Juglans regia in Uzbekistan Potential Resource of Biodiversity: Trees and Fruits Description. Acta Hortic.

The natural area of walnut in Central Asia includes the territory of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. There the walnut has been grown since Oligocene times. The walnut forests in these countries are the centre of origin of walnut around the world. Walnut forests in Uzbekistan are widespread in an area of about 4000 hectares. They occupy areas with optimum forest growing conditions on slopes of mountains of Western Tien-Shan and Pamir-Alai at a height from 800 up to 2300 m above sea level. The Bostanlyk District of Tashkent Region is related to the zone of the densest concentration of walnut plantations. Surveys carried out in 2007-2009 in Uzbekistan walnut forests in a part of Western Tien-Shan territory showed that Juglans regia is widespread on ranges as separate, small populations on small river inflow and slopes of Ugam, Pskem, Chatkal. From the complex of investigated biomorphological attributes of trees, forms can be classified as related to breeding categories. From the study area selected trees in Charvak and Chatkal plots deserve special attention. Fruits of the surveyed trees showed a wide variability in size and shape as well as in the nutrient content. Oil, fatty acids, proteins, vitamin E were analysed. Several forms can be added as potential candidates for reproduction and establishment of a collection-mother production plantations and to become named cultivars.