CHARACTERISTICS OF APPLE SAMPLES COLLECTION IN THE MOUNTAINOUS ZONE OF TAJIKISTAN

A valuable collection of local apple forms was collected and created in the conditions of the Rasht valley (the Republic of Tajikistan) (at an altitude of 1 400 m above sea level), which is a valuable source material for breeding. Among the 25 collection cultivars, there is a large variation of fruits number on a tree (from 240 to 1 560 pcs.). The most prolific cultivar samples are ‘Shokhiseb’, ‘Tobsitoni’ and ‘Dulak’ (1 050, 1 400 and 1 560 pcs./tree, respectively). The yield varies depending on the genotypic characteristics of cultivar samples (from 8.5 to 42 t/ha). High yield was recorded in ‘Surkhakseb’, ‘Mazori’ and ‘Tobistony’ (32.33, and 42 t/ha, respectively); ‘Rakhsha’, ‘Lolaseb’, ‘Amiri’, ‘Atlas’, ‘Maliki’, ‘Tilloy’, ‘Turushakseb’, ‘Khandalakseb’ and ‘Shokhisebi surkh’ had a low yield (8.5 to 14 t/ha). The yield of apple cultivars in the conditions of the Rasht district is an important polygenic feature and has a wide range of variability, which indicates a great opportunity to select valuable apple samples and involve them in the breeding process and as well as to lay new intensive orchards from among the local valuable promising apple cultivars in the mountainous zone of Tajikistan.