RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VEGETATIVE GROWTH AND NUT CHARACTERISTICS IN ALTERNATE BEARING PISTACHIO (PISTACIA VERA) CULTIVARS EXPOSED TO DROUGHT

Among abiotic stress factors, drought stress is of the most influential factors limiting plant growth and impairing plant metabolism. In addition to the abiotic stress factors, alternate bearing is a main physiological problem for horticultural plants including olive, pistachio, hazelnut and apple. In this context, a 3-year field study was designed for three pistachio cultivars, namely 'Uzun', 'Siirt' and "Ohaidi". The cultivars were exposed to irrigated and non-irrigated conditions. After experimental period, yield, shoot length and nut characteristics were measured. According to years, shoot length, 100 nut weight, nut internal weight, nut length, nut width and nut thickness decreased but blank nut ratio increased in productive year as a yield. Regarding with varieties, there was no significant difference yield, blank nut, and split nuts among cultivars but shoot length, nut width and thickness were higher in "Ohaidi" cultivar. Lowest 100 nut weight and nut internal weight were determined in 'Uzun' cultivar and highest nut length was observed in 'Siirt' cultivar. Irrigation only affected the shoot length from given properties. As a result, yield of the tree affected vegetative development and nut characteristics. Along with this study, finally vegetative growth and fruit characteristics were correlated.