No abstract

Walnut-fruit forests (WFF) in Kyrgyzstan are biodiversity hotspots, provide important ecosystem services, and are of economic value yet currently suffer from a lack of sustainable management. We analysed current agroforestry practices through a series of interviews with farmers and reviewed the input-output data for 5 years of hay and walnut production for three case studies. The interviews showed that hay-making and walnut collection are the primary agroforestry practices in the WFF and have clear economic importance. Walnut in particular is a source of additional income for farmers and haymaking activities are strongly influenced by the need to winter cattle in these regions. The low reliability of interview data limited the planned analysis of profitability of case studies. Walnut production, however, is difficult to calculate because it is highly dependent on weather conditions and cropping practices between walnut trees (Juglans regia L.). This study highlights the need for improved agroforestry technologies in the WFF and identifies potential means for a sustainable, multi-purpose management of the WFF with a special focus on income generation.

No abstract

The article provides information about the form diversity and selection of walnuts in the natural walnut forests of Kyrgyzstan. In walnutfruit forests, there is a wide variety of forms of walnut and other wild fruit species. The species and intraspecific diversity of wild fruit trees and shrubs allows selecting the best forms for creating highly productive plantations in various forest conditions in order to obtain high yields of nuts and other fruits. Methods of selection and criteria for selecting the best forms of walnuts are described.