Some Characteristics and Caprification Potentials of Caprifigs (Ficus carica var. caprificus L.) Grown in Bursa, Turkey

Abstract

Caprifig accession significantly influences the physical and biochemical quality of the edible fruit. Thus, it is critical to analyze characteristics and to select them with acceptable quality for efficient caprification in fig. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to determine the fruit quality and pollinator characteristics of six caprifig cultivars and fourteen caprifig genotypes. Except for the number of male flowers, there was a significant difference in accession for all characteristics. According to the findings, the pollinator wasp, Blastophaga psenes, emerged from profichi fruits ranged from June 28 to July 23. The number of fruits per shoot of caprifig accessions varied from 4.56 to 8.83, the fruit weight varied from 17.90 to 39.97 g, the fruit length ranged from 43.01 to 58.71 mm, the ostiole width ranged from 0.64 to 3.16 mm for three years in Bursa region of Turkey. The number of B. psenes exists per fruit ranged from 26.31 to 263.20 while the number of gall flowers ranged from 325.55 to 963.00. The Yanako-2, Kaba İlek, and Havran cultivars had the highest percentage of pollen germination. Except for Karabulut and Kıbrıslı cultivars, the pollen was oblate-spheroidal. The pollen width and length were highest in the 16-ZF-05 genotype and Yanako-2 cultivar. The pollinizer qualities of the relatively early-season accessions Ak İlek and Kaba İlek; the mid-season accessions 16-ZF-04 and Mor Demirtaş; and the late-season accessions Karabulut, 16-ZF-02, and 16-ZF-09 were promising.