Relationships between Pomological Parameters in Wild Strawberry Trees (Arbutus unedo L.) Using Path Analysis

This study was carried out to determine the relationships between pomological parameters in selected wild strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) genotypes from Bulancak and Espiye provinces in Giresun province (Turkey) in 2008 using path analysis. In the region, 47 wild strawberry tree genotypes were selected, and evaluated in terms of pomological properties such as fruit weight, fruit width, fruit length, shape index, total soluble solid content, pH and titratable acidity, sensorial traits such as fruit flavor, juiciness, stone cells, attractiveness and roughness. In the statistical analysis some correlations between pomological characteristics were significant. The highest effect on fruit weight was fruit width. Fruit dimensions and fruit weight were significantly correlated with titratable acidity, positively. Correlation coefficients between stone cells-fruit width, roughness-fruit width, roughness- pH and roughness- attractiveness were significant, negatively. In the path analysis, fruit weight was the dependent variable. The positive and significant correlation (r(X1Y)=0.613) between fruit length and fruit weight in simple correlation analysis were found as negative and there was no significant correlation in case of eliminating of the effects of fruit length, shape index, total soluble solid content, titratable acidity and pH variables. In the path analysis, fruit width, fruit shape index and titratable acidity variables were the greatest positive effects on fruit weight, respectively. In addition, coefficient of correlation between fruit weight and fruit width was significant. The same case was applied to fruit shape index.