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Morphological characterization of cultivated almonds in Lebanon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2007

Lamis Chalak
Affiliation:
Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute, PO Box 287 Zahlé, Lebanon
Ali Chehade
Affiliation:
Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute, PO Box 287 Zahlé, Lebanon
Aline Kadri
Affiliation:
Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute, PO Box 287 Zahlé, Lebanon
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Abstract

Introduction. Although almond (Prunus dulcis L.) is one of the most important cultivated fruit trees in Lebanon, cultivated accessions have not yet been inventoried, and the identity of the varieties is unknown. Our study therefore aimed at assessing the genetic diversity of cultivated almonds in Lebanon using morphological characters. Materials and methods. Field surveys were performed in 2002-2003 with the aim of collecting different accessions of cultivated almond trees throughout the country. Thirty-six accessions were characterized in their cultivated habitats by using 20 qualitative and quantitative traits related mainly to the fruit, according to descriptors previously established by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI). Results. A large diversity was revealed among accessions, probably due to genetic differences. Based on the qualitative studied traits, the dendogram indicated that most of the accessions were clearly distinguishable and only two cases of synonymy were observed. They have been clustered into three main groups at 0.37 of Jaccard similarity distance. Conclusion. This study needs to be completed by a DNA analysis, in order to highlight the influence of environmental conditions on the variability in the P. dulcis germplasm and to confirm the genetic distances among accessions.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© CIRAD, EDP Sciences, 2007

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