The importance of Pistacia species for pistachio production in Turkey

The genus Pistacia L. is a member of the family Anacardiaceae which also includes cashew, mango, poison ivy, poison oak, pepper tree and sumac. The genus consists of eleven or more species. In the south-eastern Anatolian region of Turkey P. vera L., P. terebinthus L. and P. khinjuk Stocks. and their natural hybrids are widely spread. Pistacia terebinthus is mainly present in the provinces of Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Kahramanmaras and Sanliurfa. Pistacia khinjuk is found in Siirt, Hakkari, Gaziantep, Adiyaman and Bitlis. Pistacia vera and its hybrids are present in Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras. In the Mediterranean and southeast Eagean region P. atlantica, P. mutica, and P. terebinthus are widely spread and some wild trees of P. palaestina and P. lentiscus can be also found in this region. In the Eagean region P. atlantica, P. mutica and P. terebinthus are widespread. P. palaestina and P. lentiscus can also be found here. In Central Anatolia and transitional areas between Mediterranean and Aegean Sea Region in some areas stands of P. vera, P. atlantica, P. terebinthus and P. mutica can be found. Mainly P. khinjuk, P. terebinthus, P. atlantica, P. palaestine and P. mutica are distributed in Turkey. Except P. mutica, the others are used as rootstock for Pistacia vera cultivars. The best rootstocks seem to be P. khinjuk for all genotypes or cultivars of pistachio nut. The dwarf rootstock for pistachio cultivars is Pistacia terebinthus.