"Study of Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of Walnut in Uzbekistan" III: Genetic analysis of walnut in Western Tien Shan Forests

A cooperation project between Italy and Uzbekistan, founded on the needs and perspectives of the conservation and use of forest genetic resources in Eurasian continent, has been developed. The creation and organization of a database on genetic resources (including information on geographical location, ecophysiological characteristics, phenotypic, biochemical, nutritional value, molecular genetic description of trees) are real important actions to support and enhance agriculture increasingly innovative and sustainable both for social and economic development. Significant erosion of J. regia genetic resources, was observed especially in Europe (particularly in Italy, France and Spain) where it is rather difficult to distinguish the wild from the cultivated germplasm. Uzbekistan shares with European countries the interest for the in situ and ex situ conservation of biodiversity even if there, until now, research has started but not sufficiently developed. Taking in consideration the common interest in the genetic resources conservation and improvement, Italian and Uzbek scientists planed to joint the effort in order: to organize walnut field/forest inventories, to revise distinct populations of forest walnut trees and to reveal new provenances and unique genotypes, to develop biochemical fruit characterization and molecular genetic identification. In the framework of the "I° Cultural and Scientific Cooperative Programme between the Govern of Italian Republic and the Govern of Uzbekistan Republic, 2006-2010", the above were detailed in a research project co-financed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Studies on the surveyed territory where is still present a rich genofund of walnut has been presented in the "Study of Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of Walnut in Uzbekistan I: Western Tien-Shan Forests"; the studies on variability in size and shape of nuts as well as in biochemical attributes has been described in "Study of Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of Walnut in Uzbekistan II: Western Tien-Shan Nuts Description". This paper refers on the results obtained by molecular analysis of the Uzbek walnut genetic resources. Some comparison with walnut provenances collected in other Central Asia countries and Italy are also reported.