Horticultural Studies (HortiS) 2020, Vol 37, Num, 1     (Pages: 95-101)

Autumn leaf colour changes in gamma-ray (Cobalt 60)-induced mutant apple population

Ayşe Nilgün ATAY 1 ,Ersin ATAY 1 ,Burak KUNTER 2

1 Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Burdur Gıda Tarım ve Hayvancılık Meslek Yüksekokulu Bitkisel ve Hayvansal Üretim Bölümü Bahçe Tarımı Programı, Burdur
2 Türkiye Atom Enerjisi Kurumu Radyasyon ve Hızlandırıcı Teknolojileri Dairesi Başkanlığı, Ankara
DOI : 10.16882/derim.2020.663488 Viewed : 1527 - Downloaded : 1144 In temperate deciduous fruits covering apples, the chlorophyll, gives the leaves green colour, begins to breakdown in autumn, and the colour changes occur before leaf fall. It is assumed that these different leaf colours observed in autumn are not simply an effect of leaf senescence, and several hypotheses based on photo-protection and animal-plant interactions have emerged. It is also suggested the dark pigments especially like red anthocyanin-derived have a warning signal as a protection or defense. In this study, autumn leaf colour changes in putative apple 'Amasya' mutants generated by gamma ray irradiation were investigated to provide the current knowledge on autumn colours. The colour codes were defined according to the presence on more or less than 80% of leaves and were assessed for each putative mutants and cultivar. It was determined that 82% of population had yellow leaf colour in autumn and was in the same leaf colour group as the original 'Amasya'. Leaf colours of 'Granny Smith', 'Crissp Pink' and 'Braeburn' were found to be quite green compared to 'Amasya'. There was no mutant with a completely red leaf colour in the population. However, in the yellow-red group with very dark pigments there were 58 mutants constituting 15% of the population. The decrease in L * and ho values in this group is an indication of a higher anthocyanin pigment. As they have a clearer polymorphism, further researches to be done with different leaf colour mutants may provide important contributions to understanding these colour changes in autumn. Keywords : Abiotic stress; Malus × domestica; Malus slyvestris; Aphid population