PISTACHIO ROOTSTOCK BREEDING BY SELECTION OF WILD PISTACIA SPECIES IN TURKEY

Abstract

This study was carried out in the years 1999-2000 to establish a germplasm collection for future breeding programmes and to produce pistachio rootstocks that were vigorous and compatible with cultivars. Seeds from 63 different types were collected from 10 provinces of Turkey, namely Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Kahramanmaras, Malatya, Sivas, Tokat, Gumushane, Amasya, Samsun and Trabzon. Selection studies were carried out in the eastern Anatolia, Black Sea and southeastern Anatolia regions in 1999. Twenty five Pistacia palaestina, 16 P. atlantica, 14 P. terebinthus and 8 P. khinjuk types were selected in the study. Seeds of selected types were sown in plastic containers in the greenhouse and grown up to seven months. The seedlings were compared with P. integerrima seedlings. According to growth and bud take rate, the best results were obtained from 63 ME 01 and 63 ME 02 types of P. terebinthus, 46 FS 06 and 46 FS 07 types of P. palaestina, and 60 AT 05 type of P. atlantica.