PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF SEVENTY WALNUT (Juglans regia L.) SEEDLINGS SELECTIONS IN GREECE

Seventy walnut (Juglans regia L.) selections from Greek seedling populations were collected, grafted on rootstock (Juglans regia L.) and planted in a national germplasm for adaptation and evaluation studies. Five years preliminary observations on bud breaking showed that : sixteen (16) selections are very early, twenty seven (27) early, twenty three (23) are medium early and the last four (4) medium late. During the same period the observations on blooming dates showed that : there are two (2) homogamous selections, twenty one (21) protogynous, thirty four (34) protandrous and thirteen (13) selections had not yet catkin appearance. Referring to lateral bearing trait a percentage of 35% of these selections are lateral fruitfulness. Sixteen selections of those presenting lateral fructification gave sizeable nuts (16.1 – 24.0 gr) and high percentage of yield kernel (47.1 – 55.0 %). The lateral bearing selections S1-A, S34-A, S1-B, S4-B and S14-B are most promising.

IV International Walnut Symposium

D. Rouskas, G. Zakynthinos

walnut, Juglans regia L., genetic resources, selection, phenology, lateral fruitfulness, nut characteristics.

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2001.544.6