See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328393823 Assessment of ancient carob germplasm of Lebanon by morphological traits Article in Journal- American Pomological Society · October 2018 CITATIONS READS 0 151 16 authors, including: Mohamad Ali El Chami Hiyam Youssef Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania Lebanese Agriculture Research Institute,tyre, lebanon 3 PUBLICATIONS 0 CITATIONS 9 PUBLICATIONS 15 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Rania Nabbout Milad El Riachy Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute 7 PUBLICATIONS 11 CITATIONS 26 PUBLICATIONS 207 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Biodiversity in Lebanon: Selected Countries in Asia View project Influence of agro-industrial practices on Lebanese olive oil sector View project All content following this page was uploaded by Lamis Chalak on 26 January 2019. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. 260 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Journal of the American Pomological Society 72(4): 260-278 2018 Assessment of Ancient Carob Germplasm of Lebanon by Morphological Traits M. CHAMI1, A. HAJJ2, J. KAHWAJI2, H. YOUSSEF2, S.GHAITH2, L. FAKIH2, M. SMAHA2, R. NABBOUT2, M. EL RIACHY2, F. AS-SADI1, M. AL ZEIN3, F. J. RUIZ GOMEZ4, G. PALACIOS-RODRIGUEZ4, R. NAVARRO-CERILLO4, J. TOUS5, AND L. CHALAK1 Additional index words: Ceratonia siliqua L., Lebanon, distribution, pod and seed morphological characteris- tics, phenotypic variability Abstract This study aimed to assess the ancient carob germplasm growing in Lebanon. A set of 59 old trees sampled from different locations across the country (between 0 and 554 m a.s.l.) were subject to morphological character- ization by using 33 traits related to the tree, the leaf, the pod and the seed. Results revealed important morphologi- cal variability within the Lebanese carob germplasm. The most variable traits were the number of aborted seeds per pod, seed yield, pulp weight, pod weight and pod volume. Correlation analysis showed a negative correlation of both pod size and weight with seed yield, and a positive correlation between pod length and total seed weight. Evaluation of carob morphological characters and eco-geographic parameters revealed positive correlation of seed length, chord length and pod width with the longitude, in addition to a slight positive correlation of pod weight with latitude and longitude. Principal component analysis allowed extracting the most active and discrimi- nant morphological variables, which were mainly represented by pod weight, width, length, thickness and shape, chord length, and individual seed weight and length. Cluster analysis revealed a clear differentiation between two main morphological groups; the first cluster was characterized by long and heavy pods and seeds, while the second cluster was distinguished by medium to small pods and seeds. Two eco-geographic sub-clusters could be differentiated, Mount Lebanon and the South, while the trees of Beirut and the North were dispersed in various subgroups. According to these results, the Lebanese carob germplasm might be a reservoir of genetic diversity that should be further investigated by complementary studies including flowering characteristics, pod chemical quality attributes and genetic analysis. Originated in the Eastern Mediterranean ably evolved under domestication based on and the Arabian Peninsula, the carob tree the shifting from sexual reproduction (wild (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is a typical constitu- forms) to the vegetative propagation (under ent of the evergreen vegetation of Mediter- cultivation) (Sidina et al., 2009; Zohary, ranean and Near East low altitude areas 2002). (Batlle and Tous, 1997; Zohary, 2002). The Historically carob has been used as feed Mediterranean Basin is considered to be at for domesticated animals. The fruit was also least one of carob domestication centers and eaten by peoples in times of famine while the trees were planted extensively in warmer the wood was also used for fuel. Tradition- parts of both the southern and eastern shores. ally, carob trees were inter-planted with ol- Since ancient times, carob trees spread as ives, grapes, almonds and even barely in wild seedlings, but they are regarded as fe- low intensity farming system (Batlle and ral derivatives of the fruit crop which prob- Tous, 1997). This multi-use tree cultiva- 1 The Lebanese University, Faculty of Agronomy, Dekwaneh, Beirut, Lebanon. 2 Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute, Tal Amara, P.O. Box 287 Zahlé, Lebanon 3 American University of Beirut, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon. 4 University of Córdoba. Forestry Department; Campus de Rabanales, 14014-Córdoba, Spain 5 Empresas Innovadoras Garrofa (EiG), C/Barcelona, 55, 43570 Santa Bárbara, Tarragona, Spain Corresponding author: [email protected] CAROB 261 tion represents an age-old land use system tions are threatened again by various anthro- where fruit trees are deliberately grown in pogenic pressures and more particularly by the same planting with other crops and/or the intensive urbanization activities in the animals (Makhzoumi, 1997). Today, wild, coastal zone, which are causing an alarming naturalized, and abandoned cultivated carob destruction of the remnant semi-natural habi- trees have become an integral component of tats where carob thrives. the ‘thermo-Mediterranean’ zone which is During the last decade, several afforesta- characterized by dense coastal woodlands of tion initiatives were undertaken using carob evergreen screlophyllous plant species, and seedlings. Also, several municipalities are is distributed at low altitudes in all warmer investing in carob cultivation in South Leba- parts of the Mediterranean Basin, especially non for both ornamental and economic pur- North Africa and the Near East (Batlle and poses. According to the statistic census of the Tous, 1997; Christodoulakis, 1992; Talhouk Ministry of Agriculture of Lebanon, carob et al., 2001). culture is occupying 241 hectares, mostly lo- The potential multi-use value of carob in cated in South Lebanon (132 ha), with an es- the past is still valid today and new uses have timated average total production of 2000 tons proven to be economically important. The per year. Local production is not sufficient to carob bean gum extracted from carob’s seeds satisfy the local demand for molasses pro- is widely used today in the manufacture of duction. Therefore, carob pods are regularly foodstuffs as a stabilizer, emulsifier, and imported by carob factories from Cyprus and thickener. The ground up pod is also used as Greece. Formal data regarding the imported a substitute for cocoa powder. It’s hardwood quantities are not available yet. is used as charcoal in several Mediterranean Usually cultivars are described and breed- countries (Abi Saleh et al., 1996; Corell et ing material is selected on the base of con- al., 1987). In addition, the adaptability of ventional phenotypic descriptors that are carob tree to all types of soils at lower and readily recognizable. In the Mediterranean, middle altitudes and its resistance to drought, carob cultivars were often assessed using makes it suitable for reforestation (Abi Saleh pod and seed morphological traits as it was et al., 1996; Tous et al., 2013). Moreover, the the case in Algarve, Portugal (Barracosa et species is considered beneficial in associa- al., 2007). Also pod and seed morphological tion with low altitude conifer trees because characteristics were used to study the vari- of its tolerance to fires (Talhouket al., 2005). ability within the Tunisian carob germplasm In Lebanon, carob grew abundantly on the (Naghmouchi et al., 2009; Naghmouchi et lower coastal hills to the extent that a region- al., 2009). In Morocco both morphological al district was referred to by the species name traits and chemical composition of pods were ‘Iklim Al Kharroub’ (the carob district), and used for the characterization of carobs (Khli- is cultivated in different agricultural systems, fa et al., 2013; Sidina et al., 2009). More among olive and almond trees, where carob recently, morphological traits of pods and is mainly grafted on the remnant wild forms seeds were used to characterize carob popu- (Breugel and Stephan, 1999; Talhouk et al., lations collected from two Croatian islands 2001). By 1914, carob trees were uprooted (Srečec et al., 2016). for the expansion of agricultural alternatives To date the genetic diversity of carob trees causing a noticeable decrease of their popu- growing in Lebanon has not been sufficiently lations, described as consisting of sporadic addressed. Only a few local cultivars were trees (Abou Nasser, 1963). Today, some cen- differentiated across the country namely tennial carob trees are still found witnessing ‘Ahmar’, ‘Makdissi’, ‘Khachabi’, ‘Sandali’ the long history of this species in the country. and ‘Barri’, based on a limited number of Unfortunately, the remaining carob popula- pod characteristics (Breugel and Stephan, 262 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 1999; Haddarah et al., 2014). The genetic nese’s genotypes based on their potentialities variability of the Lebanese carob popula- and to valorize ancient carob trees in further tions was explored by using RAPD mark- conservation actions and selection programs. ers (Talhouk et al., 2005). Results