Determination of selection-focused physicochemical properties in the local Eğrisap pear (Pyrus communis L.) clone grown in Rize

Turkey, located within the Western Asia gene center, is a significant genetic center for many fruit species, including pears. Rize, a province in the Northeastern part of Turkey, is located within the Northeast Anatolia Region, which falls within the genetic center area where pears have undergone evolutionary development. This study aimed to identify promising local Eğrisap pear clone genotypes with superior traits and to introduce them into economic use. For this purpose, Rize province and its districts were surveyed, and fruit and leaf samples were collected from pre-selected Eğrisap pear clone types. These samples were subjected to pomological, morphological, and chemical analysis. The JMP 13 statistical software package was used to compare the Eğrisap pear clone types. According to the research results, the pomological and morphological traits of the clone types varied as follows: fruit weight (99.10–139.54 g), fruit width (54.52–65.41 mm), fruit length (57.58–68.83 mm), fruit stem length (50.75–59.50 mm), fruit stem thickness (2.36–2.91 mm), core width (5.15–7.55 mm), core length (9.73–14.51 mm), flesh firmness (3.61–7.13 lb), seed number (5.30–8.55), leaf width (45.80–60.04 mm), leaf length (64.53–82.37 mm), petiole length (37.04–60.99 mm), petiole thickness (0.83–1.20 mm), and soluble solid content (SSC) (9.10 %-16.0 %). Regarding chemical composition, the pH values of the clone types ranged from (3.78–4.22), titratable acidity (0.22 %-0.47 %), protein content (1.50 %-4.95 %), vitamin C content (0.92–2.28 mg/100 g), ash content (1.16 %-4.30 %), and total sugar content (9.66 %-17.28 %). Mineral element analysis of the local pear varieties revealed that iron content ranged from (0–14.7 µg/g), copper (2.90–9.12 µg/g), manganese (2.9–11.6 µg/g), magnesium (321.7–771.5 mg/g), zinc (0 µg/g), sodium (9.6–39.6 µg/g), potassium (5.43–14.50 µg/g), calcium (50.1–219.7 µg/g), cobalt (0.01–0.31 µg/g), cadmium (0–0.1 µg/g), and nickel (0.08–4.41 µg/g). Among the local Eğrisap pear clones grown in Rize, clone type 53 IYD 01 was identified as having the most superior quality criteria and chemical composition. Consequently, it is recommended that this clone type be introduced to producers for cultivation.