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Adv. Hort. Sci., 2018 32(1): 113-135 DOI: 10.13128/ahs-21330 Review paper Bio-techniques for improvement of qualitative and quantitative traits in Advances inH HorticulturaS l Science walnut ( Juglans regia ) U.N. Shah 1, J.I. Mir 2, N. Ahmed 3, A. Zaid 4, S. Jan 3, K.M. Fazili 1, S.H. Wani 5 ( *) 1 Department of Biotechnology, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. 2 Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture (ICAR), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. 3 Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Jammu and Kashmir, India. 4 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Botany, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, 202002 Aligarh, India. 5 MRCFC, Khudwani, Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Jammu and Kashmir, India. (*) Corresponding author: [email protected] Key words : antioxidants, molecular markers, nutraceuticals, polyphenols, phy - tochemicals, walnut. Citation: SHAH U.N., MIR J.I., AHMED N., ZAID A., JAN S., FAZILI K.M., WANI S.H., 2018 - Bio-techniques for improvement of qualitative and quantitative Abstract: Walnut, Juglans regia (L.) is an economically significant plant for its traits in walnut ( Juglans regia ). - Adv. Hort. Sci., immense nutritive and economic value. The breeding character of walnut has 32(1): 113-135 lent it a wide diversity in genetic characteristics. The principal vegetative and common traditional agronomic traits together with biochemical characteriza - Copyright: tion i.e., karyotyping and isoenzyme expression have been the early research © 2018 Shah U.N., Mir J.I., Ahmed N., Zaid A., Jan methods. However, these techniques are time-consuming and susceptible to S., Fazili K.M., Wani S.H. This is an open access, the environmental variations. Literature is meager in the distribution, applied peer reviewed article published by Firenze applications in general and the use of agriculture biotechnology in particular in University Press (http://www.fupress.net/index.php/ahs/) and case of walnut plants. The bio-techniques like molecular markers are adequate distribuited under the terms of the Creative in number and there is little or no diversity in the method employed for Commons Attribution License, which permits research on walnuts. Despite basic research method, the organization of infor - unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction mation, its retrieval and presentation structures, form elaboration experienced in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. immense advancement via molecular markers such as RFLP, ISSR, RAPD AFLP, SSR and SNP. This appraisal in its first part provides detailed information regarding the present scenario of data on biogeographical distribution, health Data Availability Statement: benefits of walnut worldwide and current applications in the agroforestry man - All relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information files. agement, biochemical evaluations and applied uses of a walnut tree which is relevant for both basic and applied research. The review in its second part sheds light on the application of sophisticated agricultural biotechnology tech - Competing Interests: niques such as use of molecular markers to evaluate, realize the full potential The authors declare no competing interests. of walnut for increasing its quality, quantity and for its sustainable production Received for publication 26 September 2017 which cannot be obtained through usual breeding techniques to meet the Accepted for publication 27 October 2017 demands of a projected world population. 113 Adv. Hort. Sci., 2018 32(1): 113-135 1. Origin and history of walnut ( Juglans regia L.) enclosing two kernels divided by extremely delicate covering expanding from inner cover of the shell. Walnut Juglans regia (L.) is commonly recognized Taxonomical classification as “Jupiter’s royal acorn”. English walnut is common - Walnut is a member of Juglandaceae family and ly known as “Persian walnut” as it originated from includes approximately 60 species, among which 21 ancient Persia and was adorned as for royalty. species are classified under genus Juglans (Table 1). Juglans regia (L.) species is extensively cultivated in Different varieties of walnut and their commercial the temperate zones of the world for its best quality uses are given in Table 2. All walnut species are edi - nuts and procurement of commercial timber ble and English walnut is easily crackable and enor - (McGranahan and Leslie, 1991, 2009). Lateral fruit mous in size. bearing walnut exhibit more genetic variation partic - ularly among familial varieties. In ancient times, the Table 1 - Taxonomic classification of walnut recognition of walnut was spread vigorously through caravans via sea trade. Greek and Romans have lately Kingdom Plantae acquired trend towards walnut cultivation to avert the speckled walnut growing along the coastal areas. Phylum Tracheophyta Class Magnoliopsida Order Fagales 2. Botanical description of walnut Family Juglandaceae Subfamily Juglandoideae Plant morphology Tribe Juglandeae Juglans regia (L.) is a deciduous perennial tree Subtribe Juglandinae belonging to the family Juglandaceae and grown Genus Juglans chiefly for its edible seeds. Walnut tree is predomi - ● nantly an extensive canopy-dweller decurrent tree Species J. regia Linnaeus with trunk size ranging from 1.5-2 meters in diame - ● Juglans ailanthifolia Carr. ter, 25-35 m in height and its survival rate is about ● Juglans ailantifolia Carriere 200 years. Walnut bears smooth bark with olive ● Juglans bixbyi Rehd. brownish color adapted to moderate light conditions. ● Juglans boliviana (C. DC.) Dode Leaves are 30-40 cm long, compound, alternately ● Juglans californica S. Wats. arranged and odd-pinnate. Male flowers are pro - ● Juglans cinerea Linnaeus duced in drooping catkins and the female flowers, in ● Juglans hindsii (Jepson) Jepson ex R. E. Sm. clusters of two to five, are terminal, which ripens in the autumn into a fruit with a semi-fleshy husk and a brown nut. The kernel of the nut is protected by a Different sections and species of walnut corrugated woody shell. Genus Juglans is classified into four types: Juglans sect. Cardiocaryon, Juglans sect. Juglans, Juglans Flowering, pollination and fruiting sect. Rhysocaryon, and Juglans sect. Trachycaryon. Juglans are monoecious species, having male and Juglans sect. Cardiocaryon. This variety originated female reproductive organs on separate flowers on from the northeast Asia. This walnut variety bears the same tree. Juglans regia is self-fertile, heteroga - enormous leaves containing 15 leaflets. The wood is mous and it can be protandrous or protogynous commercially soft, and nuts are thick shelled borne in depending on cultivar. The characteristic inflores - a raceme inflorescence, such as, for example, J. cence is catkin bearing about 2-3 pistillate flowers mandshurica and J. ailantifolia . born terminally or laterally. Walnut is self-fertile Juglans sect. Juglans. Originated from the south - however occasionally it requires different cultivar east Europe to central Asia. This variety bears large due to dichogamy. Majority of walnuts are protan - leaves with 9 broad hairless leaflets having entire drous and anemophilous. Nuts are borne individually margins. The wood is commercially hard, for exam - or in groups enumerating 2-3 on shoot tips. Walnut is ple, J. regia (L.) and J. sigillata. properly shielded by a fleshy covering which cracks at Juglans sect. Rhysocaryon. (black walnuts) maturity. Walnut shape is variable from ovoid to Originated from the North America and the South round attaining a maximum diameter of 2 meters America. This variety bears enormous leaves with 20 114 Shah et al. - Bio-techniques for improvement of qualitative and quantitative traits in Walnut. A review Table 2 - Different varieties of walnut and their commercial uses No. Species Description Commercial uses 1 English/Persian Native to the region of California, Oregon, Himalayas, Europe and As an effective nutraceutical with a high nutritive value. Walnut China. Most ubiquitous cultivated in foothills having high water Procurement of high quality timber in the furniture industry (Juglans regia ) table. Characterized by a relatively thin, gnarled shell enclosing a for high-end flooring, guitars, furniture, veneers, knobs and smooth, large, ivory-colored nut and rich flavor. handles as well as gunstocks 2 Eastern Black Native to eastern North America. Characterized by a thick, hard Used in timber industry as well as nut production. The hard- Walnut shell with sharp, jagged edges and a darker color. Black nuts are black walnut shell is also used commercially in abrasive clea - (Juglans nigra ) known for their pungent aroma and robust flavor. ning, a filtering agent in scrubbers in smoke stacks, cleaning jet engines, cosmetics, and oil well drilling and water filtration 3 White/ Native to the eastern United States and southeast Canada. Used in lumber industry to make furniture, and is a favorite of Butternut Characterized by slow-growing species, and rarely lives longer woodcarvers. It is used to dye fabrics. Used as a medicine (Juglans cine - than 75 years. Bark is light grey in colour and the whole leaf is owing to its cathartic properties rea ) downy-pubescent, and a somewhat brighter, yellower green than many other tree leaves. Leaves are alternate and compound and have odd number of leaflets with a terminal leaflet 4 Japanese Native to Japan and Sakhalin. Characterized