Ontogenesis peculiarities to aboriginal Chechen shapes of willow-leaf pear under intensification of pear breeding process

Abstract

The article presents the results of some experimental studies aimed at identifying the duration of the juvenile period that the aboriginal Chechen shapes of a willow-leaf pear have (PyrussalicifoliaPall.) under the acceleration of a breeding process, the goal of which is to achieve plants’ high early-maturity properties. The studies were carried out at Scientific Center “Gardens of Chechnya” within 2016–2019 in accordance with the Agreement on creative cooperation between All Russian Scientific Institute on Horticultural Crops Breeding and Scientific Center “Gardens of Chechnya”. The experiments were carried out in line with the Program for Breeding of Horticultural Crops, Berry and Walnut Fruits (1995) and the Program for Varieties-Study of Horticultural Crops, Berry and Walnut Fruits (1999). As a study object we used seeds of bred dwarf and weak-growing local Chechen shapes of the willow-leaf pear, generating fruit buds on one-year plants, and seeds of the Caucasian pear (PyruscaucasicaFed.) – 20500 pieces were taken of each shape. In April 2017, stratified seeds were sown in the sowing department of the Nursery Garden under the control of Gardens of Chechnya. Seedlings were grown according to generally accepted technology in rainfed conditions in a field with chestnut soil. Plants’ blossoming was observed in the spring of 2019. As an experiment result, based on a large amount of samplings, it was found that in rising plants among a great number of shapes of the aboriginal Chechen willow-leaf pear, the seedlings’ breeding is possible in the amount of a little more than 2 %, which have a very short juvenile period (2 years). The phenomenon is becoming an issue to study practically and scientifically with the aim to accelerate the breeding process and breed new varieties of pears with high early-maturity property. For further use and as source of a short juvenile period, 20 shapes of the willow-leaf pear were selected.