Characterization of pomegranate cultivars in palm groves of the Oued Righ valley (South-Eastern Algeria)

Abstract

Varietal recognition is a key step for good management of genetic diversity. Indeed, the morphological description of certain organs, such as the leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds, allow a more or less rapid and reliable identification of the varieties or cultivars. The culture of the pomegranate tree is very known in the valley of Oued Righ in the Algerian Southern, and it constitutes the main fruit species with a number of trees of 27.77 % of total number. The pomegranate tree is found in more than 84% of the farms of the region and its production is complementary of that of the dates. Unfortunately, no study has been realized on the characterization and the valorization of this species. To know and identify the varieties or the existing cultivars, we have undertaken a work of characterization of clones cultivated in the valley of Oued Righ. The plant material constituted by 13 clones of pomegranate tree stemming from various farms. The method of work consists in taking 20 fruits by tree for physico-chemical analyses in the laboratory. The results of analyses on sample of 13 clones described five cultivars, among which some present acceptable characters of fruit from a caliber point of view, contents in sugars and acidity. It shows that the naming of cultivars by the farmers based only on the acid taste of fruits "Hamad" or sweetened "Hlou" is not scientific and remain insufficient. Our results confirm the usefulness of morphological descriptors in the characterization of plant genetic resources. However, more clarification can be achieved by the undeniable contribution of molecular markers.