Lecturer Prof. from the Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering. Dr. The project titled "Determination of Fire Blight and Black Spot Resistance and Self-Incompatibility Characteristics of Local Niğde Apples with Molecular Markers", led by Sedat Serçe's advisor and Research Assistant Orkun Gencer, was entitled to be supported within the scope of TÜBİTAK 1002 Rapid Support Program.

The fact that Niğde province ranks 3rd in apple production in our country and our country ranks 2nd in world apple production shows that apple is an important product in agricultural production for both Niğde province and our country. Prof. Dr. Sedat SERÇE and Research Assistant Orkun Gencer have detected genetic diversity among Niğde Apples grown in the province in their previous studies in Niğde and continue to conduct further research in the light of these findings. This supported project aims to investigate the resistance of Niğde Apples against fire blight and black spot diseases encountered in apples grown in our country and around the world with molecular methods and to demonstrate their usability for this purpose in breeding studies. At the same time, it aims to provide information about incompatibilities that may be encountered in breeding programs by examining the self-incompatibility characteristics of Niğde Apples with molecular methods.

The outputs of the project, which are unique in terms of the fact that the apple is a fruit of high commercial importance on a global scale for our country and a national scale for Niğde, that the Niğde Apple is still grown in the province, that it is a brand value for the province, and that previous studies have shown that it has a genetic potential, are both academic and commercial. It will be shared with organizations and researchers in the field. In this way, it is aimed to carry out more academic and commercial studies about Niğde Apple, one of the brand values of our Niğde province.