Assessment of the Quantitative Genetic Diversity among some Imported Olive Cultivars at Benghazi Governorate - Libya

Abstract

Quantitative morphological characters were used to characterize and assess the genetic diversity among seven imported olive cultivars in Sidi Farag region at Southeast of Benghazi Governorate, Libya during 2020 and 2021. Results analyses of 12 morphological characters revealed the existence of a recorded genetic variability among the studied cultivars. Morphological data were collected for quantitative traits such as mean number of fruits per kg, mean of fruit weight, and its volume, shape as well as mean of stone weight, and shape, fruit flesh/stone ratio, flesh thickness and weight, mean of oil percentage, humidity percentage. The morphological traits and analysis of variance showed a highly significant variation among various olive cultivars under study. Although the Kal Kadeke variety recorded the highest values of fruit size and weight, fruit flesh/stone ratio as well as Flesh weight and humidity percentage, they gave the lowest oil content in wet and dry weight by 15%, and 11.4% respectively. On the other hand, the Ascolano variety has the highest oil content in wet and dry weight which reached 47.05%, and 38.28%, respectively.