Primary, Secondary Metabolites and Molecular Characterization of Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) Genotypes

Abstract

In this study, the molecular, biochemical and agro-morphological characterization of genotypes belonging to hawthorn species collected from Bolu province of Turkey was performed. Inter-priming binding sites (iPBS) markers based on retrotransposons were used for the first time in the molecular properties of hawthorn genotypes in the world. The marker system provided very useful information for revealing the genetic variation of the genotypes. Six iPBS markers amplified 68 fragments, of which 65 were polymorphic (95.59%) with an average of 10.83 polymorphic bands per primer. The polymorphism and resolving power per primers ranged from 0.12 to 0.42 and from 0.78 to 8.11 with the average being 0.32 and 5.95, respectively. Pomological properties of Crataegus tanacetifolia, such as fruit pomology and core weight were determined to higher than those of Crataegus monogyna. Citric acid was determined as the most predominant organic acid, followed by malic and succinic acid in the genotypes of both species. The highest citric acid content (26.745 mg 100 g−1) was noted for 14BL09 genotype. The vit. C content was recorded ranging from 2.681 to 9.621 mg 100 g−1. Catechin, chlorogenic, caffeic and rutin contents were varied between 4.140–51.393 mg, 2.254–42.361 mg, 0.624–4.407 mg, and 1.241–10.029 mg per 100 g of fruits, respectively. As a result, it has been determined that twenty-five genotypes belonging to different hawthorn species are important genetic resources to be evaluated in horticultural breeding studies in terms of their physical and biochemical contents.