Suitability of ecological factors is the most important factor affecting the
productivity of agricultural activities. Sensitivity of the phytochemical
characteristics that are direct the product quality to the changing
environmental conditions is very high. In the present study, how climate
change depending on the altitude change affects phytochemical properties in
plum cultivars ?Friar? and ?Fortune? fruits which were harvested at two
different altitudes (200 m and 800 m a.b.s.), during two consecutive years
(2017 and 2018) was investigated. In addition, under environmental and
genotype modeling, genetic parameters of the properties were determined. In
line with the obtained results from the study, it was determined that the
phytochemical characteristics varied parallel to the altitude change within
the same latitude. Generally, amount of individual phenolic compounds and
organic acids were increased with altitude increase while general
phytochemical characteristics such as total phenolic content and antioxidant
activity were decreased. Heritabilities of general characteristics were
found lower, due to high difference between genotypic coefficient of
variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) than organic
and phenolic acids. Ranking of organic acids in both altitudes was found as
malic acid> acetic acid> oxalic acid> ascorbic acid in both cultivars. In
terms of phenolic acids, a stable order could not be determined while
chlorogenic acid has come to the front in both cultivars. Since
cultivar/location interactions found significant according to bi-plot
segregation, investigating the changes at genotype level would be more
accurate.