Centuries-Old Results of Cultivation and Diversity of Genetic Resources of Grapes in Azerbaijan

Abstract

Vine-growing was one of the most ancient and widespread professions in the economic life of our people. As evidenced from archaeological excavations, paleobotanical studies, ampelographic information, folklore and written history sources, Azerbaijan has proven to be one of the cultural centers of vine-growing. The territory of Azerbaijan has very favourable conditions for improvement of Vitis and development of vine-growing. Primitive men who primarily utilized hunting and fishing to provide sustenance also collected wild fruits and berries, including wild grape. In 1963 in the western part of Bozdagh (Goy Gol region) while conducting geological investigations, Azerbaijan scientists discovered an abundance of plant remains in Absheron sediments which formed 1-2 million years ago. Most of the residues were impressions of wild grape leaves on stone. Formation of wild grape in this area (approximately 500. 000 years ago) was demonstrated by grape leaf impressions found in Nakhchivan [7]. This discovery proves that the region is one the ancient vine-growing centers (Figure 1.). These discoveries are very valuable, not only for historians, but also for specialists of other sciences-paleobotany, ampelographics, fruit-growers, geologists, soil scientists.

Genetic diversity of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars in Al-Madinah Al-Munawara based on molecular markers and morphological traits

“…As a result of grapevine commercial globalization, the genetic diversity of grapevine has been decreased dramatically due to the dominant of few elite cultivars that are often preferred by consumers over the others; which lead to the spread of these cultivars worldwide and disappear of the wild or local cultivars (Myles et al, 2011). Genetic erosion or the diversity loss is one of the most serious problems at a global scale that demand considerable efforts to protect, evaluate and select the most productive samples (Musayev and Akparov, 2013). Regardless, of the high number of cultivars that exist now many of them uncommon or endangered (Portugal, 2010).…”

Biodiversity of fruit plants in Azerbaijan: Prospects of conservation and utilization

“…), nuts and other fruit and fruit-berry crops in the forest are availble. (Akparov and Musayev, 2012;Musayev and Akparov, 2013;Asadov and Asadov, 2001;Maghradze et al, 2012 andMammadov et al, 2000) Among 27 Caucasian pear species, 19 are grown in Azerbaijan. These are Pyrus boisseriana Buhse., P.hyrcana Fed., P. grossheimii Fed., P. communis L., P. caucasica Fed., P. eldarca A.Grossh., P.voronovii Rubtz., P. syriaca Bioss., P. salicifolia Pall., P. zangezura Maleev, P.elata Rubtz, P. raddeana G.Woron, P. serotina Rehd., P. nutans Rubtz, P.vsevolodi Heidemann., P. oxyprion G.Woron., P. complexa Rubtz., P. medvedevii Rubtz.…”

“…In general, more than 3000 samples of wild grapes were found in expeditionary regions and phytocenotic features of their spreading areas were described. (Musayev and Akparov, 2013.) It is spread on the territory of Azerbaijan from 18 m below sea-level (Kyur riverside, Salyan region) to 2000 m above sea-level (Gusar region).…”

Assessment of grapevine genetic resources based on physiological data

“…Hundreds (according to some information about more than 600) of landraces of grapevine are grown in the Republic (Musayev and Huseynova, 2016). White, red, black, pink colored table, technical and seedless grapevine varieties are cultivated here (Musayev et al, 2013;Maghradze et al, 2012;Musayev et al, 2019) One of the most important breeding priorities is the assessment and improvement of the resistance of cultivated fruit crop genotypes to environmental stressors. The maximum productivity of cultivated crops is possible with an increase in their resistance to climatic stress.…”