Morphological characterization of 96 wild-grown genotypes of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides spp.) in eastern Türkiye

The geographical and climatic characteristics of Türkiye facilitate the growth of many wild edible fruit species in the country. An important fruit species contributing to this richness is sea buckthorn. Seed-propagated sea buckthorn plants exhibit a rich morphological diversity in the country. In this study, we investigated the morphological diversity of 96 selected wild-grown sea buckthorn genotypes from Erzurum province in eastern Türkiye. Their morphological characteristics were described using 22 criteria according to the International Union for the Conservation of New Plant Varieties (UPOV) “Sea buckthorn descriptor” norms. The results showed a great morphological diversity among the 96 seed-propagated wild-grown sea buckthorn genotypes. In terms of habitus, 28 genotypes were upright, 53 genotypes were semi-upright, and 15 genotypes grew horizontally. The growth pattern of the genotypes was different. We found that 32 genotypes were tree-shaped and 64 genotypes were bush-shaped. Regarding shoot density, 27 genotypes were observed rarely, 49 genotypes were moderate, and 20 genotypes were intense. Our findings provide important information for conducting further research on the preservation of genetic resources and breeding of wild edible sea buckthorn genotypes.