COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF BEST WALNUT FORMS IN THE RIGHT BANK STEPPE OF UKRAINE

Article language

українська

Print date

11.07.2025

Date posted online

12.07.2025

Institution

Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry & Forest Melioration named after G.M.Vysotsky

Bibliography

Goal. Based on a set of indicators, to select the most promising walnut cultivars for introduction into industrial nut growing and further breeding.

Results and Discussion. Fruiting intensity records on a mother plant plantation for cuttings on the territory of the Research and Breeding Dendrological Forest Center "Veseli Bokovenky" in the steppe part of the Kirovohradska Oblast showed fluctuations in cultivars’ indicators in different years from 1 to 4 points.  The best average indicators were recorded for cvs. ‘B-20-1’, 'Krasavets', 'Dichka', ‘D-21’, ‘D-6’, 'Kurzym', ‘ES-56-50’, 'Kulepodibnyi', and ‘D-59’. Cultivars ‘K-5-2’, ‘4-96’, ‘K-29-22’, ‘VL’, ‘ES-64-12’, ‘MES-3-13’, 'Soniachnyi', ‘BI’, and ‘MES-3-6’ had very large nuts (14.3 - 15.1 g). Most cultivars were characterized by medium kernel output – from 43.9% (‘MES-3-6’) to 46.4% ('Dichka'); high kernel output was observed in clones 'Sharovydnyi' (50.0 %) and ‘K-21-2’ (51.4 %). The thinnest shells were found in cvs. ‘D-13’, ‘K-21-2’ and ‘4-95’; such shells facilitate peeling. Cultivars ‘KR 29’, ‘ES-42-6’, ‘K-21-1’, ‘K-4-7’, 'Kolkhoznyi', 'Krasavets', ‘MES-1-16’, ‘MES-14-33’, ‘MES-1-5’, ‘BL’, ‘ES-58-12’, 'Sharovydnyi', ‘BI’, and ‘MES-3-6’ were noticeable for medium-thick shells (1.45-1.65 mm). Most cultivars were tolerant or relatively tolerant to the harsh conditions of the steppe. The 5 most promising cultivars for industrial cultivation and using in further breeding have been identified based on the sum of the points.

Conclusions. Of 61 cultivars, 10 have been selected, as they gave the best mean yields. The following cultivars turned out to be the best ones in terms of fruit technical qualities: ‘4-95’, ‘K-21-2’, ‘MES-3-6’, ‘D-13’, ‘BI’, 'Sharovydnyi', ‘ES-58-12’, and ‘BL’. Cultivars ‘BR’, ‘B-20-29’, ‘VL’, ‘D-15’, ‘ES-64-12’, and ‘ST’ were most tolerant to the harsh steppe conditions. According to the results on fruiting abandance, nut condition and weight, kernel output, shell thickness, the most promising cvs. ‘K1A’ (17.9 points), ‘K-21-2’ (16.5 points), ‘MES-3-6’ (16.2 points), ‘BI’ (15.7 points), and ‘D-13’ (15.7 points) are recommended for industrial cultivation and further breeding.

Section

SOURCES AND DONORS

Abstract

Goal. Based on a set of indicators, to select the most promising walnut cultivars for introduction into industrial nut growing and further breeding.

Results and Discussion. Fruiting intensity records on a mother plant plantation for cuttings on the territory of the Research and Breeding Dendrological Forest Center "Veseli Bokovenky" in the steppe part of the Kirovohradska Oblast showed fluctuations in cultivars’ indicators in different years from 1 to 4 points.  The best average indicators were recorded for cvs. ‘B-20-1’, 'Krasavets', 'Dichka', ‘D-21’, ‘D-6’, 'Kurzym', ‘ES-56-50’, 'Kulepodibnyi', and ‘D-59’. Cultivars ‘K-5-2’, ‘4-96’, ‘K-29-22’, ‘VL’, ‘ES-64-12’, ‘MES-3-13’, 'Soniachnyi', ‘BI’, and ‘MES-3-6’ had very large nuts (14.3 - 15.1 g). Most cultivars were characterized by medium kernel output – from 43.9% (‘MES-3-6’) to 46.4% ('Dichka'); high kernel output was observed in clones 'Sharovydnyi' (50.0 %) and ‘K-21-2’ (51.4 %). The thinnest shells were found in cvs. ‘D-13’, ‘K-21-2’ and ‘4-95’; such shells facilitate peeling. Cultivars ‘KR 29’, ‘ES-42-6’, ‘K-21-1’, ‘K-4-7’, 'Kolkhoznyi', 'Krasavets', ‘MES-1-16’, ‘MES-14-33’, ‘MES-1-5’, ‘BL’, ‘ES-58-12’, 'Sharovydnyi', ‘BI’, and ‘MES-3-6’ were noticeable for medium-thick shells (1.45-1.65 mm). Most cultivars were tolerant or relatively tolerant to the harsh conditions of the steppe. The 5 most promising cultivars for industrial cultivation and using in further breeding have been identified based on the sum of the points.

Conclusions. Of 61 cultivars, 10 have been selected, as they gave the best mean yields. The following cultivars turned out to be the best ones in terms of fruit technical qualities: ‘4-95’, ‘K-21-2’, ‘MES-3-6’, ‘D-13’, ‘BI’, 'Sharovydnyi', ‘ES-58-12’, and ‘BL’. Cultivars ‘BR’, ‘B-20-29’, ‘VL’, ‘D-15’, ‘ES-64-12’, and ‘ST’ were most tolerant to the harsh steppe conditions. According to the results on fruiting abandance, nut condition and weight, kernel output, shell thickness, the most promising cvs. ‘K1A’ (17.9 points), ‘K-21-2’ (16.5 points), ‘MES-3-6’ (16.2 points), ‘BI’ (15.7 points), and ‘D-13’ (15.7 points) are recommended for industrial cultivation and further breeding.

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