Advances in Biology & Earth Sciences

This research examines the species Prunus cerasifera Ehrh., which is widespread in Azerbaijan, with the aim of investigating its genetic resources, identifying potential genetic resources by assessing phenological and morphological diversity and contributing to scientific understanding of the richness of Azerbaijan’s wild flora. A total of 100 distinct genotypes collected in situ from various regions of Azerbaijan were comprehensively analyzed at the Department of General Agriculture, Genetics and Selection of the Azerbaijan State Agrarian University. In phenological studies, the flowering period of genotypes occurred in the second 10 days of March through the first 10 days of April, lasting 7-12 days. Leaf formation was observed in early April and fruit formation in late April. The fruit ripening period lasted from the end of July to the beginning of September, depending on the genotype and growing conditions. The morphological characteristics of the tree, especially the diameter and height of the trunk, significantly influence the formation of both vegetative organs and the size of the fruit. The results of the correlation analysis can be used as reliable statistical indicators in the selection of more productive and high-quality varieties in breeding programs. The results of cluster analysis showed that phenotypic diversity among wild cherry plum genotypes is high and is based on key characteristics such as tree structure, fruit morphometric parameters and fruit pulp percentage. Morphological and fruit characteristics observed in different clusters are important in terms of identifying potential donor genotypes for use in breeding programs. In particular, clusters G1 and D1 can be assessed as promising genotypes selected for high fruit quality and balanced structural parameters. Principal component analysis showed that the majority of the total variance was explained by the first three components. This proves that the selected morphological characters are effective in explaining the structure of variability. The results confirm that Prunus cerasifera Ehrh. has significant genetic and morphological diversity, representing a rich genetic resource base for future breeding programs and the creation of productive varieties suitable for local conditions.