Abstract. The article analyzes the  observation results on the passage of the staple phenological phases of  Sivers Apple trees in the conditions of the Zhongar-Alatau state national  Park, growing at different heights: 1200-1500. Studies have shown that wild Apple trees in the territory of the Zhongar-Alatau natural Park go through all stages of seasonal development, are characterized by long flowering, good winter hardiness.

Keywords: Park, Sivers Apple tree, fruit, phenology, observations, vegetation, plantings, reserves.

Due to the global climate changes, the problems of studying biological diversity, including the diversity of wild Apple tree forms, are acute. The fruits of the best forms of wild Apple trees are not inferior in quality to some zoned varieties. The gene pool of wild Apple trees can serve as a basis for creating winter-hardy, drought-resistant, disease-and pest-resistant varieties. The use of wild Apple trees in culture gives the national economy thousands tones of valuable food product – apples.

In this regard, the Zhongar-Alatau national Park pays special attention to the preservation and restoration of unique Apple forests, including the Sivers Apple tree, which is the progenitor of all cultivated Apple varieties in the world – a source of genetic resources of world significance.

The wild Apple tree grows high in the mountains, with the most abundant populations on the Northern slopes of 1200-1600 m. above sea level and along river terraces. In the Ili Alatau it occurs at an altitude of 900 to 1800 m, in the Dzungarian Alatau-1200-1500 m. In this relation , it has such genes that are responsible for frost resistance, for adaptation to harsh climatic conditions. This is what makes it unique as a genetic resource. There are five genetic reserves (protected natural areas) of the Sivers Apple tree on the territory of the Zhongar-Alatau nature Park. Wild Apple trees grow in ecologically clean natural conditions. They taste – from sour to sweet, in color – from pinkish to bright red. In August–September, apples are filled with juice and color. The height of fruit trees is from 2 to 8 meters.

American researchers who visited the Park found a wild Sivers Apple tree, which, according to their estimate, is 180 years old, and this is far from its age limit. For comparison, the life span of a domestic Apple tree is 50-70 years. In a season, one wild Apple tree can yield up to 200 kg.

At the end of the last century, academician A. Dzhangaliev organized several international expeditions to the Ili and Dzungarian Alatau, which gave absolutely stunning results. Molecular genetic research of germplasm taken away by scientists from England, the USA, France, Germany and Canada has unequivocally confirmed that our “wild bird” served as the source and progenitor of most cultivated Apple varieties, the number of which in the world is about 15,000. Along The great Silk road, the Apple tree spread first to Iraq and Turkey, then to Europe and throughout the world.

Unfortunately, the threat of reducing the area of Sivers wild Apple orchards in the Dzungarian Alatau persists. However, domestic scientists are not discouraged, especially now that there is real support and not only from foreign experts, who, by the way, have long been passionate about the unique Apple tree, but also local ones. In addition, Elbasy in his article "Seven faces of the great steppe" clearly outlined the importance of the Sivers Apple tree and the need to preserve it. Back in the 30s of the twentieth century, the great scientist, author of the theory of the centers of origin of cultivated plants, Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov, highly appreciated the Sivers Apple tree as a breeding and genetic material for breeding new varieties of Apple trees. All efforts to preserve and multiply the unique plant, which on the one hand is under threat of extinction, and on the other – it is associated with the future of the world Apple industry and food security, will be in vain if the state does not join in its protection with its own tools: laws, permits, responsibilities. Of course, other tools should not be discounted: the formation of environmental awareness, the activities of non-governmental organizations, and the efforts of scientists. But the state has a special role to play in our political and legal reality in vain, if the state does not join in its defense with its own tools: laws, permits, and responsibilities. Of course, other tools should not be discounted: the formation of environmental awareness, the activities of non-governmental organizations, and the efforts of scientists. But the state has a special role to play in our political and legal reality.

The basis for this statement is the creation and successful operation of the Zhongar-Alatau state national natural Park, whose activities are aimed at preserving these unique natural complexes and regulating the use of natural resources. And our region is really an important center of concentration of mountain agrobiodiversity. Moreover, 1.05% of the total area of the Park is occupied by wild fruit stands of the Sivers Apple tree, which is the progenitor of all cultivated varieties of Apple trees in the world and requires special protection to ensure the preservation and restoration of the unique agrobiodiversity of fruit forests of global significance.

Within its natural range, the Sivers Apple tree is characterized by a striking intraspecific diversity. Unique natural conditions have determined an extraordinary wealth of morphological and biological features. In the Apple forest, you can find trees with fruits of various tastes, colors, and sizes. The wild Apple tree is valuable because it is several thousand years old. Under the influence of the changing natural environment, it was formed as a species, adapting to various factors: temperature changes, pests and diseases.

The Sivers Apple tree is a unique source of Botanical – geographical and selection-genetic material, and the value of its gene pool has gone far beyond the region, it is no coincidence that foreign scientists are so interested in it. One of the threats to this unique gene pool is a periodic outbreak of mass reproduction of pests and epiphytotic diseases that often occur in this region.

Periodic outbreaks of massive pests reproduction and epiphytotic diseases are the result of anthropogenic factors influence and the lack of constant detailed monitoring of state forests phytosanitary, which ultimately leads to a violation of the biological balance, when the ratio of the useful species number and pests dramatically changes. It is known that in the absence or weakening of biological control over the   pests development, serious changes occur in biocenoses, which, as a rule, lead to the mass spread of harmful organisms in certain types.

Weather conditions are known to have a great influence on the development and spread of harmful organisms, as well as the passage of phenological phases of development by plants.

Phenological observations are the most accessible and effective methods for studying the features of plant development in certain environmental and climatic conditions, which allow  to determine the timing of their vegetation, the duration of individual phenophases, as well as the stability and productivity of different varieties and individuals.

In 2018, the current state of Sivers Apple stands on the territory of the Zhongar-Alatau GNPP was studied, namely on the  genetic reserves sites. Phenological observations were carried out at monitoring sites in the genetic reserves of Pikhtovaya And Soldatskaya Schel – Topolevsky of the Samarkand branch, Krutoe ur, Chernaya Rechka ur – Chernovsky  of the Lepsinsky branch.

Table 1.

Sivers Apple tree phenological phases 2018

As can be seen from the table, the shortest vegetation period was observed in the Krutoe gorge, where the Bud swelling was 04.04., the end of leaf fall occurred 17.10. While in the Fir gorge, there was a delay of phenophases by 13 and 15 days, respectively.

It is established that when woody plants have an early start and end of vegetation, it is possible to judge a relatively high winter hardiness; the late start and end of vegetation indicate their low winter hardiness.

We have studied the phenological phases of Sivers Apple trees growing at different heights of the Zhong Alatau: 1200-1500.

Table 2.

Phenological phases of the Sivers Apple tree at altitudes of 1200-1500 m above sea level.

The table shows that the swelling of the buds – the beginning of the growing season – takes place from the end of March to mid-April. And in the upper sub-belt, this phase was faster by about 10 days. 

The beginning of Apple blossom is noted in the second – third decades of April, the end of flowering – may 15 – 27. Fruit maturation begins depending on the variety of Apple trees, in early varieties it is July 28, in late varieties – September 15. The assessment of fruit yield was 4 points on the plots, i.e. a good harvest (abundant fruiting on most trees).

Thus, studies have shown that wild Apple trees in the territory of the Zhongar-Alatau natural Park pass all stages of seasonal development, are characterized by long flowering, good winter hardiness. In addition, from the data provided, we can conclude that there is a significant variety of Apple trees in terms of phenological indicators, among them there are those with an early start and end of vegetation, which avoids freezing of vegetative shoots and generative organs.