Apricot

Abstract

Apricot is in the Rosaceae family within the genus Prunus L., subgenus Prunophora Focke, and the section Armeniaca (Lam.) Koch. Depending on the classifi cation system, the number of apricot species ranges from 3 to 12. Six distinct species are usually recognized: P . brigantina Vill., P . holosericeae Batal, P . armeniaca L., P . mandshurica (Maxim), P . sibirica L., Japanese apricot P . mume (Sieb.) Sieb. & Succ. Vavilov placed apricot in three centers of origin: the Chinese center (Central and Western China), the Central Asiatic center (Afghanistan, northwest India and Pakistan, Kashmir, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Xinjing province in China and western Tien-Shan), and the Near-Eastern center (interior of Asia Minor). Kostina further divided the cultivated apricot according to their adaptability into four major ecogeographical groups : (1) the Central Asian group, (2) the Iran-Caucasian group, (3) the European group, and (4) the Dzhungar-Zailij group. Many local cultivars are grown in the different areas and producing countries; however, these cultivars lack important traits that needed by modern production and marketing systems. Breeding programs have and continue to develop cultivars with improved adaptability to the environment (temperature requirements, water defi cit), extension of the harvest season, fruit quality for fresh consumption and processing, productivity, adequate tree size, and resistance to biotic stresses. The major objectives in apricot breeding

Characterization of melanin extracted from apricot (Armeniaca sibirica) and its effect on hydrazine-induced rat hepatic injury

“…Thus there is increasing interest in these substances and their sources 22,23 . Siberian apricot (Armeniaca sibirica), a member of the Prunoideae subfamily of Rosaceae, is a natural hybrid that is widely distributed in northern China, where it plays important roles in afforestation, conservation of soil and water, and commercial production of edible fruit pulp and oil, which has various applications 24 . Apricot kernel skin (testa), accounting for about 5% of apricot mass, is discarded as waste.…”

Characterization of Wild Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) Genotypes Selected from Cappadocia Region (Nevşehir-Turkey) by SSR Markers

“…indicated the origin centers of culture apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.) as China, Central Asia and defined Near-East centers extending from Northeastern Iran to Caucasus and Central Anatolia as the secondary origin center of cultured forms. Kostina (1969) divided P. armeniaca species into 4 large eco-geographical groups and 13 regional subgroups and placed Turkey into Iran-Caucasus ecogeographic group (Layne et al 1996;Zhebentyayeva et al 2012). Anatolia (Turkey) is located within the secondary origin center of apricots, thus has a great genetic diversity (Ercisli 2004).…”

Self-incompatibility and S-allele identification in new apricot cultivars

“…In the last years, an important renewal of plant material is taking place in apricot (Prunus armeniaca), with the introduction of new cultivars from different breeding programs (Zhebentyayeva et al, 2012). Most traditional Spanish apricot cultivars are selfcompatible (Burgos et al, 1997a).…”