Sievers apple tree
Fruits of the Sievers apple tree
Scientific classification
International scientific name
Malus sieversii (Ledeb.) M.Roem.
Security status

Russian synonyms

• Gissar apple tree
• Kyrgyz apple tree
• Kyrgyz apple tree
• Apple tree
• Apple peach tree
• Variegated apple tree
• Turkmen apple tree
• Tien Shan apple tree
• Apple tree Shishkin
• Apple tree Yuzepchuk

Scientific name synonyms

Sievers apple tree in the botanical garden of Berlin

Relationship with other species

The following two mountain species are close to the Sievers apple tree: Kyrgyz apple tree ( Malus kirghisorum) and Niedzwiecki Apple tree ( Malus niedzwetzkyana).

According to DNA studies, the Sievers apple tree is the ancestor of many modern varieties domestic apple trees. Another DNA analysis showed that the wild forest apple tree, along with the Sievers apple tree, also made a significant contribution to the origin of the domestic apple tree.

Area

In the 21st century, the Sievers apple tree is under threat of extinction due to anthropogenic impact. Distributed along the following ridges (Dzhangaliev A.D., 1977 [ specify]).:

Thus, on the territory of Kazakhstan, about 75% of Sivers apple groves are concentrated mainly in the Trans-Ili and Dzungarian Alatau. In 1992, according to Isin [ specify], the area of ​​apple groves was about 11 thousand hectares. Since then it has decreased greatly. The main problem is illegal deforestation in the foothills with a rapidly growing population, clearing space for livestock grazing or private development (especially in the vicinity of Almaty, whose population grew 2.4 times in 1959-1989 alone, between 1989 and 2009 by another 21%). Another problem is cross-pollination with cultivated apple species.

Notes

Links

• Malus sieversii(Ledeb.) M.Roem.(English) . The Plant List. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden (2010). Retrieved July 29, 2011. Archived May 11, 2012.
• Sievers apple tree(English): information on the website. (Retrieved July 29, 2011)

Almaty

Alma-Ata (Kazakh Almaty; until 1921 - Verny) is a city of republican significance and the largest settlement of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the former capital of Kazakhstan (until 1997), the Kazakh SSR (as part of the USSR), the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (as part of the RSFSR).

As of January 1, 2019, the population of the city is 1,854,556 people. The city is the core of the Alma-Ata agglomeration with a population of 2460.4 thousand people. as of January 1, 2015.

Aport (apple tree variety)

Aport is one of the large and valuable varieties of apples. Became widespread in the southern regions middle zone(Northern Caucasus, Trans-Ili Alatau) with cool but short winters and hot summers. The skin of the aport is dense, yellow or yellow-green with red-brown painting; The pulp is crumbly and has a delicate taste. Aport is one of the so-called late varieties ripening in September. Like most late varieties, it stores well in winter. The most famous apple orchards are Aporta in the suburbs of Almaty.

Zhongar-Alatau National Park

Zhongar-Alatau State National Natural Park (Kazakhstan: Zhongar Alatauy memlekettik ulttyk tabigi parks) was created in accordance with the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 370 dated April 30, 2010. Located in the Aksu, Sarkand and Alakol districts of the Almaty region of Kazakhstan.

Full name in Russian: state institution “Zhongar-Alatau State National Natural Park” of the Committee for Forestry and Hunting of the Ministry Agriculture Republic of Kazakhstan. The institution is a legal entity and has a category of republican significance.

Zhongar-Alatau National Park has branches:

Sarkand, Almaty region, Sarkand district, Sarkand city;

Lepsinsky, Almaty region, Alakol district, village. Lepsinsk;

Alakolsky, Almaty region, Alakolsky district, village. Kokzhar.

Zhongar-Alatau National Park was created to preserve biodiversity (including the gene pool of globally significant wild fruit forests) and natural mountain landscapes that have special ecological, genetic, historical and aesthetic value. Special attention is devoted to the conservation and restoration of unique apple forests (Sievers apple tree, Nedzvetsky apple tree) - a source of genetic resources of global importance.

The opening of the new natural park was the result of many years of work by ecologists, forestry specialists, the public, government agencies. Assistance in developing justification and technical documentation for the creation of the park was provided by the Project of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan/Global Environment Facility/UN Development Program “In-situ conservation of mountain agrobiodiversity in Kazakhstan”, which also develops and implements a set of measures to maintain the globally significant agrobiodiversity of wild fruit forests in the territory of south-eastern Kazakhstan.

Ile-Alatau National Park

Ile-Alatau State National Natural Park (Kazakhstan: Ile Alatauy memlekettik ulttyk tabigi parks) was established by a decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on February 22, 1996 on the basis of the Kaskelen, Prigorodny and Turgen forestry enterprises within the Karasai, Talgar and Enbekshikazakh districts of the Almaty region, the purpose of its creation is preservation of unique landscapes, flora and fauna, improvement of conditions for tourism and recreation, development and implementation scientific methods conservation of natural complexes in conditions of recreational use.

The area of ​​the national park is 198,669 hectares, it is located south of the city of Almaty on the northern macroslope of the Trans-Ili Alatau (Tien Shan). The length of its territory from the Chemolgan River in the west to the Turgen River in the east is 120 km, and the width is 30-35 km.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan (Kazakh: Kazakhstan; Qazaqstan listen), officially the Republic of Kazakhstan (Kazakh: Kazakhstan Respýblıkasy; Qazaqstan Respýblıkasy), (abbreviation RK) is a state in the center of Eurasia, most of which belongs to Asia, the smaller part to Europe. Population - 18,395,660 people (as of January 1, 2019).

The territory area is 2,724,902 km², which is only slightly smaller than Argentina. It ranks 9th in the world in terms of territory, 2nd place among the CIS countries (after Russia), 42nd in terms of GDP in terms of PPP and 64th in terms of population.

The capital is Nur-Sultan. The largest city with a population of more than 1.8 million people is Almaty.

The official language is Kazakh. The official language used in the country along with the state language is Russian.

It is located between the Caspian Sea, the Lower Volga region, the Urals, Siberia, China and Central Asia. It borders in the north and west with Russia (border length - 7548.1 km), in the east - with China (1782.8 km), in the south - with Kyrgyzstan (1241.6 km), Uzbekistan (2351.4 km) and Turkmenistan (426 km). The total length of land borders is 13392.6 km. The length of the country from east to west is 2963 km, and from north to south - 1652 km. It is the largest country of the Turkic Council in terms of territory. It is washed by the waters of the inland Caspian and Aral seas. It is landlocked and is the largest country in the world with such a feature.

Administratively, it is divided into 14 regions and 3 cities of republican significance, Nur-Sultan, Alma-Ata and Shymkent. In addition, there is a city with a special status, Baikonur, which is leased by Russia until 2050 and for this period in relations with it is endowed with the status corresponding to a city of federal significance Russian Federation; the total area of ​​land leased by Russia is 111,913 km² (4.1% of the country's territory). Economically and geographically, Kazakhstan is divided into Central, Western, Eastern, Northern and Southern regions.

Sievers, Johann

Johann Sievers (German: Johann Erasmus Sievers; 1762, Hanover, Germany - 1795) - explorer of the nature of Siberia, botanist, corresponding member of the Imperial St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.

List of plants listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan

The list of plants included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan was approved by a decree of the Government of the Republic.

The list includes 387 species of plants, 13 species of fungi and one species of lichen.

Apple tree

Apple tree (lat. Mālus) is a genus of deciduous trees and shrubs of the Rose family (Rosaceae) with spherical sweet or sweet and sour fruits. Comes from zones temperate climate Northern Hemisphere.

The genus belongs to the Apple tribe (Maleae) of the Plum subfamily (Spiraeoideae). There are 62 species (2013). The most common are: domestic or cultivated apple tree (Malus domestica), which includes most varieties cultivated in the world (the number of which exceeds 10 thousand), plum-leaved apple tree, Chinese apple tree (Malus prunifolia) and low apple tree (Malus pumila).

Many types of apple trees are grown as ornamental plants in gardens and parks, used in protective afforestation. All species are good honey plants. The wood of the apple tree is dense, strong, easy to cut and polished well; Suitable for turning, carpentry and small crafts.

Homemade apple tree

The domestic apple tree (lat. Malus domestica) is a species of tree from the genus Apple tree of the Rosaceae family. A widespread fruit tree grown for its fruit, apples.

In 2010, a group of scientists from different countries The complete genome of the domestic apple tree (Golden Delicious variety) has been deciphered. It contains about 57 thousand genes. It has also been established by DNA analysis that the known 2,500 varieties of domestic apple trees come from the Sievers apple tree. However, other DNA analysis has shown that the wild apple tree also made a significant contribution to the origin of the domestic apple tree.

There are many stories and legends associated with the apple tree and apples. For example, there is a belief that the apple was the cause of original sin (although the Book of Genesis does not talk about the apple). The ancient Greek myth about the apple of discord is also known. There is a legend that it was an apple that fell on Newton’s head that was the reason for the discovery of the law of universal gravitation...

Apple tree

Forest apple tree, or wild apple tree (lat. Málus sylvéstris) is a type of apple tree. For a long time it was believed that it was she who was the ancestor of the domestic apple tree. However, DNA analysis has established that the known 2,500 varieties of domestic apple trees come from the Sievers apple tree. However, other DNA analysis has shown that the wild apple tree also made a significant contribution to the origin of the domestic apple tree.

Described by the Russian botanist K.F. Ledebur in 1844 from Tarbagatay.

Typus: Tarbagatai, prope Ust. Kamenogorsk (sine anno) leg. Dr. Sieverss, in Herb. Inst. Bot. nom. V. L. Komarovii Ac. Sci. in Leningrad conservatur.

Distributed in Central Asia (Tarbagatai, Dzungarian and Trans-Ili Alatau, Fergana, Chatkal ranges, Karatau, Pamir-Alai). Being a xeromorphic plant, it grows on drier, sunny slopes of southern exposure, where it lives mainly near mountain streams (at an altitude of more than 1600 m above sea level). On the northern slopes and in deeper river valleys it is displaced and replaced by the Kyrgyz apple tree. Found in the forest zone at an altitude of 1000–1600 m above sea level. on the edges of maple trees or pine forests, on medium-thick soils, together with hawthorn, spirea, rose hips, honeysuckle, raspberries, etc., as well as in areas with poorer soils, on rocky slopes and rocks at an altitude of up to 2200 (2500) m above sea level. Propagated by vegetative root suckers and seeds.

The very original Niedzwiecki apple tree, widespread within the range of M. sieversii, is considered by us as a variety of M. sieversii. When reviewing M. sieversii, represented on the territory of the Kazakh SSR, we use the intraspecific classification of B. A. Bykov. New species described by P. P. Polyakov, M. schischkinii and M. jarmolenkovii from the valley of the river. Turgen (Trans-Ili Alatau) and M. linczevskii from the Aksu-Dzhebogly nature reserve are classified by us as the main polytypic species - M. sieversii.

Newly described by G.P. Sumnevich species M. anisophylla and M. kudrjaschevii from the river basin. Angren (Uzbekistan) are considered by us as insufficiently substantiated. They are classified as varieties of the main species M. sieversii. M. persicifolia Summ. (M. pumila var. persicifolia M. Pop.), also described from the river basin. Angren is a cultivated or wild apple tree, quite widely found in cultivation in some regions of Uzbekistan.

f. niedzwetzkyana (Dieck.) Langenf. (Malus niedzwetzkyana Dieck., 1891, Neucheiten-Off. des Nat. Arb. Zöchen, 1891:16).

In cultivation, in a feral and wild state in the regions of Gulja, Kashgar, Alma-Ata, Karatau, Fergana Range, etc.

The presence of original red-pigmented apple trees within the specified territory is undeniable, however, the presence of red pigmentation alone in the vegetative parts, flowers and fruits of the plant does not allow us to consider these apple trees as independent type. Indeed, to one degree or another, red-pigmented forms are also found within other species. The main criterion for denying the species independence of M. niedzwetzkyana should be considered the number of individuals, since in nature there are only isolated red-pigmented individuals that are not a supra-individual formation. Consequently, these apple trees do not have a specific habitat characteristic of the true species.

Described by S. N. Kudryashov (1950) from the river basin. Kashka-Darya, from the upper reaches of its tributary - the river. Tankhas, in the Shakhrisabz region (Southern Uzbekistan).

Type: Northern slopes of the Gissar ridge, bass. R. Kashka-Daria. Northern current of the river Tankhas, above the village of Chopukh, 1 VIII 1937, n° 1330, S. N. Kudryashov; kept in the herbarium of the Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan. SSR (Tashkent).

Distributed in Central Asia (Pamir-Alai), endemic mainly to gorges and river valleys of the Gissar and Zarafshan ranges, less often on the Karatechi and Darvaz ranges. In a more typical form, it is found along river valleys in the South-Western (Southern Uzbekistan) and Southern (Western Tajikistan) Gissar, where it grows together with maple and walnut, singly or in groups, form natural plantings in the form of small groves. In general, it lives both on thick soils of river valleys and on thin soils of slopes and rocky areas. However, it is confined to more moist slopes in the zone from 1200 -1800 to 2200 m above sea level. On drier and steppe slopes and at an altitude of more than 2200 m, it gives way to the Sievers apple tree, with which it often hybridizes, and the characteristics of M. sieversii sometimes predominate in the offspring.

var. kirghhisorum

Described from Southern Kyrgyzstan and Western Tien Shan Al. A. Fedorov and An. A. Fedorov in 1949

Typus: Kirghisia australis in districtu Dzhalalabad, in loco Toi-taipan dicto. Ad ripam dextram fluminis Aktasch in silva juglandina, 25 IX 1944, fr., Al. Theodorov, in Herb. Inst. Bot. nom. V. L. Komarovii Ac. Sci. URSSR in Leningrad conservatur.

Distributed in Central Asia - Tien Shan (Fergana, Talas and Chatkal ranges), Trans-Ili Alatau, Dzungarian Alatau.

It is found in the forest zone on slopes with predominantly northern and northwestern exposures, and gravitates to terraces and the bottoms of river valleys. It is confined to rich, deep, well-moistened soils, is part of walnut, maple or aspen forests and is a relatively shade-tolerant mesophilic plant. It often lives on the edges of the forest and often forms natural stands with a small admixture of other species. It reproduces by vegetative root suckers, layering and rooting of branches, less often by stump shoots, which is a characteristic ability of this apple tree. Reproduction by seed is also observed.

The Sivers apple tree (Malus sieversii), the ancestor of all apples on Earth, may disappear without a trace in the very near future. But this is the most valuable gene pool - the property of all humanity. French director Catherine Peix talks about this

in his documentary film"The Origin of Apples, or the Garden of Eden."

For the first time, the St. Petersburg botanist Johann Sievers drew attention to the apple tree growing near Almaty in 1796. It was named in his honor - malus sieversii. Today it is considered proven that the Sievers apple tree was the ancestor of all apple trees on the planet. It has very deep roots that help them search for food and endure severe frosts, unusual heat, and drought. This tree resists any diseases and parasites and lives up to 300 years, while all cultivated apple trees do not live long and need constant care. The biological dictionary of the USSR Academy of Sciences dates the origin of the Sievers apple tree - the wild apple tree - to 65 million years ago.

In the film “The Origin of Apples, or the Paradise Gardens of Eden” (The original apple trees - Malus sieversii), Catherine Paix develops the ideas of her idol - academician Aimak Dzhangaliev, who dedicated his life to the preservation of the wild apple forests of Semirechye.

The film crew worked for three years to create the 40-minute film. She visited the USA several times, filmed stories in England, France, and other European countries, met with the son of the outstanding Russian geneticist Nikolai Vavilov, Yuri Nikolaevich, who told a lot of interesting things about the life of his wonderful father. It turns out that in 1929, Nikolai Ivanovich, returning from an expedition to northern China, got acquainted with the wild apple forests of the Trans-Ili Alatau and noted in his diaries: “...here we are in a wonderful genetic center of the origin of wild apple trees.”
In those years, the young Kazakh scientist Aimak Dzhangaliev listened to N. Vavilov’s lectures in the famous Timiryazevka. As stated in the monograph of English scientists Joan Morgan, Alshon Richard and Elizabeth Dole “A New Book on Apples”, the works of N.I. Vavilov was inspired by A.D. Dzhangaliev, who for half a century collected data proving that the apple trees of Kazakhstan are closely related to cultivated varieties in terms of variation in color, taste and shape of the fruit. Katrin’s team came to Kazakhstan several times to photograph the unique wild apple forests of the Dzungarian and Trans-Ili Alatau and meet with a Kazakh scientist.
“Academician Dzhangaliev is an idol for me,” admits Catherine Paix. - This unusual person who saw further than others. Today we live in a society that has lost the great values ​​that all humanity should adhere to. We have closed ourselves in some kind of shell, egocentrism is very common among people, they are more attracted to material things - to have as many expensive things as possible, clothes, cars, etc. And now we have met such a person as Academician Dzhangaliev, and this allows us to hope that all is not lost. People like him are an alternative, a response to capitalist challenges, in which a person gets lost and destroys himself. The salvation of society is for every person to find the spiritual meaning of life, as Academician Dzhangaliev found it in saving the Sievers apple tree, whose genetic resources belong not only to Kazakhstan, but to all of humanity.
Katrina came up with the idea for the film completely by accident. One day in Strasbourg she met her colleague, the famous French biologist Pascal Neitzler - he was just about to plant cuttings of some unusual apple trees in his garden, obtained from America, but originating from Kazakhstan. And what is most interesting is that it is in Kazakhstan that wild fruit forests have been preserved since time immemorial, in which the famous Sievers apple tree grows - the ancestor of all apples on the planet. And the scientist Aimak Dzhangaliev is working on it.
- “We first met Aimak Dzhangaliev three years ago,” says Catherine Peks. I was struck by the charisma of this man, his energy, fortitude, the perseverance he showed in life, although he had a hard life - he went through persecution, misunderstanding and lack of recognition. Despite this, when he talked about his research, his eyes sparkled like those of a young man."
“We were delighted with this beauty,” exclaims Katrin. “Really, we thought, such a miracle still exists on earth! After all, the wild Sievers apple tree can be used to improve cultural species apple trees Today, literally tons of chemicals are poured onto apple orchards in Europe and yet they cannot save them from pests, and this is a problem all over the world. They can be saved if you use the Sievers apple tree in breeding work, others wild species, which survived thanks to the efforts of your scientists, only in your region."
In the creative collaboration of the French and the Kazakh scientist, a film was born that tells how, millions of years ago, the Sievers apple tree began its journey along the Great Silk Road and eventually conquered the entire planet, how man, with his unreasonable activities and thirst for profit, almost ruined this miracle of nature . And also about the difficult path of Aimak Dzhangaliev, who devoted most of his life to studying this phenomenon, created several selection and genetic reserves of Sivers apple trees in the Trans-Ili Alatau, bred 27 elite clone varieties of apple trees and 16 varieties of apricot based on their wild relatives.
In the film, American scientists Herb Advinkle, Calvin Sperling, Phil Forsline and others who took part in the academician’s expeditions talk about their outstanding colleague with great respect. Their research, continued in US laboratories, confirmed that wild apple trees of the Dzungarian and Trans-Ili Alatau are indeed the genetic basis of all apples in the world. Similar studies were conducted in other countries. For example, Dr. Jeniper from Oxford concluded that all English varieties of apples originate from Kazakhstan.
Together with Catherine, French geneticist Francois Laurens also visited Almaty, who is involved in breeding new varieties and studying the diversity of apples. Fascinated by the resistance of the wild Sievers apple tree to various diseases, he has already grown an apple orchard in his homeland from cuttings and seeds of clone varieties bred by Aimak Dzhangaliev.
At the same time, the documentary film of French scientists and filmmakers is permeated with concern for the fate of apple forests.
“I was amazed,” says Catherine Paix, “at the attitude towards forests on the part of the organizations that work there economic activity- they are literally attacking a natural phenomenon, but this is the property of all humanity. And at the same time, I always rejoice in meeting people like Aimak Dzhangaliev, who live outside the banal philistine field, go ahead of the caravan, feel stronger, are more closely connected with the spiritual that surrounds us, with the wealth that not everyone can appreciate today ".

Catherine Paix, a leading French biologist, recently described her journey to the untouched apple orchards of the Trans-Ili and Dzungarian Alatau.

In addition, on her initiative, a film was made called “The Origin of Apples, or the Garden of Eden,” which tells about the ancestor of all apple trees on earth.

In early 2006, scientists performed a DNA analysis of approximately 2,500 modern varieties of apple trees. As a result, it turned out that the ancestor of all apple trees is an apple tree called Sivers.

This variety grows in large quantities in a wild form, mainly in the foothills of the city of Almaty, which previously bore the name Alma-Ata, which literally translates into our language as “father of apples”.

In addition, scientists have found that the first edible sweet apples on our planet grew only in picturesque areas on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. The apple trees, so to speak, were filled with juice in the bright sun at altitudes of more than two thousand meters on the border with China.

As the eminent scientist Barry Juniper writes in his book The Story of Apples, old times there were real mixed fruit forests there. Nowadays, some rarities of the so-called " Garden of Eden"can only be found with the help of experts.

Archaeological excavations prove that this apple tree existed in ancient times, or more precisely in the middle of the Cretaceous period. And the biological dictionary of the USSR Academy says that the apple tree is approximately 165 million years old.

As Katrin says, Europeans experienced a slight shock when they learned that such a miracle still existed on the planet. In the future, the Sievers apple tree can be used to improve cultivars apple trees, because they do not know how to survive like their relatives.

Scientists were no less amazed by the genetic base discovered in the mountains. The fact is that a considerable number of wild fruit trees, which remained intact thanks to the efforts of scientists.

"These apple trees really resemble trees of paradise", says Catherine Paix.

Where to contact in this case? The last and most promising option is, of course, the Sievers apple tree. Unlike our homeland, this is very well understood and perceived in the West. For example, Americans have been working on solving this issue since the 80s. It was they who at one time conducted research in Alatau and compiled a list of all the trees there.

In general, the Sievers apple tree grows to a height of 6 to 8 meters. However, it grows extremely well in open, sunny soil. It can suffer the greatest harm if it grows less than one meter from the groundwater table. As studies by the famous academician of the aimag Dzhangaliev, who is considered a great expert on wild apple trees, show, there are at least 40 forms of the Sivers apple tree. Usually the fruits have green, yellow, red or, so to speak, intermediate colors of different shades.