Distribution of Service Tree in Kocaeli-Marmara Area: Phenological, Morphological and Chemical Properties

Abstract

Service tree is a less-known species that its conservation and breeding has a priority. There is small population of the service tree in Kocaeli city-Kartepe area in Turkey. In this study, growing habitat of the service tree, tree habitus, flowering phenology, fruit characteristics (morphological and chemical) was investigated. Service trees were determined on the southern slopes, grown as multi-stemmed trees and has less or severe suckers. Flowering period occurred in April and there were averagely 30.5 flowers per bud and 3.1 fruits per cluster. Fruits were apple shaped; the average weight, length and width of fruits were calculated as 7.28 g, 17.1 mm and 19.9 mm, respectively. Soluble solid contents, titratable acidity, and pH were measured as 20.2%, 0.42% and 4.0, respectively. Seed number per fruit was 1.4 and it was a well-developed seeds. This is the first report distribution of service tree in the Kocaeli city and has an importance as a genetic resource for the breeding

Keywords

• Sorbus domestica L., ecology, phenology, morphological characteristics, chemical characteristics