Pomological Characteristics of Cherry Laurel Genotypes in Denizli (Acıpayam)

Cherry laurel is a fruit species whose value has not been fully realised, despite its high nutritional content and potential for industrial use, due to its limited production area and low recognition. The fact that production in Türkiye is primarily concentrated in restricted areas such as the Black Sea Region has also led to limited scientific studies on this species. This situation indicates that cherry laurel is one of the species that still requires further research in the literature on topics such as its morphological and pomological characteristics, genetic structure, and breeding potential. This study examined the pomological traits and interrelationships of 12 cherry laurel genotypes. The study analyzed the number of fruits per cluster, cluster length, cluster weight, fruit weight and size, seed characteristics, flesh/seed ratio, leaf and petiole dimensions, SPAD values, and SSC, pH, and TA parameters. The results indicate significant variation among the traits studied. Fruit weight ranged from 2.94 to 6.90 g, cluster weight from 9.10 to 77.0 g, and SSC values from 15.40% to 25.80%. Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between cluster weight and the number of fruits per cluster. PCA grouped the genotypes according to different breeding objectives, revealing that the G4, G6, and G8 genotypes were distinguished by their higher fruit weights, while the G7 genotype was distinguished by its higher number of fruits per cluster. These results suggest that these genotypes offer a scientific basis and provide valuable genetic material for future breeding programs.