POMOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOME WALNUT GENOTYPES IN CENTRAL ANATOLIA

This study was conducted to determine some pomological and chemical characteristics of Bilecik, Yavuz, Şebin walnut cultivars and Yerli genotype grown in Kırşehir, Turkey. Characteristics of walnut such as nut weight, kernel weight, nut width, nut hight and nut diameter and some kernel features were investigated. The results indicated that the average fruit weight ranged from 17.33 g (Yavuz) to 12.83 g (Şebin), the nut width alternated from 37.63 mm (Yavuz) to 31.33 mm (Yerli), the nut height ranged from 52.25 mm (Yavuz) to 41.07 mm (Yerli), and the kernel percentage ranged from 46.07% (Bilecik) to 49.43% (Yavuz). The highest oil content was detected in Yavuz cultivar (63.20%), while the lowest value was obtained from the Bilecik cultivar with 53.90%. Contrary to fat content, the highest protein content was detected in the Bilecik cultivar. Consequently, our data showed that the fruit properties of Yavuz and Şebin cultivars were superior than the others in Central Anatolian ecological conditions