GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF TUNISIAN LIME GENOTYPES USING POMOLOGICAL TRAITS: IMPLICATIONS FOR CULTIVAR IDENTIFICATION AND BREEDING STRATEGIES
Lime is a commercially important citrus fruit in Tunisia, and there is a need for genetic characterization of local lime genotypes to aid cultivar identification and breeding. In this study, pomological traits were used to genetically characterize 25 Tunisian lime genotypes. The results showed significant variation in fruit characteristics, including fruit weight, peel thickness, and juice content. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis based on pomological traits were used to group the genotypes into three main clusters. Molecular analysis using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers confirmed the genetic diversity observed based on pomological traits. The findings of this study provide useful information for the identification and breeding of Tunisian lime cultivars.