Multivariate Analysis of Turkish and Foreign Apricot Cultivars Based on Biochemical Components

Abstract

In this study, six domestic (“Alyanak,” “Hacıhaliloğlu,” “Hasanbey,” “Kabaaşı,” “Sakıt,” and “Soğancı”) and four foreign apricot cultivars (“Bebeco,” “Paviot,” “Colomer,” and “Tyrinthe”) were investigated. All cultivars were collected from the collection orchard of Yuzuncu Yıl University in Van province, Turkey. Fruit biochemicals such as sugars, organic acids, and phenolic compounds were determined. The biochemical composition from ten samples obtained from domestic and foreign apricot cultivars was classified with multivariate analysis (principal component analysis [PCA] and hierarchical cluster analysis [HCA]) based on their sugar, organic acid, and phenolic compositions. Sucrose was the most abundant sugar in all cultivars, and “Hasanbey” had the highest sucrose. “Bebeco” comprised the group with the highest malic acid content. Chlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and gallic acid were higher in the domestic cultivars and “Sakıt” and “Soğancı” were the richest in terms of these substances. On the other hand, p‑coumaric acid, o‑coumaric acid, catechin, syringic acid, vanillic acid, and phloridzin were higher in the foreign cultivars, where “Paviot,” “Bebeco,” and “Colomer” came to the fore.

According to the PCA and HCA results, the domestic and foreign cultivars were clustered into two main groups, and the “Bebeco,” “Colomer,” and “Tyrinthe” from foreign cultivars were in the sub-group of the second main group. These results could help plan future breeding programs and determine the fruit quality and nutritional content of domestic and foreign apricot cultivars’.