YIELD AND SOME MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CAPER (CAPPARIS SPINOSA L.) POPULATION CULTIVATED AT VARIOUS SLOPES IN AEGEAN ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS*

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the relationship between ecological conditions and caper bud production and the percentage distribution in calibre classes of caper buds to get information about caper bud yields and some morphological characteristics like number of branches and branch lenghts of caper (Capparis spinosa L.) population cultivated in Menemen ecological conditions on various slopy area (3.5% and 8%) for two years. Upto 79% of total production of caper bud was obtained when maximum temperatures (40.8oC and 41.1oC) occur and rainfall is absent (0 mm). The calibre classes of 0-7 mm were 38.64% in Menemen and a five-day average picking interval helped to obtain bud diameters below 11 mm. Upto 96% of the plants at first (3.5%) and 88% plants at second slope (8%) produced buds. The stem lenghts increased steadily upto 180 cm in second year at 3.5% slopy area. Upto 16% of the plants at the first slope (3.5%) and 4% of the plants at second slope (8%) had more than 7 branches per plant.