Determination of size and shape properties of apricots using multivariate analysis

Abstract

Fruit apricot dimensions, weight, size and shape are the most commonly measured pomological properties. The size and shape features of 13 apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) cultivars and promising Serbian selections grown in Western Serbia were investigated using a multivariate analysis. The apricots promoted fruits wider than long in shape, except Harcot', 'T 7', Precoce de Tyrinthe', `Roksana' and 'Vera', whereas all cultivars and selections are wider than thick. Most of cultivars and/or selections tend to round shape. Mean values for fruit and stone weight, flesh rate, geometric mean diameter, kernel weight, sphericity, aspect ratio, surface area and volume ranged from 37.09 to 81.60 g, 2.71 to 4.18 g, 91.93 to 96.46%, 41.76 to 65.08 mm, 0.60 to 1.17 g, 0.94 to 1.03, 95.04 to 108.09%, 55.13 to 133.77 cm(2) and 38.31 to 145.10 cm(3), respectively. For the most of attributes evaluated, `Roksana' had the highest values. A high correlation was found among some physical attributes: According to their 22 properties, the apricots grouped into five clusters. There was either relative independence or close correspondence among the evaluation indexes of apricot fruit quality. Principal components analysis showed that the first three principal components variance accumulation contribution rate amounted to 85.77%, which reflected most of the size and shape characteristics of apricots.