Morphological, Pomological, and Bioactive Compound Diversity of 33 Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus L.) from Düzce, Türkiye

Cherry laurel is becoming increasingly popular due to its unique flavor, attractive appearance, and nutritional benefits. However, the morphological, pomological, and biochemical characteristics of the existing population in the Kaynaşlı district of Düzce, Türkiye, remain unclear. To address this, 33 genotypes in this area were systematically characterized in terms of pomological and biochemical traits and their interrelationships. The results revealed a wide variation in fruit and bunch characteristics, including fruit weight (ranging from 2.34 to 7.39 g), the number of fruits per bunch (ranging from 3 to 18), and total soluble solids content (from 10.00% to 22.40%). Notably, the G3 exhibited a superior fruit weight of 7.39 g, surpassing that of currently registered varieties. The study found that phenolic compounds, particularly catechin, were dominant across the individuals, along with significant levels of myricetin, rutin, gallic acid, and syringic acid. Multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering, confirmed a high level of diversity and identified eight individuals with superior traits related to fruit size, phenolic content, color, and astringency. These findings highlight the rich diversity in cherry laurel populations in the region and provide essential breeding material for future studies.