COVER STORY HORTSCIENCE 39(5):917–921. 2004. (Cannabis sativa L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), cereal crops, and forage crops. Later, separate research institutes were established to focus on The Schroeder Institute in Uzbekistan: individual crops and initiate specifi c breed- ing programs. TAES was the fi rst institute in Breeding and Germplasm Collections Central Asia established for studies of genet- ics/breeding and the cultural management of Mirmahsud M. Mirzaev and Uri M. Djavacynce fruits, grapes, and nuts. Richard R. Schroeder Uzbek Research Institute of Fruit Growing, Viticulture, and Schroeder developed improved cultivars of Wine Production, 700000 Tashkent, Glavpochta, ab #16, Republic of Uzbekistan cotton, rice, corn (Zea mays L.), and other crops (Schroeder, 1956). In tree fruits, he focused 1 2 David E. Zaurov, Joseph C. Goffreda, Thomas J. Orton, Edward G. on improving cold-hardiness, resistance to dis- Remmers, and C. Reed Funk eases and insects, and yield. In 1911, Schroeder Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Cook College, Rutgers University, participated in the 7th International Congress New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520 of Arid Lands in the United States for cotton and orchard crops. While in the United States, Additional index words. germplasm, apples, walnuts, peach, grapes, plums, almonds, he collected seeds of legumes, sorghum, and apricots, pistachios, breeding cotton cultivars and evaluated them in Central Asia. Shortly thereafter, Schroeder published Central Asia was largely isolated from the Uzbek Scientifi c Research Institute of Plant an agricultural monograph that was widely western world from the early 1800s until 1991, Industry (former branch of VIR) and Uzbek distributed throughout the Russian Empire and, when the former Soviet Union was dissolved. Scientifi c Research Institute of Cotton Breed- later, the USSR (Schroeder, 1913). During this time, many research institutions ing and Seed Production. Following Richard Schroeder’s death in were established to work on economically The Turkestan Agricultural Experiment 1944, his son, Alexander R. Schroeder, con- important crop species and to amass large and Station (TAES) was established in 1898 in tinued the apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) unique germplasm collections, including the Tashkent Province, Republic of Uzbekistan breeding program, developing and releasing (Fig. 1). Academician Richard R. Schroeder cultivars that are still popular in Central Received for publication 3 Mar. 2003. Accepted for (Fig. 2) served as the director of TAES from Asia: ‘Renet Tashkentsky’, ‘Borovinka Tash- publication 17 Sept. 2003. 1902 to 1944. Initially, TAES focused on kentskay’, ‘Tilly alma’, ‘Letnee polosatoe’, 1To whom reprint requests should be addressed; tree fruits; grapes (Vitis vinifera L.); various ‘Iskander’, ‘Ubileinoe Shredera’, ‘Navoi’, e-mail [email protected]. vegetables; fi ber crops, such as cotton (Gos- ‘Dastarhoni’, ‘Argus’, ‘Kalvil Tashkentsky’, 2Department of Extension Specialists, Rutgers Coopera- sypium hirsutum L. and G. barbadense L.), and ‘Zimnee Shredera’. Later, Schroeder’s tive Extension, Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.), and hemp; granddaughter, Elena Schroeder, joined the 55° 65° 70° sh 60° a lq a l KAZAKHSTAN B K 45° 45° Ostrova UZBEKISTAN Vozrozhdeniya Qyzylorda ARAL SEA KAZAKHSTAN Zhaslyk oq un S M y USTYURT r D y a ba r im K y y PLATEAU h z y a Zhambyl Altynkul’ C Takhtakupyr l Qunghirotø Autonomous Republic of KARAKALPAKSTAN K Kulkuduk u Nukus Mynbulak m Shymkent Uchquduq KYRGYZSTAN Caspian iq 7 h Beruni irc Sea Urganch Ch Turtkul’ n Zarafshon Tashkent 12 anga Khiva Angren am 5 A Yangiyul’ N m NAWOIY 6 Andijon u Ozero Almalyk D Aydorkul’ 1 a Quqon 3 T r 10 y 2 Nurata a Bekabad U Dargan Ata BUKHARA Farish Guliston 40° ( Farghona 40° R O Nawoiy 9 Jizzakh x Gazli Gizhduvan u K s Kattakurgan ) 4 M Bukhoro (Bukhara) Samarqand UZBEKISTAN E Kagan N Mubarek International boundary I Ch rjew Kasan Kitab Province or autonomous republic boundary S 8 TAJIKISTAN T Qarshi Dushanbe National capital A Guzar Province or autonomous republic capital N Talimardzhan Denau Town 11 Main road Amu Dar’ya Secondary road Mary Termez Railroad Airport Provinces of Uzbekistan 1 Andijon 7 Nawoiy N AFGHANISTAN TA 050100 150 200 250 km 2 Bukhara 8 Qashqadaryo IS ISLAMIC K 3 Farghona 9 Samarqand A REPUBLIC OF P 050100 150 mi IRAN 4 Jizzakh 10 Sirdaryo 5 Khorazm 11 Surkhondaryo Jammu The boundaries and names shown and the presentation used on this map 6 Namangan 12 Tashkent and 55° do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. 65° 70° Kashmir Fig. 1. Map of the Republic of Uzbekistan (reproduced with permission from the Dept. of Public Information, Cartographic Section, United Nations, Map No. 3777 Rev. 3, Aug. 1998). HORTSCIENCE VOL. 39(5) AUGUST 2004 917 77661.indd661.indd 991717 66/22/04/22/04 99:39:05:39:05 AAMM domestica L.), 125 brambles, and 150 nuts {walnuts (Juglans regia L.), almonds [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb.], and hazelnuts (Corylus avellana L.)}. The Institute also has collections of dates (Zizyphus jujuba Mill.), fi gs (Ficus carica L.), persimmons (Diospyrus kaki L.), pomegranates (Punica granatum L.), and other fruits (Esenbaev et al., 1981). The Institute has developed and released 150 cultivars of fruits, berries, and grapes. In addition, 58 advanced selections are nearing release. Cultivars developed by the Schroeder Institute have been widely accepted by Uzbek commercial growers: 80% of the apples, 60% of the pears, 69% of the grapes, 90% of the strawberries (Fragaria ×ananassa L.), 65% of the quince (Pyrus cydonia L.), 65% of the peaches, 90% of the black currants (Ribes nigrum L.), and 90% of the nuts in Uzbekistan are cultivars released by the Institute. Some are widely grown throughout the former USSR. The present goals of the Institute include the following. 1. Develop new cultivars of orchard crops and grapes that produce high yields of fruit with im- Fig. 2. Academician Richard R. Schroeder served as Fig. 3. Academician Mahmud M. Mirzaev served as proved quality under various climatic extremes, director of the Institute from 1902 to 1944. director of the Institute from 1949 to 2000. and also exhibit disease and insect resistance, cold-hardiness, and drought tolerance. apple breeding program, and presently con- Namangansky (Namangan Province), Sokhsky 2. Develop cultivars for use on extremely poor tinues this work. (Andijon Province), Bukharsky (Bukhara soils (sandy, stony, salty, and/or dry soils). TAES was named after Richard Schroeder Province), and 17 experimental farms (Fig. 3. Improve drying technology and storage in 1929. At this time, the scientifi c program was 1). In total, the Schroeder Institute oversees methods for fruits and grapes (i.e., raisins). expanded and awarded greater fi nancial support 11,000 ha of research farms. 4. Develop new farm machinery for orchards by the federal government. In 1947 the organi- The Institute also developed an educational and vineyards. zation was renamed the Richard R. Schroeder program where students could earn associate Uzbek Research Institute of Fruit Growing, degrees in orchard crops. In the late 1960s, Viticulture, and Wine Production (referred to the Schroeder Institute created a Bureau of Fig. 4. Apricot ‘Ubileini Navoi’. hereinafter as the Schroeder Institute). Agricultural Machinery to de- Mahmud M. Mirzaev (Fig. 3) was ap- velop or adapt farm equipment pointed director of the Schroeder Institute in for use in orchards. In addition, 1949 and served in this role for 51 years until the Institute developed new his death in Aug. 2000. He focused on the cultivars of fruit, nut, citrus, and interspecifi c hybridization of orchard species grapes, and developed cultural and development of improved grape cultivars. and processing technology, Mirzaev published over 300 scientifi c articles, including the canning, packag- books, and monographs, including Apricots in ing, and bottling of fruit juices, Uzbekistan (Mirzaev and Kkuznecov, 1984)‚ wines, champagnes, vodkas, Ampelography of Uzbekistan (Mirzaev et al., and cognac. The Institute cur- 1984), Pomology of Uzbekistan (Mirzaev et rently operates a full-scale wine al., 1983), Orchards of the Foothills and Moun- production plant with adequate tain Zone of Uzbekistan (Mirzaev, 1982), and storage facilities for aging stud- Vineyards of the Foothills and Mountain Zone ies. Furthermore, the Schroeder of Uzbekistan (Mirzaev, 1980). In recognition Institute established an agribusi- of his voluminous contributions, Mirzaev ness college in 1995. was elected to both the Uzbek and Russian The main Schroeder Institute Academies of Science. His son, Mirmahsud M. in Tashkent Province includes Mirzaev, replaced him as Institute director. 22 laboratories and greenhouses From 1956 to 1957, branches of the Schro- that are used for research in plant eder Institute were established in geographi- breeding, cultural management, cal areas of Uzbekistan having different soil mechanization, and physiology types and climatic conditions. The Schroeder and biochemistry of crops. About Institute currently has fi ve major satellite 300 faculty and technicians are facilities: a branch in Samarqand Province employed at the main facility. devoted to orchard and vineyard crops, a branch The Institute maintains an exten- in Farghona Province devoted to orchard sive and unique fi eld gene bank and vineyard crops in mountainous regions, of more than 2000 advanced the South Uzbekistan Experiment Station in accessions of apples and pears, Surkhondaryo Province, and two branches in about 1300 grapes, 260 citrus, Tashkent Province, one specializing in wine 500 apricots (Prunus armeniaca production and the other in orchard crops. L.), 270 peaches (Prunus persica There are also three minor satellite branches: L. Batsch.), 65 plums (Prunus 918 HORTSCIENCE VOL. 39(5) AUGUST 2004.