MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND OIL CONTENT OF THE NEW ARGAN TREE VARIETY ( A VARIETY SUITED TO SUPER

Dendrocalamus strictus: a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge and future research priorities

This review compiles and synthesizes information on the morphological, anatomical, phytochemical, physical, and mechanical properties of the species, as well as its reproductive biology, propagation techniques, agroforestry applications, carbon sequestration potential, and genomics, to support the sustainable utilization and long-term conservation of D. strictus.

Conservation, diversity, and evaluation of Cassava landraces for northern Mato Grosso.

Cassava is present in several countries, including Brazil. It is an important crop for family farming and contributes to the supply of food and income for families. The objective of this study was to evaluate sweet cassava varieties grown in the state of Mato Grosso that have higher yield, resistance to deterioration and the quality of their cooked roots. The study was conducted in the municipality of Claudia, Mato Grosso, using 16 varieties of sweet cassava. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences for most trait, with the exception of the average root length and the average root diameter. The results indicate that five varieties exhibited superior performance in terms of mass of fresh aerial part, tuberous root production, fresh commercial root mass and harvest index. As for deterioration, Amarela (04NM) stood out for having no deteriorated roots after four days of storage, in addition to a shorter cooking time (10 min) and its standard cooked mass was classified as "smooth, slightly plastic and sticky". Farmers are advised to gradually introduce varieties that have performed well in their cropping systems. The introduction of new varieties will promote crop diversification and contribute to the conservation of these varieties.

Evaluation of new genotypes in the breeding of Pyrus communis L.

Abstract. Crimea is considered a region of successful intensive gardening with favorable conditions for growing fruit crops, including pears. The pear is one of the leading and most promising pome crops in the southern region of the Russian Federation. Pears, with their high nutritional value, are in high demand. However, average annual production only meets 10-16 % of demand. At the same time, the development of adaptive fruit growing implies the cultivation of competitive varieties. As a result of many years of work, Crimean breeders have identified and included 23 pear varieties, bred by the Crimean Experimental Horticultural Station and the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, in the state register of breeding achievements approved for use. Currently, the assortment of this crop requires the development of genotypes with a range of economic and biological traits: resistance to major diseases, winter and frost hardiness, and consistently high yields with fruits of excellent taste and marketability. Therefore, the aim of the research was to study and identify new promising pear varieties. As a result of many years of breeding work, patents were received in 2026 for new pear varieties: Aromat Kryma (patent no. 14535 dated January 20, 2026) and Gloria (patent no. 14545 dated January 20, 2026). Pear varieties selected for this complex of traits are recommended for use in breeding work and for cultivation in intensive plantings in the south of the Russian Federation. Keywords: pear, variety, fruit quality, yield, drought resistance, frost resistance, patent Acknowledgements: The research was conducted under public assignment № FNNS 2025-0005.

Diversity analysis reveals significant variations in Dioscorea bulbifera L. collected from Kerala, India, enabled identification of superior germplasm

Dioscorea bulbifera L., commonly known as aerial yam or air potato, belongs to the family Dioscoreaceae. The plant has both medicinal and edible value. The aerial tuber (bulbils) and the underground tuber serve as good sources of staple food, rich in minerals and metabolites. Despite its potential to be elevated as a tuber crop in the tropics, it is surprisingly listed as an underutilised tuber in various parts of the world, particularly in the southernmost state of Kerala, India. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the diversity of D. bulbifera accessions collected from different agroecological zones of Kerala, India, through morphological trait markers. For the evaluation, 33 accessions of D. bulbifera (Db) were collected by visiting 105 sites and subjected to analysis by using 39 descriptors developed by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute/ International Institute of Tropical Agriculture specific to yam crops. Quantitative trait evaluation based on tuber characters such as number of aerial tubers (7.60–23.60 tuber/plant), aerial tuber weight (18–392 g/plant), bulbil yield (0.23–9.23 kg/plant), aerial tuber diameter (1–10.18 cm), and aerial tuber length (0.78–9.58 cm) varied among the accessions. The diversity estimation based on various components, including Genotypic variance (σ2g), environmental variance (σ2e), phenotypic variance (σ2p), phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), broad sense heritability (H2B) and genetic advance (GA), were evaluated. Among the 33 accessions, the PCV was higher than the GCV, indicating that variation among the accessions is not solely due to genetic traits but also to environmental conditions. Accessions with heritability above 95% for traits with moderate genetic advance as a selection tool for the superior germplasm (Db18) selection within the population. Correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation, especially in tuber characters. Scatter plot evaluation followed by dendrogram construction distinguishes the entire 33 accessions of D. bulbifera by divergent characters related to leaf and tuber traits and allocates the entire accessions irrespective of their geographical location of collections. The overall evaluation of the entire 33 accessions of D. bulbifera by morphological traits reveals significant variations among the accessions and illustrates the selection of superior germplasm based on the number of aerial tubers and also the aerial tuber yield per plant.

AGROBIOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND PRODUCTIVITY OF INTRODUCED GRAPE VARIETIES UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN KAZAKHSTAN

The article presents the results of an agrobiological evaluation of introduced grape varieties under the conditions of southeastern Kazakhstan (Talgar experimental farm, Almaty region) for 2024–2025. The aim of the study was to identify the most adapted and highly productive grape genotypes based on a comprehensive assessment of their growth, development, and yield. The study included the following grape varieties: Early Kibrayskiy, Osobiy, Sochniy, Muscat Susanna, Bobo Zakir, and Hungarian Muscat (control). The research was conducted using standard methods of varietal testing within an ampelographic collection. Phenological stages, biometric parameters of annual shoot growth, and productivity indicators (cluster weight, number of clusters per vine, yield per vine, and total yield) were evaluated. Bud break occurred in the second decade of April, flowering began in the third decade of May, and harvest maturity was reached in the first to second decades of August. Flowering lasted 13–15 days, and the growing season ranged from 116 to 124 days, corresponding to the biological characteristics of the crop and regional conditions. The most intensive shoot growth was observed in the Early Kibrayskiy variety. The varieties Sochniy, Bobo Zakir, and Osobiy showed an optimal combination of shoot length and number. The highest yields were recorded for Sochniy (up to 100.2 c/ha), Bobo Zakir (88.1 c/ha), and Osobiy (84.7 c/ha), due to their large cluster size and favorable cluster number. Based on the comprehensive evaluation, the varieties Sochniy, Bobo Zakir, and Osobiy demonstrated high adaptability and stable productivity and are recommended for commercial cultivation and breeding programs.

MORPHOMETRIC AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW NON-SPINY VARIETY OF ARGAN TREE ( SKEELS) SOUHAYL WITH DUAL PURPOSE: OIL PRODUCTION AND