Investigating phytochemical and pomological properties of commercially promising fig genotypes naturally distributed in Cizre region of Türkiye

Abstract

The genus Ficus (including Ficus carica L.) comprises over 850 tropical, subtropical, and temperate fruit species. Several are well adapted to southeastern T & uuml;rkiye, particularly the Cizre region, which hosts naturally occurring fig genotypes with high commercial potential that remain underexploited. This study compared the pomological characteristics and fruit quality parameters such as sugars, organic acids, and volatile compounds of 11 local fig genotypes. Significant differences were observed in most pomological traits and biochemical compounds among the genotypes. The Keruh and Ula & scedil; genotypes showed the highest values of pomological importance with values of fruit weight, (38.99 g and 36.80 g, respectively), and fruit length, (37.15 mm and 32.84 mm respectively). Moreover, the Varl & imath;k genotype had the highest titratable acidity (1.2% +/- 2.12), while Ku & scedil;tepe had the highest total soluble solids (24.5% +/- 0.78). Among organic acids, L-ascorbic acid was predominant (19.64 mg 100 g-1), followed by citric acid (3.47 mg 100 g-1) and succinic acid (3.2 mg 100 g-1). Volatile compound analysis identified 38 substances, including alcohols, esters, ketones, aldehydes, and acids, which constitute the primary aromatic profile of these genotypes. These findings highlight the commercial promise of select genotypes for cultivation or breeding programs, emphasizing their distinct biochemical and pomological qualities.