Morpho-Pomological and Stage-Dependent Phytochemical Characterization of ‘Adıyaman Keten İnciri’ (Ficus carica L.): Baseline Insights for Local Germplasm Conservation in Semi-Arid Lands

Documenting underexplored local fruit germplasms is essential for biodiversity conservation and establishing baseline records of genetic resources naturally persisting in dryland environments. This study presents a baseline morpho-pomological and stage-dependent phytochemical characterization of ‘Adıyaman Keten İnciri’ (Ficus carica L.), an autochthonous fig landrace naturally growing under rainfed semi-arid conditions surrounding the Ancient City of Perre in Adıyaman, Türkiye. Pomological evaluations revealed remarkable fruit dimensions and weight, characterized by a fully filled internal cavity and structural skin thickness that enhance mechanical resistance during handling. Phytochemical profiling via High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) demonstrated significant maturity-dependent metabolic transitions. Unripe green fruits accumulated higher levels of total phenolics, total anthocyanins, antioxidant activity, and individual bioactive compounds such as myricetin. Conversely, fruit maturation triggered a marked accumulation of primary sugars (predominantly glucose and fructose) and organic acids (mainly malic acid), alongside increased levels of catechin and pelargonidin-3-glucoside. Furthermore, while local field observations indicate main-crop fruit production in orchards without systematic caprification, controlled pollinator-exclusion (bagging) trials and long-term yield monitoring remain necessary to formally validate its parthenocarpic capacity and agronomic stability. Overall, while future controlled stress experiments are required to elucidate specific physiological stress-tolerance mechanisms, ‘Adıyaman Keten İnciri’ represents a valuable local genetic asset for in situ germplasm conservation and baseline breeding evaluations.