**2. Systematic and eco-geographical groups of apricot**

Apricot belongs to Prunus genus. Some systematicians created different sections under Prunus genus and Prunuphora sub-genara or Rosaceae family and Prunoideae sub-family (Table 1). American apricots are seen Armeniaca sub-section and named *Armeniaca vulgaris* Lam. (Bailey & Hough, 1975).


In the last two decades, molecular studies have been integrated into the conventional germplasm characterization researches (Battistini & Sansavini, 1991; Badanes et al. 1996; Mariniello et al. 2002; Hurtado et al. 2001, 2002; Hormaza, 2002; Vilanova et al. 2003; Geuna et al. 2003; Zhebentyayeva & Sivolap, 2000; Zhebentyayeva et al. 2003; Sanchez-Perez et al. 2005; Romero et al. 2003, 2006; Rao et al. 2008; Yilmaz, 2008; Akpinar et al. 2010) and genetic diversity in apricot. Recent studies show that this genetic diversity originated in Central Asia and transfered to Middle Asia and Caucasia. Later on, the apricot was taken to Europe, and recently spreaded from Europe to North America and

Apricot belongs to Prunus genus. Some systematicians created different sections under Prunus genus and Prunuphora sub-genara or Rosaceae family and Prunoideae sub-family (Table 1). American apricots are seen Armeniaca sub-section and named *Armeniaca vulgaris*

**Bailey (1916)** (Ledbetter, 2008) **Rehder (1940)** (Ledbetter, 2008)

*Prunus armeniaca* L. Sections Euprunus (European/Asian Plums) Var. *pendulata* Dipp. Pronocerasus (North American

plums)

*P. mume Alphandii* Rehd.

(plums, prunes & apricot) Sub-genera *Prunophora* 

Var. *variegata* Hort. Armeniaca (Apricots)

Var. *albo-plena* Hort. *P. mume* Sieb. & Zucc.

*microcarpa* Makino *P. armeniaca variegata* Schneid. *viridicalyx* Makino *P. armeniaca pendula* Jaeg. *cryptopetala* Makino *P. armeniaca Ansu* Maxim.

 Var. *mandshurica* Maxim. *P. brigantina* Vill. Var. *Ansu* Maxim. *P. mandshurica* Maxim.

Var. *Goethartiana* Koehne. *P. armeniaca* L.

Other wild forms *P. dasycarpa* Ehrh. *laciniata* Maxim. *P. armeniaca* L.

*P. dasycarpa* Ehrh. *P. mume alba* Rehd.

Var. *sibirica* Koch Armeniaca (Apricots)

*P. mume* Sieb. & Zucc. *P. sibirica* L.

*P. brigantiaca* Vill. *P. mume* Sieb. & Zucc.

**2. Systematic and eco-geographical groups of apricot** 

Genus *Prunus* Genus *Prunus* 

the rest of world.

Lam. (Bailey & Hough, 1975).

Sub-genera *Prunophora* 


Table 1. Apricot systematics according to various researchers

Leaf characteristics were accepted the most important criterion for apricot systematic by various researchers. Bailey (1916) examined the leaves emerged from dormant buds. Rehder (1940) used leaf shape and pubescence for classification of species. Chinese botanists utilized leaves in parallel Western researchers. However, Japanese researchers considered flower and branch color and flower size in Japanese apricots (*Prunus mume*) which is an ornamental plants for Traditional Japanese classification (Mega et al. 1988; Horiuchi et al. 1996). *Prunus fremontii* which is in Penarmeniaca section and reported in some studies (Bortiri et al. 2001, 2002) along with the desert dwelling species *Prunus andersonii* A. Gray. *Prunus fremontii* can be hybridized freely with other apricot species and differs from them (Ledbetter, 2008).


Fig. 1. Different apricot species

**A** 

**B** 

**D** 

**F** 

**C** 

a. *Prunus armeniaca* var. *ansu* (www.flickr.com)

e. *Prunus mandshurica* (http://www.lawyernursery.com)

d. *Prunus armeniaca* 

Fig. 1. Different apricot species

b. *Prunus mume* (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prunus\_mume\_Yaekanko.jpg) c. *Prunus brigantina* (http://luirig.altervista.org/cpm/albums/bot-042/001-prunus-brigantina.jpg)

**E** 

f. *Prunus sibirica* (http://www.agroatlas.ru/en/content/related/Armeniaca\_sibirica/)

Fig. 2. Leaf shapes in *Prunus armeniaca* in Irano-Caucasian eco-geographical group (Turkish apricots - Yilmaz, 2008)

Apricot has 2n=16 chromosomes. Wide variations emerged in apricots because of seed propagation and growing in different ecological areas in time. Therefore, the systematicians reported that 6-8 eco-geographical groups and 13 regional sub groups occured.


The oldest and richest in diversity is the Central Asian group which includes local apricots from Central Asia, Xinjiang, Afghanistan, Balucistan, Pakistan, and Northern India (Kashmir). This group is mostly self-incompatible and characterized with medium sized fruits and they have a tendency to bloom late spring. The secondary gene center of apricot is the Irano – Caucasian group which extends from Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, to North Africa, and even to Spain and Italy. They are generally self-incompatible, but on contrary, they produce large fruits and blooms earlier than apricots of Central Asia and needs lower chilling hours. Apricots of North American, South African, and Australian are classified as the European group and this group was originated from the apricots of Armenia, Iran, Turkey, and other Arab countries. Apricots of this group are self-compatible, fruits are more precocious and the trees need low chilling. The Dzhungar-Zailig group with mostly small fruits includes selections from regions of Dzharskent, Taldy-Kurgan, Kazakhstan, and Xinjiang (Mehlenbacher et al. 1990; Layne et al. 1996; Faust et al. 1998). Later, two major groups proposed by Bailey & Hough (1975), the Northern China group that includes forms of *Prunus mandshurica* and *Prunus sibirica*, and the Eastern China group that includes forms of *Prunus ansu* (Romero et al. 2003). In addition, some researchers mentioned two more groups named Tibet and Northeast China. While Tibet eco-geographic group includes forms of *Prunus armeniaca* var. *holosericea*, Northeast China eco-geographic group includes varieties and types of *Prunus armeniaca*, *Prunus sibirica* and *Prunus mandshurica* (Bailey & Hough, 1975).

The Central Asian and Irano-Caucausian including Turkish and Iran cultivars ecogeographical groups show the richest phenotypic variability, while European group including cultivars grown in North America, Australia and South Africa is to exibit the least diversity (Mehlenbacher et al. 1991; Halasz et al. 2010).
