5 HORTSCIENCE VOL. 40(1) FEBRUARY 2005 Genetic Resources of Temperate and Subtropical Fruit and Nut Species at the Nikita Botanical Gardens Valery N. Yezhov, Anatoly V. Smykov, Vladimir K. Smykov, and Sergei Yu. Khokhlov Nikita Botanical Gardens, National Scientific Center, Yalta, Crimea, Ukraine, 98648 David E. Zaurov, Shawn A. Mehlenbacher, 1 Thomas J. Molnar, Joseph C. Goffreda, and C. Reed Funk Department of Plant Biology & Pathology, Foran Hall, 59 Dudley Road, Cook College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520 Additional index words. germplasm, breeding, peach, pear, plum, apricot, nuts and subtropical fruit and nut species holds 7,685 accessions made up of cultivars, selections, and unique forms (Table 1). The collections include peach and nectarine [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.], apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.), European plum (Prunus domestica L.), cherry-plum (Prunus cerasifera Ehrh.), sour cherry (Prunus cerasus Ehrh.), apple (Malus xdomestica Borkh.), pear (Pyrus communis L.), quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.), almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb.], walnut (Juglans regia L.), hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.), pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), fig (Ficus carica L.), persimmon (Diospyros spp.), Chinese date (Zyzyphus jujuba Mill.), hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.), pawpaw [Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal], lemon [Citrus limon (L.) Burm.], and feijoa or pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana Berg.). There are nine departments in the Gar- dens: flora and vegetation, dendrology and floriculture, subtropical fruit culture, essential oil-bearing and medicinal plants, agroecology Table 1. Number of accessions of temperate and subtropical fruit and nut species held in collections at the Nikita Botanical Gardens. Species Total Almond 1,103 Apple 760 Apricot 783 Cherry 541 Cherry plum 220 Chinese date 140 Feijoa (pineapple guava) 400 Fig 334 Hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia sp.) 11 Hazelnut 55 Lemon 10 Olive 230 Pawpaw 16 Peach and nectarine 1,284 Pear 351 Persimmon 190 Plum 493 Pomegranate 370 Quince 219 Walnut 175 The Nikita Botanical Gardens (NBG), es- tablished in 1812, is the oldest botanical garden in the former Soviet Union. The NBG belongs to the Ukraine Academy of Agrarian Sciences and acts as a comprehensive scientific research institute, botanical garden, and tourist attrac- tion. The core botanical garden is located near Yalta, on the Black Sea coast of the Crimean peninsula (Fig. 1). The NBG also has branch research stations within the Crimean peninsula and in the steppes of the Kherson oblast (oblast is synonymous with province). The name Nikita comes from the small vil- lage settled by Greeks several centuries previ- ously, near which the original plots of land were allotted for the Gardens. The Novorossiysk general governor A. Plessy du Richelieu, great- grandson of Cardinal du Richelieu, proposed establishing the botanical gardens. In 1811, a decree was signed in St. Petersburg and the first plantings were made in September 1812, marking the birth of the NBG. Christian Steven, a prominent young scientist of the time, was invited to fill the position of director at the new Gardens. Since there was a need for guidance in the development of southern horticulture and the need for appropriate planting stock, Steven decided the central aim of the Gardens would be the introduction and development of new plants suitable for growing in southern Russia. Within 12 years, Steven had contacted 40 institutions and private growers, who sent plant material from various parts of Europe. He collected a total of 450 ornamental spe- cies along with a large number of temperate and subtropical fruit species. Mr. Steven also founded a herbarium and library. The scientific activities of the NBG includes studying plant resources of the world, with an emphasis on the introduction, selection, and genetic improvement of disease and pest resistant, high yielding, high quality cultivars of temperate and subtropical fruit, nuts, spices, ornamental, and essential oil-bearing plants. Research is also being conducted on the physi- ology, biology, and culture of many of these species as well as management of their pests and diseases. Presently, the collection of temperate and plant protection, reproductive biology and physiology of plants, biotechnology and biochemistry, plant management, and market- Fig. 1. Map of Ukraine (reproduced with permission from the Dept. of Public Information, Carto- graphic Section, United Nations, Map 3773, Rev. 2, February 2003). Konotop Nizhyn Kursk Belgorod Berdychiv Pervomays'k Uman’ Kalush Stryi Pinsk Lubny Przemysl ´ Kolomyya Chernivtsi Iasi Reni Izmayil Horlivka Kostyantynivka Kramators'k Slovians'k Izyum Lozova Dniprodzerzhyns'k Stakhanov Pavlohrad Yenakiieve Krasnyi Luch Makiyivka Alchevs'k Taganrog Mariupol' Shakhty Brovary Korosten' Tserkva Bila Chornobyl' Pryluky Romny Kremenchuk Shostka Homyel' Marhanets' Nikopol’ Yalta Sevastopol’ Yevpatoriya Feodosiya Kerch Novorossiysk Lublin Brest Drohobych Mukacheve Starobil'sk Constanta Nova Kakhovka Melitopol’ Dzhankoy Varna Kovel’ Krasnodar Berdyans'k Bati Galati Braila Kamianets'-Podil's'kyi Novohrad- Volyns'kyi Novocherkassk Zhovti Vody Smila Kryvyi Rih Dnipropetrovs'k Donets'k Rostov- na-Donu Chernihiv Sumy Kirovohrad Vinnytsia Zhytomyr Zaporizhzhia Cherkasy Poltava Rivne Ternopil' Khmel'nyts'kyi Uzhhorod L'viv Odesa Mykolayiv Luhans'k Kherson Simferopol’ Ivano-Frankivs'k Kharkiv Luts'k Warsaw Kyiv Chisinau C A R P A T H I A N M O U N T A I N S B L A C K S E A SEA OF AZOV V o r s k l a S ula De s n a D n iste r P r u t P iv d . B uh Pripyats' D n ip r o W isla Sa n D a n u b e K u b a n' Mouths of the Danube K arkinists'ka Z ato k a K e r c h e n sk y P roliv S i r e t Kahovske Vdskh. Kremenchuts'ke Vdskh. VOLYNS'KA OBLAST' ZAKARPATS'KA OBLAST' AUTONOMOUS REP. OF CRIMEA R O M A N I A B E L A R U S RUSSIAN FEDERATION HUNGARY POLAND BULGARIA RUSSIAN FEDERATION R E P . O F M O L D O V A SLOVAKIA Map No. 3773 Rev. 2 UNITED NATIONS February 2003 Department of Public Information Cartographic Section The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. 0 50 0 100 200 mi 100 150 50 300 km 150 200 250 UKRAINE National capital Capital of Autonomous Republic of Crimea and oblast' centre City, town Airport International boundary Autonomous Republic of Crimea and oblast' boundary Road Railroad UKRAINE Oblast names are the same as their respective centres except were labelled. 45 ° 50 ° 50 ° 45 ° 25 ° 30 ° 35 ° 40 ° 25 ° 30 ° 35 ° HORTSCIENCE 40(1):5–9. 2005. Received for publication 17 Feb. 2004. Accepted for publication 31 May 2004. 1 Department of Horticulture, 4017 Agricultural and Life Sciences Bldg., Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-7304 .