-specific bands were identified, which differentiate populations or genotypes. Genetic distance, determined by Nei’s distance coefficient, varied from 0.07 to 0.21 with an average of 0.13. In the UPGMA dendrogram based on Nei genetic distances, the Hordeum spontaneum populations were separated into two major clusters. Genetic diversity was larger among (68%) than within (32%) populations. Eight AFLP bands were strongly correlated to the altitude of the collecting site, while no clear trend was detected between geographical origin and genetic diversity. Our results strongly suggest the need for a change in Hordeum spontaneum sampling strategy: more populations, rather then more individuals within population, should be sampled to appraise and safeguard genetic diversity in the wild barley gene pool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa. Duch.) varieties commercially grown in Israel (Tamar, Yael and Malach) were studied for their volatile compositions. Two techniques were compared: headspace solid phase micro extraction (HS-SPME) and liquid-liquid extraction (organic solvent: tert-butyl methyl ether) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The influences of techniques on the volatile compounds were tested by comparing the volatiles determined in the 3 varieties. Malach, the most aromatic variety, accumulates high levels of furanones and esters compared to the other varieties. Differences in the aroma profiles obtained by utiliszing different techniques were noted. HS-SPME was more suitable for the determination of very volatile and non-polar esters, while liquid extraction was more appropriate for the determination of the polar and less volatile furanones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pistacia species, including Pistacia atlantica Desf., are dioecious plants. We reportan exceptional wild population of P. atlantica with several monoecious trees, foundin the Yunt Mountains of Manisa Province of Turkey. The distribution of staminateand pistillate inflorescences was observed during two years and varied betweentrees. All branches of one of the trees were fully monoecious, i.e., they bore amixture of male and female inflorescences. Three trees had several branches withonly staminate flowers, while the rest of the branches bore pistillate inflorescences.Five other trees had inflorescences of both sexes on several branches, and pistillateinflorescences on the remaining branches. We tested viability of the pollen frommonoecious plants by the TTC (triphenyl tetrazolium chloride) assay, and its germination ability in vitro. Pollen viability ranged between 64 and 93%, and pollengermination rate ranged between 34 and 64%. Such values are similar to those ofnormal male trees of P. atlantica. Pollen from a monoecious tree was used topollinate P. vera cultivars Ohadi and Vahidi, and interspecific hybrid progeny wasobtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic diversity and relationships of 54 wild-grown terebinths (Pistacia terebinthus L.) were determined using 40 SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers (38 in silico polymorphic SSR markers and 2 SSR markers). In silico polymorphic SSR analysis, 430 alleles were identified. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 25 with a mean value of 11 alleles per locus. The values of polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.34 (CUPOhBa4344) to 0.91 (CUPSiBa4072) with a mean PIC value of 0.68. Genetic distances were estimated according to the UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Average), the Structure, and Principal Coordinates (PCoA) based clustering. The structure analysis and UPGMA clustering of the genotypes depicted two major clusters. PCoA results supported cluster analysis results. The dendrogram revealed two major clusters. Forty-two samples were obtained from the Kazankaya canyon and 12 samples from the Karanlıkdere region. The two regions are 130 km apart from each other but in a dendrogram, we did not find geographical isolation. The results proved the efficiency of SSRs for genetic diversity analysis in the terebinth. Based on the results, SSRs can be applied as a trustworthy tool for the evaluation of genetic diversity in terebinth genotypes. Molecular analysis on the terebinth genotypes in this study will promote the germplasm collection and the selection of the populations in future studies on terebinths for genetic mapping, genetic diversity, germplasm characterization, and rootstock breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing late-leafing genotypes is crucial for mitigating the impact of late-spring frosts in walnut cultivation. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) offers a rapid screening approach for walnut populations in breeding programs, addressing the long breeding cycle. This study aimed to validate Turkish molecular markers associated with leafing date in the Iranian walnut populations and to implement MAS to identify late-leafing genotypes. Two polymorphic SSR primers, 'JRHR209732' and 'CUJ-RBO12', were validated using 14 early- and late-leafing cultivars/genotypes. MAS was then implemented for a population of 91 Iranian walnuts from a breeding program. The results indicated the effective differentiation of the Iranian population using the markers from Turkey, suggesting genetic similarity between the walnut populations of the two countries. Furthermore, alleles with band sizes of 277 and 115 were associated with late-leafing, while band sizes of 289 and 92 indicated early-leafing. Phenological data over three consecutive years, along with SSR analysis, confirmed the validation and implementation of MAS. The SSR analysis identified 14 alleles across all accessions, with an average of 7 alleles per locus. High leafing time variation was observed in the studied population, and cluster analysis identified four major clusters, revealing similarities and dissimilarities among the accessions. Finally, genotypes 'Ch35T12', 'ChLa1', 'ChFr2', 'ChFr3', 'Ped35T1', 'Ped35T4', 'PedLa1', 'PedLa3', 'PedOp1', and 'ChPed2' were identified as late-leafing genotypes based on screening with late-leaf alleles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill) D.A. Webb) is the only nut tree species in Rosaceae family and it is one of the most important nut crops all over the world. Cultivar breeding programs in almond take a long time due to its relatively long juvenile period. In the present study, we aimed (1) to construct high-density genetic linkage maps in two intra-specific almond populations, (2) to detect syntenic rates of the markers derived from 'Gulcan-2 × Lauranne' and 'Guara × Nurlu' F1 populations and (3) to identify synteny of the almond genome with peach, Japanese apricot and sweet cherry genomes. In this study, diversity arrays technology (DArT) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) markers were used for high-density genetic linkage map construction. In 'Gulcan-2 × Lauranne' population, the 'Gulcan-2' maternal linkage map included 3206 markers, and the total map length was 436.8 cM with 7.34 marker density (marker/cM), whereas the 'Lauranne' paternal genetic map contained 3308 markers, and the total map length was 486.4 cM with 6.80 marker density. In 'Guara × Nurlu' population, the 'Guara' maternal linkage map included 2430 markers, and total map length was 378.6 cM with 6.42 marker density (marker/cM), whereas the 'Nurlu' paternal genetic map contained 3,005 markers, and the total map length was 497.0 cM with 6.05 marker density. The highest synteny ratio was detected between almond and peach with 69.22%, while the lowest synteny ratio was detected between almond and sweet cherry with 54.75%. Synteny analysis revealed that high levels of the collinear gene pairs were detected with peach and sweet cherry genomes as pseudochromosomes in the same chromosome pairs. However, Japanese apricot had high synteny percentage with almond genome in different chromosomes. The genetic linkage maps based on DArT and SNP loci generated in this study will be very useful for future quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis, synteny analysis of the almond genome with other Prunus species can be used for molecular breeding, and genetic studies in Prunus species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the basis of hybrid vigor remains a key question in crop breeding and improvement, especially for rootstock development where F1 hybrids are extensively utilized. Full-sibling UCB-1 F1 seedling rootstocks are widely planted in commercial pistachio orchards that are generated by crossing 2 highly heterozygous outbreeding parental trees of Pistacia atlantica (female) and P. integerrima (male). This results in extensive phenotypic variability, prompting costly removal of low-yielding small trees. To identify the genetic basis of this variability, we assembled chromosome-scale genome assemblies of the parental trees of UCB-1. We genotyped 960 UCB-1 trees in an experimental orchard for which we also collected multiyear phenotypes. We genotyped an additional 1,358 rootstocks in 6 commercial pistachio orchards and collected single-year tree-size data. Genome-wide single marker association tests identified loci associated with tree size and shape, sex, and precocity. In the experimental orchard, we identified multiple trait-associated loci and a strong candidate for ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes. We found significant marker associations unique to different traits and to early vs late phenotypic measures of the same trait. We detected 2 loci strongly associated with rootstock size in commercial orchards. Pseudo-testcross classification of markers demonstrated that the trait-associated alleles for each locus were segregating in the gametes of opposite parents. These 2 loci interact epistatically to generate the bimodal distribution of tree size with undesirable small trees observed by growers. We identified candidate genes within these regions. These findings provide a foundational resource for marker development and genetic selection of vigorous pistachio UCB-1 rootstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken primarily to develop new simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for pistachio ( Pistacia vera L.) and related Pistacia species using genomic libraries enriched for dinucleotide (GA) n and trinucleotide (AAG) n microsatellite motifs. A total of 192 clones were sequenced from each library, 135 primer pairs were designed, and 110 generated PCR products. Forty-six loci from the GA library and 18 loci from the AAG library produced polymorphic fragments following testing of 12 pistachio cultivars. A total of 264 alleles were generated from the polymorphic loci with an average of 4.13 alleles per locus. Polymorphism information content ( PIC ) was 0.51, whereas the observed ( Ho ) and expected heterozygosity ( He ) values were 0.52 and 0.56, respectively. Transferability of 110 SSR primer pairs were tested in ten wild Pistacia species, and 100 were transferable to at least one of the Pistacia species. Pistacia eurycarpa Yalt. had the highest number of transferable loci, whereas Pistacia texana Swingle and Pistacia lentiscus L. had the lowest one. This is the first study to report candidate SSR markers for P. eurycarpa , Pistacia palaestina and P. texana . It is apparent that SSR markers developed in this study could aid germplasm characterization, construction of genetic linkage maps and comparative mapping in the genus Pistacia . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almond is one of the most important nut crops in Turkey. Simple sequence repeat (SSR)‐based linkage maps are very reliable in constructing linkage maps due to the co‐dominant and highly reproducible nature of the SSR markers. The objective of this study was to construct well‐saturated, SSR‐based genetic linkage maps using 'Gulcan‐2 × Lauranne' and 'Guara × Nurlu' F1 populations and to identify QTLs related to the flower colour, stigma–anther position and full blooming date in almond. A total of 275 SSR primer pairs selected from the previous studies of various Prunus species were tested in both populations. A total of 175 SSR loci segregated in 'Gulcan‐2 × Lauranne' population and 162 SSR loci were mapped into eight linkage groups. The total map length was 514.6 cM, with an average marker density of 3.2 cM. In 'Guara × Nurlu' population, 159 markers segregated, and 153 SSR loci were mapped. The total map length was 493.9 cM with an average marker distance of 3.2 cM. Five and four major QTLs were detected in 'Gulcan‐2 × Lauranne' and 'Guara × Nurlu' populations, respectively. The linkage maps constructed in this study can be used in QTL analysis of important phenotypic traits in almond, whereas identified QTL regions and closely related markers can be used for marker assisted selection in future almond breeding programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apricot germplasm collection and characterization are the essential stages of breeding programs for diversity. Traditionally, germplasm collection and characterization are performed by describing phenological, pomological, and morphological characteristics of the germplasm. In this study, 93 apricot accessions and 1 apricot x plum hybrid (Kayısı EriğI) were collected from different regions of Turkey and were evaluated for 57 morphological UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants) characteristics, along with 13 pomological traits. Turkish apricot trees were generally found to be either strong (29.8%) or very strong (54.3%). Only 12 accessions (GÜ-52, Çanakkale, Çekirge-52, Karacabey, Geç Aprikoz, Güz Aprikozu, Alyanak, Hasanbey, Alkaya, Paşa MişmişI, Ağerik, and Ziraat Okulu) had large fruits. Of the total 93 specimens, 67 accessions did not exhibit kernel bitterness. Important dried cultivars of Turkey contain more than 25% total soluble solids (TSS). The harvest period of the majority (84 accessions) started at the end of June and lasted until mid-July. Principle coordinate analysis (PCoA) and principle component analysis (PCA) revealed that eigenvalues of the first 3 components were able to represent 32.67% of total variance in PCoA and 23.63% of total variance in PCA. The eigenvalue of pomological PCA analysis was able to represent 73% of total variance. Significant negative correlations were determined among fruit juice acidity, TSS, and pH. The morphological distance index between Turkish apricots varied from 0.21 to 0.79. Information revealed in this study may be useful for both breeders and apricot breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walnut (Juglans regia L.) is one of the most common nuts in the world. There are a wide walnut variety of genotypes that differ in forestry, physical and chemical properties. Most of the walnut genotypes, which are natural resources have been evaluated as promising and germplasm sources for breeding. Walnuts are high in many beneficial biochemical compounds, so they have a useful profile for many people in relation to disease risk. Therefore, the demand for production and consumption of walnut is increasing day by day. In the present study, fatty acid and tocopherol profiles of 156 F1 genotypes belonging to Chandler × Kaplan-86 walnut population and their parents were investigated. Fatty acids and tocopherol isomers (α, β, γ) were determined by GC/FID (gas chromatography/flame lonizing detector) and HPLC (high-pressure liquid chromatography) techniques, respectively. The fatty acid content of F1 walnut genotypes and their parents were found to be 0.00%-3.34% for myristic acid, 5.86%-10.05% for palmitic acid, 0.01%-4.46% for stearic acid, 0.00%-0.89% for palmitoleic acid, 10.00%-20.89% for oleic acid, 45.36%-66.20% for linoleic acid and 9.04%-20.55% for a-linolenic acid. The content of a-tocopherol, ß-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol from the walnut population were determined to be 1.61-23.65 µg/g, 1.90-12.57 µg/g, 90.22-394.96 µg/g, respectively. The Chandler × Kaplan-86 F1 hybrid walnut population showed a significant variation in terms of the fatty acids and tocopherol contents. This research contains up-to-date scientific data on very wide walnut genetic resources and composition. Our data show that 156 F1 walnut genotypes have a potential source of monounsaturated fatty acids and tocopherols and the results are very important for future breeding studies on walnut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, significant variations were identified for seven fruit traits of the walnut accessions. The highest correlations were detected between nut height and nut width, and between nut weight and kernel weight. Most traits had a continuous normal binominal distribution. A total of 16,774 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers based on diversity arrays technology were generated and after filtering the missing data, the remaining 13,611 SNP data were used for genotyping. STRUCTURE (v.2.2) analysis revealed two possible scenarios (K = 3 and K = 5) according to the results of AK computation. While K = 3 indicated that walnut cultivars were clustered into three different groups, K = 5 revealed five different groups. Results of the dendrogram tree analysis were supported by the results presented in the STRUCTURE analysis. A total of 98 association signals were detected with FDR < 0.05 from MLM (K) using BLUP predictors for the seven agronomic traits. Out of these 98 associations, seven SNPs were associated with nut weight, 26 SNPs with nut length, 15 SNPs with nut height, 18 SNPs with nut width, 18 SNPs with shell thickness, 12 SNPs with kernel weight, and 2 SNPs with kernel ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walnut (Juglans regia L.) is the most important species in the genus Juglans due to the high commercial value of its nuts and timber. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are considered as the markers of choice owing to their codominant nature. Since very few SSRs have been developed in walnut, this study aimed to develop numerous polymorphic SSRs from Class I repeats by using DNA sequences of the Chandler cultivar. In all, 800 SSRs were designed and tested in 8 Turkish, 3 French, and 5 US walnut cultivars, of which 88 (11%) did not produce bands, 161 (20.1%) were monomorphic, and 551 (68.9%) were polymorphic. In all, 2696 alleles were produced by the 551 polymorphic SSR loci in the 16 walnut cultivars, ranging from 2 to 14 alleles per locus with an average number of 4.9. Polymorphism information content ranged from 0.21 to 0.89 with an average of 0.62. Cluster analysis produced a very robust dendrogram. The walnut cultivars were separated into two main groups: all Turkish cultivars were included in one group, whereas the US and French cultivars were included in the other group. A set of 20 SSRs was selected for their high genetic diversity values to be used in further genetic studies in walnut. The novel SSR markers developed in this study could be used in future studies for constructing a genetic linkage map, analyzing population genetics, identifying parents, and conducting marker-assisted breeding, fingerprinting, and germplasm characterization in walnut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dioecious character of Pistacia vera L (the pistachio tree) limits its breeding capacity. Thus, early stage selection of males can save time, labor, and land. This study aimed to develop sex-linked single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, together with expressed sequence tag-derived simple sequence repeats (EST-SSRs), to determine position of the sex locus in pistachio by constructing a linkage map of its sex chromosome for the first time. Nine novel sex-linked SNP markers were successfully identified by SNaPshot minisequencing analysis of 25 SNP loci from 17 restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) reads in 309 individuals. All nine markers were heterozygous in females and homozygous in males supporting a ZW/ZZ sex determination system in pistachio. A total of 105 segregating SSRs and sex-linked markers were used to identify the sex chromosome and the position of the sex locus through analysis of a Siirt × Bağyolu F population with 122 progenies. Of these 105 markers, four common and four paternal SSRs were mapped onto the sex chromosome, along with the phenotypic sex locus and sex-linked markers. The resulting consensus map had a total length of 65.19 cM. The sex locus and sex-linked SNP markers were located in the center of the chromosome at a distance of 31.86 and 31.92 cM, respectively. This study presents valuable information about the sex chromosome and sex locus position as well as novel polymorphic EST-SSRs and nine sex-linked SNP markers in pistachio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are seed propagated walnut (Juglans regia L.) populations with the vast genetic variation in different part of Turkey. There are also lots of monoecious and dichogamous genotypes in Turkey due to continuing sexual propagation. In this study, fruits of 19 selected walnut genotypes grown in Kahramanmaraş region were characterized based on their fat, fatty acid and tocopherol contents. The fatty acids content of genotypes were analyzed using Gas Chromatography. Tocopherol analyses such as alpha (α)-Tocopherol, gamma (γ) and beta (β) + delta (δ) were performed by HPLC technique. According to the total fat and fatty acid results, there were differences among genotypes on most of the fatty acids. Total fat ranged from 51.2 to 82.1%, stearic acid from 2.57 to 3.37%, myristic acid from 0.00 to 0.05%, palmitic acid from 6.42 to 7.92%, arachidic acid from 0.00 to 0.16%, linoleic acid from 53.23 to 63.62%, linolenic acid from 10.75 to 15.24%, oleic acid from 14.73 to 24.17% and palmitoleic acid from 0.00 to 0.16%, respectively. The same genotypes were evaluated based on their tocopherol content and (α)-Tocopherol, gamma (γ) and beta (β) + delta (δ) tocopherol were found between 23.47 and 38.04 μg/g, 161.09 and 292.56 μg/g and 16.93 and 32.34 μg/g, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Apiaceae family includes a few agronomic and medicinal species, one of which isScaligeria lazicaBoiss. In this study, the genetic diversity ofS.lazicawas analyzed based on novel simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers using next-generation sequencing (NGS). A total of 15.17G clean Illumina data set was obtained and dinucleotide repeats were the most abundant repeats inS. lazica. Of the tested 150 SSR primer pairs, 139 ones produced amplification and 84 ones were polymorphic. Forty polymorphic SSR loci were used in genetic diversity analysis of 40S. lazicaaccessions from four locations. A total of 264 alleles were amplified with an average of 6.6 alleles per locus. The polymorphism information content (PIC) was 0.60, while the observed homozygosity (Ho) and expected heterozygosity (He) values were 0.47 and 0.66, respectively. According to cluster and structure analysis, all accessions were grouped into four different clusters according to their collection sites. The SSR markers developed in this study can be tested for otherScaligeriaspecies due to their high transferability and can be used for genetic studies in genusScaligeriaDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, promising candidates of six apricot genotypes were compared with our local and major cultivar (Hacıhaliloğlu) based on their phenological, pomological, and biochemical characteristics. Fruit weight, stone weight, flesh firmness, flesh fruit/stone ratio, TSS (Total soluble solids), glucose, fructose, sucrose, total phenols, total antioxidant activity (FRAP and ABTS assays) and bud break, first bloom, full bloom, and harvesting date of apricot cultivar candidates were compared with cultivar Hacıhaliloğlu 'HH.' According to the obtained results, the higher content of total phenolic compounds and total antioxidant activity was determined in the N95 genotype (96.87 µmol TE/g) fruit, whereas the 'HH' cultivar was characterized by the lower value (94.6 µmol TE/g) especially determined by FRAP method. Individual sugars and the soluble solids content of fruit differed between selected genotypes and 'HH' cultivar. Glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents were higher in all selected genotypes than in Hacıhaliloğlu cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walnut, Juglans regia L., has been cultivated for its edible nut and timber since ancient times. It is one of the most valuable and widely cultivated horticultural commodities in the world. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) have a wide range of applications in plants, and there is still a necessity to develop novel SSR markers for each plant species. Bacterial artificial chromosome-end sequences (BES) are good sources to generate novel SSR markers. In pursuit of this objective, a total of 558 BES-SSR primer pairs were designed for J. regia . Of them, 507 (91%) had amplifications, and 307 were polymorphic when tested in eight walnut cultivars. A total of 1097 alleles were generated from 307 polymorphic SSR loci, ranging from two to eleven, with an average of 3.6 per locus. Polymorphism information contents (PIC) varied from 0.11 to 0.88 with an average of 0.46. Di-nucleotide motifs had higher polymorphism and genetic diversity values than the other motif types. The rate of polymorphism increased with the repeat length, therefore, class I SSRs are useful source of polymorphic DNA markers in walnut. Novel SSR markers developed in this study may possess potential applications such as fingerprinting, marker-assisted breeding, germplasm characterization and genetic linkage mapping in walnut and other species of Juglans . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey has rich wild apricot populations and all Turkish apricot cultivars were previously selected among wild apricots. On this background for apricot breeding six new late flowering dried apricot genotypes were taken under study, along with wide spread cv. 'Hacihaliloglu'; all genotypes were examined in terms of volatile compounds using Headspace-Solid Phase Micro Extraction - Mass Spectrometry (HSSPME/GC/MS) techniques. The most important volátiles of apricot genotypes were aldehydes, alcohols, esters, terpenes, ketones and acids. Among these compounds, ethanol, hexanal, 3-carene, squalene, acetic acid, tetradecaonic acid, pentadecaonic acid, octadecaonic acid, n-hexadecaonic acid and l-hdroxy-2-propanone were present in all genotypes studied at certain levels. In general, total concentrations of aroma compounds were higher in some promising genotypes under study than within 'Hacihaliloglu' cultivar, except total alcohol compound (53.33%). Volatile compounds, particularly esters, were the major contributors to fruity, floral and pleasant fruit flavours. The highest esters' compound contents were detected in 'N95' (9.2%) and 'N57' (2.18%) genotypes, while 'Hacihaliloglu' had 1.61% ester compounds. Lacton (y-decalactone) was a key aroma compound of apricot, y-decalactone was detected ranging between 0.4-1.13% in all genotypes, except cv. 'Hacihaliloglu'. The hereby obtained results showed that the volatile composition depended largely upon the apricot genotypes, moment of harvest, growing conditions and cultural applications that may all affect fruit quality. These results represent valuable starting points for apricot breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juglans regia L. is the only commercially grown species for nut consumption within the Juglans genus. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are the markers of choice, especially when constructing genetic linkage maps for plants. There are only a limited number of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in the literature for J. regia that can be used to construct a SSR based genetic linkage map. Therefore, genomic libraries enriched with CA, GA, AAC, and AAG repeats were constructed using genomic DNA from J. regia cv. ‘Maraş-18’ to develop SSR markers for walnut. A total of 624 clones were sequenced; 516 had repeats and 94 were duplicates. Two-hundred and seventy-six primer pairs were designed, and 246 generated PCR products and 185 polymorphic loci were obtained by characterizing 15 walnut cultivars. The number of alleles ranged from two to ten among the 185 polymorphic loci with an average of 4.3. The GA-enriched library was the best among the four libraries in terms of number of alleles, polymorphism, productivity, and information content. A higher number and frequency of SSRs were obtained from the dinucleotide-enriched libraries than from the trinucleotide libraries. The SSR markers developed in this study may help genetic studies on J. regia and related species, especially when constructing and integrating maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike most angiosperms, in which fertilization occurs within several days after pollination, fertilization in hazel ( Corylus Spp.) is delayed by two to three and a half months. However, the female inflorescences or young fruits are too hard or lignified to be dissected according to regular paraffin sectioning technique. So, what the nature of development during the extended progamic phases of hazel remains unknown. The female inflorescence development and pollen tube growth mode during the delayed fertilization stage in hazel were investigated by improved paraffin sectioning and aniline blue staining of pollen tubes. The results showed ovaries and ovules of hazel were invisible at the time of blooming. Early ovary and ovule primordium began to form from 15 to 20 days after blooming, respectively. Integument and mature embryo sacs differentiated from the nucellus on 40th and 55th day after blooming, respectively. Pollen tubes were retarded in the bottom of the style or the pollen tube cavity (PTC, a specifical lignified cavity structure at the bottom of style for pollen tube to rest during progamic phase) for about 26 days. Then, the pollen tubes were observed to leave the PTC and began to enter the ovary. After that, a single pollen tube passed through the vicinity of the micropyle. Finally, pollen tubes turned a corner and penetrated the embryo sac through the tissue of the chalaza instead of micropyle on 52 and 55 days after blooming, respectively. The results of more in-depth information will be beneficial to better understanding of the delayed fertilization process in hazel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pitaya is one of the most preferred and produced tropical fruit species recently introduced to the Mediterrranean region in Turkey. Due to its nutritional fruits with high economic value, the popularity of pitaya increases steadily in Turkey as an alternative crop. No detailed nutritional analysis has been undertaken in Turkey so far on fruits of the pitaya species. In this study, we determined and compared some nutritional parameters in fruit flesh of two pitaya (dragon fruit) species (Hylocereus polyrhizus: Siyam and Hylocereus undatus: Vietnam Jaina) grown in the Adana province located in the eastern Mediterranean region in Turkey. The individual sugars, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, phenolic compounds and volatiles were determined for the first time in Turkey on two pitaya species. The results showed that total phenol content and antioxidant capacity are notably higher in red-fleshed fruits than white-fleshed ones and the predominant phenolic compound in fruits of both species was quercetin. The total sugar content and most of the phenolic compounds in fruits of two pitaya species were similar. A total of 51 volatile compounds were detected by using two Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME) fibers, coupled with Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques, and more volatile compounds were presented in the white-fleshed species. Total phenolic content (TPC) of the red-fleshed and white-fleshed pitaya species were 16.66 and 17.11 mg GAE/100 g FW (fresh weight). This study provides a first look at the biochemical comparison of red-fleshed and white-fleshed pitaya species introduced and cultivated in Turkey. The results also showed, for the first time, the biochemical content and the potential health benefit of Hylocereus grown in different agroecological conditions, providing important information for pitaya researchers and application perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to investigate metabolic responses of fruits, leaves, and shoots of pistachio trees (Pistacia vera L. cv. Kirmizi) during their development. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed significant increase in generation of semiquinone radicals in fruits and leaves of pistachio, while the flower cluster thinning application was conducted in relation to the control; especially at the second term of the plant material collection. Moreover, flower abscission caused an increase in the level of phytohormones such as indole-3-acetic acid and abscisic acid in fruits at the first term of fruits sampling. In turn, high-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed differences both in the profile as well as the contents of soluble sugars detected in pistachio organs. The highest total sugar content was found in fruits of pistachio where the flower cluster thinning application was made early. Total sugar levels were higher also in leaves and shoots of the above-mentioned pistachio plants in relation to the control until the third sampling time. The importance of high levels of fructose in the fruits following the flower abscission was observed. Additionally, analyses of mineral elements in organs showed that copper and phosphorus contents in fruits were higher after the flower abscission in relation to the control. To conclude, our findings signal on contribution of semiquinone radicals, paramagnetic manganese ions, phytohormones, nutrients, and sugars in pistachio organs development on the background of the flower cluster thinning which was applied before fructification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to study the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships among 16 genotypes from subgenus Prunus (six genotypes from section Prunophora, seven genotypes from section Armeniaca and two plumcot genotypes, and one genotype from subgenus Cerasus) in Prunus genus. From the polymerase chain reaction amplifications with 20 ISSR primers showing polymorphism among subgenera and sections, 180 polymorphic ISSR bands were detected and polymorphism ratio ranged from 57% to 100%. Based on the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) using the Jaccard coefficient, a dendrogram and three-dimensional plot were constructed including genotypes in Prunus genus. Two main groups formed in the dendrogram; one of them (Cluster I) included Cerasus, whereas Cluster II included Prunus. Cluster II also divided into three subgroups, including sections Prunophora, Armeniaca, and plumcot. Both UPGMA and the PCoA demonstrated that Armeniaca genotypes had lower genetic variation and plumcot genotypes are closer to the plums than the apricots. The ISSR-based phylogeny was generally consistent with Prunus taxonomy based on molecular evidence, suggesting the applicability of ISSR analysis for genotypic and phylogenetic studies in Prunus genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding studies in walnut (Juglans regia L.) are usually time consuming due to the long juvenile period and therefore, this study aimed to determine markers associated with time of leaf budburst and flowering-related traits by performing a genome-wide association study (GWAS). We investigated genotypic variation and its association with time of leaf budburst and flowering-related traits in 188 walnut accessions. Phenotypic data was obtained from 13 different traits during 3 consecutive years. We used DArT-seq for genotyping with a total of 33,519 (14,761 SNP and 18,758 DArT) markers for genome-wide associations to identify marker underlying these traits. Significant correlations were determined among the 13 different traits. Linkage disequilibrium decayed very quickly in walnut in comparison with other plants. Sixteen quantitative trait loci (QTL) with major effects (R2 between 0.08 and 0.23) were found to be associated with a minimum of two phenotypic traits each. Of these QTL, QTL05 had the maximum number of associated traits (seven). Our study is GWAS for time of leaf budburst and flowering-related traits in Juglans regia L. and has a strong potential to efficiently implement the identified QTL in walnut breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pistachio is one of the most commercially important nut trees in the world. To characterize the genetic controls of horticultural traits and facilitate marker-assisted breeding in pistachio, we constructed an SSR-based linkage map using an interspecific F1 population derived from a cross between the cultivar "Siirt" (Pistacia vera L.) and the monoecious Pa-18 genotype of Pistacia atlantica Desf. This population was also used for the first QTL analysis in pistachio on leaf and shoot characters. In total, 1312 SSR primers were screened, and 388 loci were successfully integrated into parental linkage maps. The Siirt maternal map contained 306 markers, while the "Pa-18" paternal map included 285 markers along the 15 linkage groups. The Siirt map spanned 1410.4 cM, with an average marker distance of 4.6 cM; the Pa-18 map covered 1362.5 cM with an average marker distance of 4.8 cM. Phenotypic data were collected during the growing seasons of 2015 and 2016 for four traits: leaf length (LL), leaf width (LW), leaf length/leaf width ratio (LWR), number of leaflet pairs (NLL), and young shoot color (YSC). A total of 17 QTLs were identified in the parental maps. Four QTLs for LL and LW were located on LG2 and LG4, while four QTLs for LWR ratio on LG13 and LG14, two QTLs for NLL and two QTLs for YSC were on LG7 and LG9, respectively, with similar positions in both parental maps. The SSR markers, linkage maps, and QTLs reported here will provide a valuable resource for future molecular and genetic studies in pistachio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]