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ŠUMARSKI LIST 11-12/2018 str. 53     <-- 53 -->        PDF

Fruit and seedling diversity among sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) populations in Turkey
Raznolikost plodova i sadnica u populacijama pitomoga kestena (Castanea sativa Mill.) u Turskoj
Fahrettin Atar, Ibrahim Turna
Summary
Sweet chestnut, Castanea sativa Mill., is an important multipurpose tree species in Asia Minor and Europe. The objective of this study was to investigate variation among eight sweet chestnut populations in Turkey by using different morphological characteristics of fruits and seedlings. A total of four fruit characteristics were analysed: fruit length, width and thickness, and fruit shape, i.e. the ratio of fruit length and width. Additionally, 1000 fruit mass and fruit moisture content were determined as well. Measurements of seedling length, root collar diameter and sturdiness quotient were carried out at one-year old seedlings. The highest values of fruit length, width and thickness were found in İzmir population, while the highest values of seedling length, root collar diameter and sturdiness quotient were found in Balıkesir population. The 1000 fruit mass ranged between 3815.1 g and 10516.5 g, and the highest average fruit moisture content was 52.21 %. In general, the fruit size increased from eastern to western populations. Furthermore, the results of statistical analyses showed that there were significant differences between analysed populations for measured morphological characteristics related to both fruit and seedling. Application of cluster analysis revealed grouping of populations according to the eco-geographic principle. However, human influence on the population structure cannot be excluded as well.
Key words: Castanea sativa, sweet chestnut, Turkey, morphology, fruit, seedling
INTRODUCTION
UVOD
Chestnut species are an important forest trees and shrubs belonging to the Fagaceae family. The Castanea Mill. genus encompasses seven economically and ecologically significant species, widely spread in the temperate forest zone of the northern hemisphere (Johnson 1988; Lang et al. 2007), where the sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is the only species naturally found in Europe and Asia Minor (Kayacık 1981). Sweet chestnut is distributed across the Mediterranean region, from the Caspian Sea to the Atlantic Ocean (Fernández-López and Alía 2003). In Turkey, it can be found mainly over the North and Western Anatolia (Black Sea Coast), and the Marmara Region. Chestnut grows up to 1200 m above sea level in the Black Sea region. In addition, it can also rise up to 1700 m in Rize region and up to 1800 m in the Aegean region (Kütahya-Simav).
Naturally it forms mixture stands with other tree species (Davis 1982; Soylu 2004; Turna 2013). According to Mattioni et al. (2008) three main managing types (domestication levels) may be identified for sweet chestnut: (1) naturalized stands; (2) managed coppice; and (3) orchards.