Preliminary analysis of growth potential and prospects of two Iranian pistachio varieties as functional food ingredients in Armenia

Abstract

Background: Two of the best Iranian pistachio varieties were brought to the Republic of Armenia for preliminary research on the possibility of cultivation in the conditions of the Republic of Armenia. For this purpose, a plot of land with an area of one hectare was selected, ameliorative and agrotechnical measures were carried out, and the garden was planted in two stages with the Iranian "Akbari" (large yielding) and " Ahmad Aghaei " (bearing) varieties on the root of the Pistacia vera L. species.

Objective: The pistachio crop, especially in recent years, enjoys a growing demand in the world market. In addition, pistachio crop cultivation has several economic advantages: economic efficiency of cultivation, productivity, product quality, and pistachio, in addition to being delicious, also has a number of positive medical benefits, for example, it is rich in vitamins B1 and B6, digestible fats, calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus. In recent years, the products of Iran's phytosterol gardens have taken first place in the world in terms of export volume. Several valuable varieties were created there, which are being tried to be introduced into the assortment in the Republic of Armenia.

Methods: The research was conducted following the methodological guidelines of Khachatryan, Labanov, and Dospechov, as adopted in the Republic of Armenia. The soil was analyzed in the soil science laboratory in accordance with the requirements of the customs services of the European Union, CIS. In order to evaluate the quality of the harvest, the obtained fruits were sent to "Standard Dialog" LLC for laboratory examination. The contents of the following substances were determined: intestinal yeast bacteria, fungi, heavy metals, pesticide residues, dry matter, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.In order to substantiate the experiment, a study of several pistachio orchards of the Republic of Armenia was carried out. Research and selection of the most favorable area for growing pistachio crops in the Republic of Armenia was carried out.

Results: According to the results of the survey of favorable soil and climate conditions for pistachio growing, the conditions of the territories of Armavir Marz were revealed. an analysis of the relative air humidity data for the years 2009-2021 was carried out. It was found that during the mentioned period, that indicator had a significant decreasing trend in the area where the garden was planted, which is very favorable for the cultivation of this crop. Soil samples were taken on 06.04.22, 09.07.22, and 02.08 2022 to identify the strategy for the implementation of agrotechnical measures. The first two samples were taken from a depth of 70 cm, the third from a depth of 50 cm, and were submitted to "Ecoplant Agricultural Laboratory" for research. In all areas, ions were found in different concentrations: calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc in the first and second, nitrogen in the second and third, and copper in the first. To determine the degree of intensity of pistachio seedling’s growth, periodic measurements were made in areas A, D, and E to determine their total height and trunk thickness at 10 cm above the soil surface. Areas A, D, and E, each containing 10 plants with four replicates, were selected for measurements. The results of the study of the nutritional value of the kernel content of the two cultivars show that their dry matter content ranges from 96.82 to 96.88, which is an insignificant difference. Also, in terms of fat content, the difference is not significant: 45.45 and 44.53. At the same time, Akbar cultivar differs significantly in protein content by 3.16%.

Conclusions: Based on the results of soil and climate studies, areas for pistachio cultivation were selected in the Armavir region. The large-fruited varieties "Akbari" and " Ahmad Aghaei " were selected from Iranian pistachio varieties. P. vulgare seedlings grew best in plot E2 3.8. Seedlings grew better in the same area. The Ahmad aghaei variety had the best survival rate of 85%. The Akbar variety was the leader in terms of protein content. Pistachio culture has certain prospects for further development under the conditions of the Republic of Armenia. It is the basis for wide use as a functional food.

Keywords: pistachio, varieties, protein, biochemistry, oil, aflatoxin, export