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Tunisian carob ( Ceratonia siliqua L.) populations: Morphological variability of

pods and kernel

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DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2009.02.026

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Scientia Horticulturae 121 (2009) 125–130

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

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Review

Tunisian carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) populations: Morphological variability

of pods and kernel
S. Naghmouchi a,*, M.L. Khouja a,1, A. Romero b, J. Tous b, M. Boussaid c
a
National Institute of Research in Rural Engineering, water and Forestry (INRGREF), Rue Hedi Karay, Ariana BP10, 2080 Tunis, Tunisia
b
Institute of Research in Agroalimentary Technology, IRTA, Mas bové, Espagne
c
National Institute of Sciences Applied to Technology (INSAT Tunis), Centre Urbain Nord, BP 676, 1080 Tunis, Tunisia

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Article history: Nineteen Tunisian carob populations from different sites were studied to assess their genetic variation
Received 3 December 2008 based on pods and kernels measures. The mean of the main descriptive morphological values of pods
Received in revised form 9 February 2009 were weight (16.39 g), length (168.9 mm), width (20.5 mm), lateral thickness (8.3 mm), central
Accepted 26 February 2009
thickness (5.8 mm), number of viable kernels (12.26), number of aborted kernels (1.38), kernels weight
(0.2 g), kernel length (9.1 mm), kernel width (6.9 mm), kernel thickness (4.1 mm) and kernel yield
Keywords: (17.2%). Most of the parameters measured showed significant differences (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) that
Ceratonia siliqua L.
indicates a high genetic diversity; type and geographical origin of trees being taken as the source of
Tunisia
variation.
Kernels
Pods The relationship among these characters was analysed by principal component analysis (PCA)
Morphological diversity resulting in the separation of these populations classed in three grouped and three ungrouped
populations.
Crown Copyright ß 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contents

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
2. Material and methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
2.1. Analysed populations and sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
2.2. Experimental methods for morphological analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
2.3. Statistical analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
3. Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
4. Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

1. Introduction Carob pods provide two important products: carob kernels from
which carob or locust bean gum (LBG) is extracted, and carob
Carob tree has been included in a national list of priority forest kibbles or the remaining pulp obtained after the removal of the
genetic resources for conservation and management in Tunisia kernels. This can be used directly in animal and human nutrition
(Bouzouita et al., 2007). Ceratonia siliqua L. is an evergreen tree (Mhaisen, 1991; Tous et al., 2006a,b; Silanikove et al., 2006) or as a
cultivated or naturally grown in the Mediterranean area. The raw material for industrial processing (Carlson, 1986). Carob pods
species belongs to the Cesalpinaceae sub-family of the family are characterized by high sugar content with about 75% of those
Leguminoseae (syn Fabaceae). sugars are sucrose. Carob pods are actually explored as material for
the production of bioethanol (Lee et al., 1990; Jan and Euroduna,
2000; Vourdoubas et al., 2002; Biner et al., 2007).
* Corresponding author. Fax: +216 71 231 927.
Kernels of carob (10–20% of the fruit weight) are composed
E-mail address: den_souheila@yahoo.fr (S. Naghmouchi). principally of galactomannans (Andrade et al., 1999). The carob
1
Fax: +216 71 231 927. gum is the ground endosperm of the seeds; owing to its remarkable

0304-4238/$ – see front matter . Crown Copyright ß 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2009.02.026
 Author's personal copy

126 S. Naghmouchi et al. / Scientia Horticulturae 121 (2009) 125–130

water-binding properties (Garcia and Casas, 1992; Karkacier and

Artik, 1995), it is widely used to improve the food texture (Imeson,
1997).
The domestication of Ceratonia siliqua based on spontaneous
populations, aiming at the production of large fruits with high
sugar content for human and animal nutrition resulted in a limited
number of cultivars (Zohary, 1983; Mitrakos, 1987). More recently,
domestication of some wild uncultivated trees has been developed
with the purpose of increasing Kernel yield and gum quality for
industrial exploitation (Batista et al., 1996; Makris and Kefalas,
2004).
Several morphological studies have been published in the
principal Mediterranean productive areas to assess the variation of
several traits on the evaluation and characterization of carob
cultivars (Coit, 1967; Orphanos and Papaconstantinou, 1969;
Battle and Tous, 1990; Albanell et al., 1996; Russo and Polignano,
1996) and correlation studies between morphological fruit and
seed characters. Size of pods and kernels and the number of kernels
per pod are of great importance in determining the species
industrial use. These parameters vary according to genotypes and
geographical origins (Shawakfeh and Ereifej, 2005; Naghmouchi
et al., 2004).
Until now little information is available concerning the
morphological variability of the carob in Tunisia. No investigations
about carob characterization of wild and cultivated types. It was
necessary to describe the actual characters of carob populations
because of a wide dispersion throughout the country of the carob
genetic resources and the increasing risk of its genetic erosion.
Therefore the aim of the present study was to assess the
variation of several morphological traits related to pods and
kernels of wild and cultivated types among populations. Simulta-
neously, understand how fruit characteristics correlate with their
own kernels.
Our study is an extension of those performed to assess Fig. 1. Repartition map of Tunisian carob populations. Codes indicate populations:
the genetic diversity (via izozymes and molecular markers) of (1) Tabarka; (2) Menzel Bourguiba; (3) Ariana; (4) Zbid; (5) Khnis; (6) Kalaa; (7)
Tunisian carob populations (Afif et al., 2006) in order to elaborate Sayada; (8) Jradou; (9) Zaghouan; (10) Enfidha; (11) Hammamet; (12) Jbal Rsas;
conservation and improvement strategies. (13) Gharelmelh; (14) Bargou; (15) Slimen; (16) Chbika; (17) Belvedaire; (18) Ain
Tounga; (19) Slouguia. (*) Low humid; (*) sub-humid; (&) upper to middle semi-
arid; (&) low semi-arid; (*) upper arid.
2. Material and methods

2.1. Analysed populations and sampling
Nineteen Tunisian carob populations growing wild or culti-
vated in different geographic regions were analysed (Fig. 1).
Populations belong to the upper arid, low semi-arid, sub-humid
and low humid bioclimates according to Emberger’s (1966)
pluviothermic coefficient. Pods were collected during the period
of July–September 2004 (at peak maturity). 10–20 trees/popula-
tion sampled at random were considered. 25 randomly selected
pods/tree were analysed.
2.2. Experimental methods for morphological analysis
The selection of the fruit pod and kernel continuous characters
for characterization was done by adapting the International Plant
Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) descriptors (Battle and Tous,
1997).
Mature pods collected in each site were air dried for 4 weeks
and kept at 4 8C before analyses. Each fruit was manually
decorticated and individually analysed. For pods of each popula-
tion we have estimated the weight (g), length (mm), width (mm),
lateral and central thickness (mm) and the number of viable and
aborted kernels.
For 10 randomly selected viable kernels from each tree, the
weight (g), length (mm), width (mm) and thickness (mm) were
measured.
Length of pods was measured using a graduated tape, width and
thickness of pods and kernels by using a Vernier caliper. Weight
was measured using a top-loading balance.
2.3. Statistical analysis
To compare the heterogeneity of morphological measured
parameters among populations, an analysis of variance with
one effect (population effect) was made for each character using
the program SAS, procedure ANOVA. Averages among para-
meters were compared using Duncan’s test (P = 0.05 and
P = 0.001).
In order to find the main variation trends between fruit and
kernel characters in the carob populations and to evaluate their
correlation, data were processed according to principal component
analysis (PCA) using MVSP 3.1 program (Kovach, 1999).
3. Results
The mean values for all the principal fruit and kernel
morphological characteristics observed were statistically different
at 1% level except in yield (Table 1). The higher average of pod
weight was observed for population of Hammamet with 28.88 g.
Sayada, Zbid, Ghar Elmelh, Slouguia and Jradou populations did not
exhibit significant differences. Sliman, Bargou, Zaghouan and
Belvedaire populations showed the lowest values with respec-
 Author's personal copy

Table 1
Average of the morphological parameters measured for all analysed populations.

Populations Code Whtp (g) Lgp (mm) Wdp (mm) Lgp/Wdp Thl (mm) Thc (mm) Nvk Nak Whtk (g) Lgk (mm) Wdk (mm) Lgk/Wdk Thk (mm) Yield (g)

Tabarka 1 16.38 bc 16.40 abcde 1.94 bcde 8.53 bcdef 0.80 cd 0.57 bc 11.07 abc 1.57 bc 0.20 abc 0.94 a 0.72 ab 1.31 abc 0.43 ab 17.62 abcde
9.70 b 14.85 bc 1.71 ab 8.77 bcd 0.61 a 0.50 a 10.04 b 1.44 a 0.20 ab 0.93 ab 0.70 a 1.33 a 0.43 a 21.07 a

M. Borgiba 2 15.89 bc 17.62 abcde 1.94 bcde 9.16 bcd 0.86 bcd 0.61 bc 13.08 abc 1.27 bc 0.21 abc 0.93 a 0.71 ab 1.31 abc 0.43 ab 15.67 abcde
11.34 b 15.74 abc 1.92 ab 8.34 bcd 0.78 a 0.63 a 10.18 b 1.38 a 0.19 ab 0.87 abc 0.68 a 1.29 a 0.43 a 16.56 a

Ariana 3 18.66 abc 17.99 abcde 2.04 abcd 9.09 bcde 0.95 abcd 0.64 bc 11.49 abc 2.04 ab 0.23 ab 0.97 a 0.73 a 1.34 abc 0.43 ab 16.82 abcde
10.87 b 17.17 abc 1.72 ab 10.1 abcd 0.81 a 0.59 a 12.82 b 1.10 a 0,20 ab 0.93 ab 0.69 a 1.37 a 0.42 a 23.70 a

Zbid 4 24.84 ab 17.17 abcde 2.42 ab 7.12 fg 1.00 abc 0.64 bc 13.04 abc 1.40 bc 0.21 abc 0.89 ab 0.71 ab 1.26 bc 0.43 ab 12.68 bcde
11.34 b 16.21 abc 1.77 ab 8.77 bcd 0.61 a 0.63 a 12.71 abc 0.96 a 0.17 ab 0.77 c 0.65 a 1.34 a 0.37 a 15.67 abcde

Khnis 5 13.30 bc 15.08 cde 1.99 bcde 7.62 cdefg 0.78 cd 0.60 bc 11.70 abc 1.26 bc 0.22 abc 0.93 a 0.68 ab 1.39 abc 0.43 ab 18.74 abcde
13.65 ab 16.04 abc 1.96 ab 8.24 cd 0.73 a 0.56 a 12.84 b 1.04 a 0.21 ab 0.91 ab 0.69 a 1.34 a 0.44 a 19.94 a

Kalaa 6 13.73 bc 16.85 abcde 2.00 bcde 8.46 bcdef 0.74 cd 0.57 bc 12.94 abc 1.74 bc 0.20 abc 0.89 ab 0.68 ab 1.32 abc 0.42 ab 19.24 abcd
13.25 ab 16.21 abc 1.95 ab 8.35 bcd 0.81 a 0.56 a 12.13 b 2.03 a 0.19 ab 0.86 abc 0.68 a 1.28 a 0.41 a 17.82 a

Sayada 7 20.89 abc 19.21 abc 2.18 abcd 9.09 bcde 0.89 abcd 0.58 bc 14.49 a 1.21 bc 0.23 a 0.94 a 0.74 a 1.28 bc 0.44 ab 16.68 abcde
19.40 a 20.30 a 1.86 ab 10.96 ab 0.90 a 0.63 a 17.36 a 1.28 a 0.24 a 0.98 a 0.73 a 1.36 a 0.45 a 21.57 a

S. Naghmouchi et al. / Scientia Horticulturae 121 (2009) 125–130

Jradou 8 20.00 abc 16.69 abcde 2.22 abc 7.57 cdefg 0.88 abcd 0.60 bc 12.95 abc 1.14 bc 0.18 bcd 0.88 ab 0.69 ab 1.28 bc 0.40 abc 13.29 bcde
14.78 ab 16.46 abc 2.05 A 8.06 cd 0.78 a 0.50 a 13.14 ab 0.84 a 0.17 ab 0.87 abc 0.71 a 1.23 a 0.37 a 15.17 a

Zaghouan 9 10.24 c 19.68 ab 1.71 de 11.53 ab 0.62 d 0.46 c 13.40 abc 0.56 c 0.19 abcd 0.94 a 0.72 ab 1.31 abc 0.39 bc 24.33 a
10.24 b 19.68 ab 1.71 ab 11.53 a 0.62 a 0.46 a 13.40 ab 0.56 a 0.19 ab 0.94 ab 0.72 a 1.31 a 0.39 a 24.33 a

Enfidha 10 12.29 bc 16.55 abcde 1.88 cde 8.78 bcdef 0.77 cd 0.63 bc 12.79 abc 1.28 bc 0.22 abc 0.96 a 0.66 ab 1.46 a 0.43 ab 22.83 ab
12.29 b 16.55 abc 1.88 ab 8.78 bcd 0.77 a 0.63 a 12.79 b 0.53 a 0.22 ab 0.96 a 0.66 a 1.46 a 0.43 a 22.83 a

Hammamet 11 29.68 a 19.36 abcd 2.51 a 7.43 cdefg 1.18 ab 0.66 b 11.91 abc 1.55 bc 0.21 abc 0.92 a 0.74 a 1.24 c 0.42 abc 8.89 e
12.28 b 14.98 bc 1.96 ab 8.44 bcd 0.61 a 0.59 a 12.13 b 0.52 a 0.16 b 0.98 a 0.71 a 1.28 a 0.41 a 15.17 a

Jbal Rsas 12 15.70 bc 17.49 abcde 2.09 abcd 8.50 bcdef 0.72 cd 0.54 bc 13.38 abc 1.05 bc 0.18 bcd 0.89 ab 0.69 ab 1.30 bc 0.40 abc 17.62 abcde
11.26 b 16.54 abc 1.95 ab 8.61 bcd 0.61 a 0.50 a 12.85 b 0.87 a 0.17 ab 0.90 abc 0.69 a 1.31 a 0.38 a 20.28 a

Gh. Elmelh 13 21.11 abc 14.10 e 2.42 ab 5.86 g 1.20 a 0.82 a 9.54 c 3.08 a 0.21 abc 0.94 a 0.70 ab 1.35 abc 0.47 a 9.73 de
10.07 b 14.27 c 1.96 ab 8.06 cd 0.77 a 0.63 a 10.04 b 0.56 a 0.16 b 0.91 ab 0.71 a 1.34 a 0.43 ab 20.51 abc

Bargou 14 11.16 c 14.83 de 1.82 cde 8.25 cdef 0.79 cd 0.52 bc 10.17 b 1.44 bc 0.19 abcd 0.89 ab 0.69 ab 1.30 bc 0.40 abc 19.43 abcd
8.98 b 14.27 c 1.74 ab 8.26 cd 0.71 a 0.48 a 9.80 b 1.62 a 0.17 ab 0.86 abc 0.67 a 1.29 a 0.41 a 21.04 a

Slimen 15 11.39 c 14.30 de 1.99 bcde 7.30 defg 0.75 cd 0.52 bc 11.25 abc 1.23 bc 0.19 abcd 0.88 ab 0.66 ab 1.33 abc 0.41 abc 19.39 abcd
10.37 b 13.54 c 1.80 ab 7.55 cd 0.77 a 0.49 a 12.15 b 0.96 a 0.19 ab 0.85 abc 0.66 a 1.30 a 0.41 a 22.36 a

Chbika 16 14.48 bc 14.72 e 2.05 abcd 7.26 efg 0.91 abcd 0.55 bc 10.48 abc 1.55 bc 0.17 cd 0.80 b 0.65 b 1.23 c 0.43 ab 15.02 abcde
8.36 b 13.17 c 1.77 ab 7.43 d 0.80 a 0.51 a 10.35 b 1.19 a 0.16 b 0.77 c 0.61 a 1.25 a 0.44 a 20.05 a

Belvedaire 17 9.45 c 15.56 abcde 1.53 e 10.22 ab 0.64 d 0.53 bc 13.92 ab 1.06 bc 0.15 d 0.82 b 0.65 b 1.27 bc 0.39 bc 24.50 a
9.45 b 15.56 abc 1.53 b 10.22 bcd 0.64 a 0.53 a 13.92 ab 1.06 a 0.15 b 0.82 bc 0.65 a 1.27 a 0.39 a 24.50 a

A. Tounga 18 12.01 bc 17.54 abcde 1.92 cde 9.23 bc 0.60 d 0.51 bc 12.71 abc 1.03 bc 0.19 abcd 0.96 a 0.69 ab 1.41 ab 0.38 bc 20.51 abc
12.26 b 17.48 abc 1.96 ab 9.04 abcd 0.60 a 0.48 a 13.02 b 0.46 a 0.18 ab 0.92 ab 0.65 a 1.43 a 0.38 a 19.22 a

Slouguia 19 20.54 abc 20.57 a 2.31 abc 8.89 bcdef 0.73 cd 0.47 bc 12.68 abc 0.67 c 0.17 cd 0.94 a 0.68 ab 1.38 abc 0.35 c 12.21 cde
9.70 b 14.98 bc 1.78 ab 8.44 bcd 0.65 a 0.54 a 11.92 b 0.52 a 0.19 ab 0.90 abc 0.69 a 1.29 a 0.41 a 23.85 a

CV 30.67 12.1 9.50 12.50 17.65 13.49 18.68 46.48 9.35 5.52 4.18 6.03 9.81 30.06
25.44 12.35 9.66 12.10 20.09 19.2 15.02 52.36 15.86 6.06 7.96 7.14 10.57 27.3
** *** ** *** *** *** * ** * *** *
F 2.6 3.58 3.21 3.81 3.8 4.22 1.55 2.57 3.96 2.26 3.96 1.57 2.23 3.18**
1.45 2.60** 1.43 1.80 1.04* 0.70 2.24 1.14 1.01 1.86 0.49 0.97 0.64 0.46

F (wild + cultivated) 2.71*** 2.91*** 3.59*** 4.67*** 3.54*** 2.88*** 1.75*** 2.48*** 2.4*** 2.45*** 1.68*** 1.75*** 1.89*** 2.58 NS

Values regarding cultivated type populations are in bold; those regarding wild populations are with sample script.
Means with different letters in the same trial column differ significantly (P < 0.05).
Pods weight (Whtp), pods length (Lgp), pods width (Wdp), pods lateral thickness (Thl), pods central thickness (Thc), number of viable kernels per pod (Nvk), number of aborted kernels per pod (Nak), kernels weight (Whtk), kernels
length (lgk), kernels width (Wdk) and kernels thickness (Thk).
*
Significantly different at P < 0.05.
**
Significantly different at P < 0.01.
***
127

Significantly different at P < 0.001.

 Author's personal copy

128 S. Naghmouchi et al. / Scientia Horticulturae 121 (2009) 125–130

tively 11.39, 11.16, 10.27 and 9.45 g. The length of pods varied
from 205.7 mm for Slouguia to 141 mm for Gharelmelh.
Hammamet, Zbid and Ghar Elmelh have the widest pods with
values ranging between 25.1 and 24.2 mm. The population with
the lowest width was Belvedaire with 15.3 mm average. The
highest central and lateral thickness were respectively obtained
with Ghar Elmelh witch has 8.2 and 12 mm.
Kernel characters like width, weight and length exhibit the
highest values in Sayada and Hammamet, the number of aborted
Kernels was significantly higher in Hammamet and lower in
Zaghouan.
Sayada, Zaghouan and Belvedaire populations showed the
highest number of viable kernels per pod with 14.5, 13.92 and 13.4,
respectively. The weight of one kernel oscillates, on average,
between 0.23 g for Sayada and 0.15 g for Belvedaire. The kernel
length varies between 8 and 9.6 mm, the width between 7.4 and
5.5 mm and the thickness between 3.5 and 4.7 mm (Table 1).
Duncan’s test (P < 0.05) showed a discrimination of popula-
tions. Lateral and central thickness of pods and number of aborted
kernels discriminate Ghare Elmelh from the other populations.
Chbika is differed by the kernel length.
A comparison of wild types (Table 1) showed significant
difference only in means of pods length (P < 0.01) and in the lateral
thickness of pods (P < 0.05). The comparison of the means of the
cultivated types showed significant difference on kernel length and
thickness (P < 0.05), and on pods weight and width, kernel width
and yield (P < 0.01). The rest of parameters are significantly
different at P < 0.001 except number of viable kernels that is not
significantly different among cultivated types.
Generally, the coefficient of variation had the same tendency if
we analyse by type or with combining the two types.
The highest coefficient of variation among populations was
observed for number of aborted kernels and pods weight in wild
and cultivated types. Lowest coefficient of variation was observed
for kernel width and length.
From the morphological study, high correlation coefficients
were obtained between the more morphological characteristics
from pod and its kernels, as shown in Table 2.
It should be emphasised that the correlation between the yield
of the kernel and the parameters related to kernels was very low
except the number of viable kernels. However the correlation
between the kernel yield and the weight, width and the central
thickness of the pod is notable and negative.
Other parameters which did not give high correlations were the
pods length with width, pod weight with the length and with
number of viable kernels; pods width with number, width, length
and thickness of kernels; number of viable kernels with all the
parameters related to kernels and with pod weight, width and
central thickness; central thickness with kernels length and width.
The highest positive correlation coefficient (0.915) was
observed between pod weight and width. The highest negative
correlations were observed between pod length and number of
aborted kernels and between number of viable and aborted
kernels. The results showed a negative correlation between fruit
weight and seed yield (0.89) and high correlation coefficient
(0.633) between fruit weight and kernel weight.
The plot of PCA identified three principal components (PC) that
explained 83% of the total variance. A specific meaning could be
variables (Fig. 2) as follows:
 the first axis, can be interpreted as an expression of pod
characteristics and yield, it accounted for 44.82% of total
variation. The highest loading was pod weight, width, thickness
and number of aborted kernels and the kernels thickness with
positive sign, yield and pod length/width ratio,
 the second axis, explained 22.44% of total variance and is related
to quantity expressed in terms of number of viable kernels, their
width and the length of pods. On the second component loaded
with positive signs all variables,
 the third component, instead, explained 15.59% of total variance
dominated by kernel characters namely kernel weight, thickness
and their length/width ratio with positive signs.
The plot of the first two principal components (Fig. 2) showed a
high dispersion of populations without correlation with their
bioclimate.
Three groups of populations were differentiated at a dissim-
ilarity level of 1.0. These groupings can also be identified on the
left, central and right part of the graph, respectively with positive
and negative values of the first component.
The first regrouped two populations (Zaghouan and Belvedaire)
located in the left part of the graph, they were positively correlated
to PC2 and characterized by a high length of pods and kernels and
high number of viable kernels per pod. Zbid and Hammamet were
placed in cluster II; Ghar Elmelh, Chbika and Slouguia can be
considered as rather singular.
An heterogenic group (III) containing Tabarka, M Borguiba,
Ariana, Khnis, Kalaa, Sayada, Jradou, Enfidha, Jbal Rsas, Bargou,
Slimen, Ain Tounga populations. This group can be divided
according to PC1, characterized by dimensions of pod (weight,
width, lateral and central thickness), number of aborted kernels
and the thickness of kernels with positive sign, yield. Slouguia is
located in the lower left part of the graph with negative values of
the third component (Fig. 2).

Table 2
Correlation coefficients between morphological fruit and kernel parameters for each population.

Whtp (g) Lgp (mm) Wdp (mm) Lgp/Wdp Thl (mm) Thc (mm) Nvk Nak Whtk (g) Lgk Wdk Lgk/Wdk Thk Yield
(mm) (mm) (mm) (%)

Whtp (g) 1
Lgp (mm) n.s. 1
Wdp (mm) 0.92*** n.s. 1
Lgp/Wdp 0.49** 0.57** 0.79*** 1
Thl (mm) 0.80*** n.s. 0.77*** 0.7*** 1
Thc (mm) 0.54** n.s. 0.54*** 0.64*** 0.84*** 1
Nvk n.s. 0.63*** n.s. 0.62** 0.44*** n.s. 1
Nak n.s. 0.51** 0.39* 0.64*** 0.75*** 0.86*** 0.65*** 1
Whtk (g) 0.41** n.s. n.s. n.s. 0.49** 0.55** n.s. 0.43* 1
Lgk (mm) n.s. 0.47** n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. 0.68*** 1
Wdk (mm) 0.63*** 0.58*** n.s. n.s. 0.45** n.s. n.s. n.s. 0.66*** 0.57* 1
Lgk/Wdk n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. 0.67*** 0 1
Thk (mm) n.s. 0.45** n.s. 0.5** 0.66*** 0.81*** n.s. 0.78*** 0.66*** n.s. n.s. n.s. 1
Yield (%) 0.89*** n.s. 0.93*** 0.7*** 0.83*** 0.56** 0.63*** 0.46* n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. 1

n.s., non-significant.
*
P  0.05.
**
P  0.01.
***
P  0.001.
 Author's personal copy
S. Naghmouchi et al. / Scientia Horticulturae 121 (2009) 125–130
Fig. 2. Plot of the populations on the first, second and third components. Codes indicate populations: (1) Tabarka; (2) Menzel Bourguiba; (3) Ariana; (4) Zbid; (5) Khnis; (6)
Kalaa; (7) Sayada; (8) Jradou; (9) Zaghouan; (10) Enfidha; (11) Hammamet; (12) Jbal Rsas; (13) Gharelmelh; (14) Bargou; (15) Slimen; (16) Chbika; (17) Belvedaire; (18) Ain
Tounga; (19) Slouguia. (*) Low humid; (*) sub-humid; (&) upper to middle semi-arid; (&) low semi-arid; (*) upper arid.
The populations (Zaghouan and Belvedaire) of cluster I appear
clearly separated from cluster III using the principal components 1
and 3 (Zbid and Hammamet) and populations of cluster II are
placed on the upper left quadrant. Ghar Elmelh and Chbika were
plotted ungrouped on the right-lower quadrant and (Ghar Elmelh,
Chbika and Slouguia) are plotted on the left-upper quadrant.
4. Discussion
Morphological and physiological characters are important and
have been traditionally used for the identification of carob varieties
(Tous and Battle, 1990). However, identification based on
morphological and physiological traits, requires a large set of
phenotypical data that are often difficult to assess and frequently
prone to large environmental induced variation. To avoid
unreliable determinations, the presented data were obtained from
trees belonging to wild and cultivated Tunisian carob trees. These
populations had a large geographic population over the Tunisian
regions, adapted to different climatic conditions.
Data for morphological characteristics show variations in
Tunisian carob pods, with significant differences (P < 0.05 to
P < 0.001) due to geographical location of distribution.
The values of morphological traits obtained by population in
the present study were compared with those from other countries
of the Mediterranean basin. Cultivars from Spain (Tous and Battle,
1990) and from Jordan (Shawakfeh and Ereifej, 2005) presented
high similarity in morphological characteristics of the fruit with
Tunisian carobs. Kernels revealed a very higher weight (0.260 g)
than that found in the present survey (0.198 g).
A comparison of the morphology of Tunisian kernels with
Cypriot kernels shows that the dimensions are very similar,
although the Cypriot kernels are a little shorter. The values
obtained can be compared with those found by Orphanos and
Papaconstantinou (1969) in Cyprus (length = 16.86, width = 2.18,
thickness = 0.81 cm, number of kernels = 10.30), Albanell et al.
129
(1996) in Spain (length = 15.83, width = 2.11, thickness = 0.85 cm,
number of kernels = 10.00) and Barracosa (2006) in Algarve
(length = 17.07, width = 2.52, thickness = 0.894 cm, number of
kernels = 12.77).
The weight of the kernels varied between 0.15 and 0.23 g, with a
mean value of 0.19 g. This value is somewhat lower than the
generally accepted mean of 0.2 g, and which has been used as a
measure of weight 1 carob kernel = 0.2 g = 1 carat (Brandt, 1984).
Data obtained from morphological studies have been used to
provide total correlation coefficients between morphological fruit
and kernel characters (Albanell et al., 1996; Caja et al., 1988). The
total correlation in the present study showed similar coefficients
concerning the principal parameters.
In Spanish cultivars, Albanell et al. (1996) observed a high
correlation coefficient between pod length and total kernel weight.
In the present study, there is no correlation between kernel weight
and the yield of kernels. The populations with the lowest kernel
weight (0.15 g) presented the highest yield of kernels. On the
contrary, there’s correlation between yield and number of viable
kernels.
General correlation studies showed that kernel thickness
correlates positively with the kernel yield. In the present work,
populations showed lower negative correlation coefficient ( 0.3).
However, the populations of clusters III plotted on the centre of the
quadrants (Fig. 2) presented medium kernels yield and thickness
values, for example Menzel bourguiba population that presented
15.67% of yield has kernels with medium values of thickness
(0.43 mm). Albanell et al. (1996) showed that seed yield correlates
negatively ( 0.33) with fruit weight. In the present survey the
correlation coefficient is about 0.89.
Given the results obtained from the analysis of morphologi-
cal parameters of Tunisian carob pods and kernels and their
correlations, it may be concluded that in order to achieve high
yield levels of carob kernel and gum it is important to obtain or
select according to pods and kernels dimensions, but the most
 Author's personal copy
130 S. Naghmouchi et al. / Scientia Horticulturae 121 (2009) 125–130
important are a high number of carob kernels and the yield of
kernels.
The populations plotted on the higher left quadrant, namely
Zaghouan, Jbal Rsas, Ain Tounga and Slouguia are more appropriate
for industrial gum exploitation due to the importance of their pods
and kernels characteristics, with wide kernels, long pods and high
number of viable kernels. From these observations it can be
deduced that, in terms of the yield of the kernel, light, thin, with
low central thickness pods and with a large number of viable
kernels should be more interesting, although pod length is not
important.
Principal component and cluster analysis discriminated the
sampled populations in three clusters using the first two principal
components and accounted for about 67% of the total variability
among the carob populations, based on fruit and seed traits. Cluster
I is characterized by light, thin, thick pods with low number of
kernels with medium pod length and medium dimensions of
kernels, the yield is high. Populations of cluster II presented fruits
with a high weight, width, thickness and length. The kernels are
light, short, wide and very thick. The number of kernels/pod is very
high; however they presented a low yield of kernels.
Populations of cluster III showed medium dimensions of the
fruits and kernels.
The ungrouped population (Ghare Elmelh) is characterized by a
high pods weight, width and thickness but the pods are short and
showed a low number of viable kernels that are very thick, heavy,
long and not wide. The yield of kernels is very low.
The data obtained in this study have shown the great variability
of the carob pods and kernels collected from wild and cultivated
types in different areas of Tunisia. These results suggest the
importance of preserving the genetic resources of carob and could
be a starting point for further studies, with the aim of the clonal
selection with highest yield of kernels and LBG for intensive
cultivation or with particular qualitative characteristics for
improved industrial uses.
Moreover, the development of varieties more adapted to actual
and future demands of industry must take in consideration a
strategy that prevents genetic erosion, thus the reduction of the
biodiversity of this species in this region is a real risk. Thus,
evaluation of the biodiversity in non-grafted or wild carob trees
dispersed all over the region is a fundamental step for the
implementation of a conservation strategy.
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