Analyses of fruit attributes by multidimensional scaling method of apple genetic resources from coastal zone of North Eastern Anatolia, Turkey

North Eastern Anatolia had a significant contribution to development of cultivated apple. A lot of local apple genotypes have been successfully grown without any pesticide applications despite to high rainfall (900-2300 mm) and humidity (70-85%) especially at the coastal part of the Eastern Black Sea Region of North Eastern Anatolia. We have investigated and selected local apple genotypes from the region which could be of importance for apple breeding by fruit attributes. In this study, sensory characteristics (186 accessions) and quantitative characteristics (176 accessions) determined based on Apple Descriptor, and were analyzed by Multidimensional Scaling analysis. Harvest maturity dates classified the genotypes into early season (19), mid-season (13) and late season (154) apples. Among the genotypes, 39.25% had medium-sized fruits, 53.23% had intermediate attractiveness, 50% had ground color of green-yellow, 59.68% had skin over color of red, 61.29% had good eating quality and 53.76% had fine flesh texture. Quantitative characters showed large variation that fruit weight ranged from 27.4 g to 246.4 g, SSC from 8.6% to 15.4%, TA from 0.08% to 2.24%. Multidimensional Scaling analysis indicated that the genotypes harvested in early and mid-season exhibited larger variation for sensory and quantitative characteristics than did late season apples. Although several genotypes were differentiated for investigated characteristics and/or variables in early and late season groups, mid-season apples did not tend to form any cluster.