Tunisian carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) populations: Morphological variability of pods and kernel

Nineteen Tunisian carob populations from different sites were studied to assess their genetic variation based on pods and kernels measures. The mean of the main descriptive morphological values of pods were weight (16.39 g), length (168.9 mm), width (20.5 mm), lateral thickness (8.3 mm), central thickness (5.8 mm), number of viable kernels (12.26), number of aborted kernels (1.38), kernels weight (0.2 g), kernel length (9.1 mm), kernel width (6.9 mm), kernel thickness (4.1 mm) and kernel yield (17.2%). Most of the parameters measured showed significant differences (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) that indicates a high genetic diversity; type and geographical origin of trees being taken as the source of variation.The relationship among these characters was analysed by principal component analysis (PCA) resulting in the separation of these populations classed in three grouped and three ungrouped populations.