Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution (2005) 00: 1–11 Ó Springer 2005 DOI 10.1007/s10722-005-7467-8 Notes on neglected and underutilized crops Savadkouh (Iran) – an evolutionary centre for fruit trees and shrubs Korous Khoshbakht1,2,* and Karl Hammer1 1Institute of Crop Science, University of Kassel, Steinstr. 19, D-37213 Witzenhausen, Germany; 2Environmental Science Research Institute, University of Shahid Beheshti, Tehran, Iran; *Author for correspondence (e-mail: [email protected]; phone: +49-5542-98-1243; fax: +49-5542-98-1230) Received 10 March 2005; accepted in revised form 13 May 2005 Key words: Domestication, Ethnobotany, Iran, Evolution, Fruit trees, Neglected crops Abstract Fieldwork was carried out in the north of Iran in April/May 2004. Four zones according to altitude including 20 villages and especially surrounding forests were visited. Data on uses and ethnobotany was collected through interviews that were one-on-one with respondents carefully selected to represent both male and female. Additionally a general survey of the area including other places of Savadkouh has been performed. The fruit trees and shrubs include Berberis sp., Crataegus sp., Cydonia oblonga, Diospyros lotus, Ficus carica, Malus orientalis, Mespilus germanica, Prunus cerasifera ssp. macrocarpa, Prunus spinosa, Punica granatum, and Rubus sp. Most of these are gathered from the wild, or occasionally cultivated in homegardens. The results of this study show that all of these species are used as sources of local foods and medicines. The area should be considered as an important evolutionary centre for fruit trees and shrubs and should be taken into serious consideration for discussions about fruit tree and shrub evolution. Germplasm collection activities, in situ conservation programs and interdisciplinary analysis of socioeconomic aspects of rural communications will be necessary in future studies. Introduction visited the north of Iran and described it as an area of dense deciduous forests, with an excep- Information on uses of indigenous wild fruit tional wealth of wild trees and a mild, subtrop- trees of Iran is scarce and only occasionally ical climate suitable for the production of citrus mentioned in botanical works and inventories fruits (Vavilov 1997). (Sabeti 1997). Although some studies about eth- The present study was conducted to obtain a nobotany and especially about medicinal uses of better understanding of the knowledge of rural plants have been published (e.g. Zargari 1976– populations about fruit tree and shrub species, to 1980; Amin 1991; Shokri and Safaian 1993; identify the potential of these species to improve Emad 1999; Mirhidar 2001), there is no partic- nutrition, to generate new income, to conserve and ular study on the use of fruit trees and shrubs in protect the genetic resources and to contribute to Savadkouh and the essential knowledge about sustainable use of these natural resources. The them remains within the rural populations. In interactions between wild and cultivated plants in 1916 Nicolay Ivanovich Vavilov (1887–1943) this area have been of special interest. 2 Material and methods talis Lipsky, Carpinus betulus L., Quercus casta- neifolia C.A. Mey., Buxus hyrcana Pojark., Study area Parrotia persica (DC.) C.A. Mey., Pterocarya fraxinifolia (Lam.) Spach, Alnus subcordata C.A. Iran comprises a land area of 1.64 million km2.It Mey., Zelkova carpinifolia (Pall.) Dipp., Diospyros lies in the northern part of the temperate zone, lotus L., Carpinus orientalis Miller, Fraxinus between latitudes 25°03¢ to 39°47¢ N and longi- excelsior L., and Carpinus schuschaensis H. Winkl. tudes 44°14¢ to 63°20¢ E. It is bordered on the (Forest and Range Organization of Iran 1986). north by Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Savadkouh (Figure 2) with 2078 km2 and hu- the Caspian Sea (the Caucasus Mountains, Middle mid and semi-humid climatic conditions, cold Asian natural regions); on the east by Afghanistan winters, warm summers and mean annual rainfall and Pakistan; on the south by the Persian Gulf 1700 mm, is part of the Hyrcanian biome and lo- and the Gulf of Oman, and on the west by Iraq cated between latitudes 36°01¢ to 36°42¢ N and and Turkey (Anatolian and Mesopotamian re- longitudes 52°46¢ to 53°32¢ E. From the geo- gions). The existence of the high mountains in the graphical point of view, the area is divided into north, the Zagros Range in the west and southwest two parts, lowland areas and Alburz mountainous and the eastern mountains of Iran, which surround area. The Alburz mountain range surrounds the the Iranian plateau, provide Iran with rugged coastal strip and coastal plains like a high wall. mountains and spectacular terrain. Both in the Due to permanent breezes of the sea and local north and the south of the country, there exist winds from the southern and eastern coasts of the wide plains, which include the low coastal lands Caspian Sea, there have been formed sandy hills (the Caspian Sea À26 m below sea level) (Firuz that have caused the appearance of a low natural 1974). The height of some of the mountains is over barrier between the sea and the plain. The nature 4000 m. of the area is under the influence of geographical Most of Iran is located in the Palaearctic realm latitude, Alburz heights, elevation from sea level, and is considered the centre of origin of many distance from the sea, local and regional wind genetic resources of the world, including many currents, and diverse vegetation cover. The climate original landraces of commercially valuable crop of the area is divided into two types: (1) moderate species such as Diospyros lotus L., Spinacia olera- Caspian weather with hot and humid summers, cea L. and Amygdalus persica L. (Zeven and de mild and humid winters especially in the low lands Wet 1982). The Iranian vascular plant flora com- and (2) cold mountainous weather with long prises approximately 8000 species, with about 20% freezing winters and short cool summers, espe- of them being endemic, based on the published cially in the mountains. The main rivers are the and forthcoming volumes of Flora Iranica Talar, Keselyian and Sheshroudbar, and rice (Rechinger 1963–2001). (Oryza sativa L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), The Hyrcanian region is located south of the barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), vegetables and citrus Caspian Sea (Figure 1). The Iranian part of this trees (in low lands) are the main agricultural region covers approximately 50,000 km2 and is products in this area. located within the Iranian provinces Gilan, Maz- Indigenous people living in rural areas depend andaran and Golestan (Figure 2). The region ex- on the wild fruit trees in their diet. They use them tends throughout the south coast of the Caspian as table fruit, conserve and local food as well as Sea – which was called the Hyrcanian Ocean in folk medicine. The villagers often have consider- antiquity – and the northern part of Iran. It has able knowledge about wild fruit trees especially high production capacity due to humid temperate about using of them in treatment of sickness. The climate and suitable soil. Because of extensive most important characteristic of the populations, concentration of human life and their activities in which live in this area, is inclination to migration the lower altitudes, large parts of the lowland because of uneconomic conditions in agricultural forests have been deforested and converted into activities. Apart from the seasonal migration, there human settlements, cultivated areas, industry etc. is a definite tendency for permanent migration, as Hyrcanian forests extend for 800 km in length and those who can find a permanent job decide to stay the main tree and shrub species are: Fagus orien- in the cities. 3 Figure 1. Hyrcanian region (dark grey part, after Meusel and Ja¨ger 1992). Methodology interviews were carried out. The interviews were one-on-one and respondents were carefully se- Fieldwork was carried out in the north of Iran in lected to represent both male and female but they April/May 2004. Four zones according to altitude had to be 40 or more years of age. Experience has including 20 villages and especially surrounding shown that older people have more traditional forests were visited (Table 1). Altogether 75 knowledge than younger people do. The interviews were carried out mainly in afternoons when the local people were either resting at home or at the shopping centers. In addition to the data recorded directly by interviews, further information was registered from informal market surveys, local specialists and rural experts. Additionally, in 2004 a general sur- vey of the area including many other places of Savadkouh has been performed. Results and discussion Eleven fruit tree and shrub genera were identified in the north of Iran, all as wild species, some of them cultivated, which people use as a part of their diet regime. The species are arranged in alpha- betical order. Indigenous knowledge reported here was obtained from the responses in the visited Figure 2. Hyrcanian region in Iran and Savadkouh area. zones, additional data from literature. 4 Table 1. Geographical characteristics of different sites. Zones Sites Longitude (N) Latitude (E) Altitude ..° ..¢ ..° ..¢ (m.asl.) Zone 1 Shirdar-kala 36 23 52 45 190 Kati-lateh 36 21 52 51 280 (Altitudes Shirjeh-kala 36 19 52 52 280 lower than Alam-kala 36 14 52 49 345 500 m.asl.) Sorkh-kala 36 12 52 56 400 Zone 2 Outo 36 4 53 01 570 Bahmanan 36 13 52 59 610 (Altitudes Pasha-kala 36 12 53 02 612 between Shir-kala 36 19 52 52 700 500 and 1000 m.asl.) Esas 36 09 53 04 900 Zone 3 Folowrd 36 04 53 08 1160 Arataban 36 03 52 56 1200 (Altitudes Zangeyan 36 04 52 56 1300 between Karmozd 36 03 52 53 1320 1000 and 1500 Anarom 36 02 53 10 1460 m.asl.) Zone 4 Tilem 36 02 52 57 1550 (Altitude Paland 36 10 52 57 1550 higher than Alasht 36 04 52 50 1670 1500 m.asl.) Bayeh-kala 36 02 53 07 1800 Lind 36 05 52 53 1890 Berberis sp.