Study on morphological parameters of the sweet almond nut (Amygdalus communis l.)

Abstract

This article delves into the morphological features of various sweet almond (Amygdalus communis L.) varieties and forms, with the aim of analyzing their characteristics and applying the findings to obtain new types of almonds. Thirteen different sweet almond varieties were studied, including their total weight, kernel mass, number of seeds, and seed ratio. The results showed that one genotype (Qamashi-3) had medium to large nuts, while the other twelve genotypes had small nuts. All genotypes had easily peeled shells. Of the selected varieties, 15.38% were very large, 46.15% were medium to large, and 38.46% were small-fruited. The length, width, and thickness of the nut varied from 22.0 mm to 39.2 mm, 14.0 mm to 23.0 mm, and 11.0 mm to 16.5 mm, respectively. The thickness of the seed coat ranged from 1.5 mm to 3.1 mm. The number of nuts per 1 kg differed across varieties, ranging from 139 to 1076 pieces. Two genotypes had very hard shells (Tosh almond, Qamashi-3), four had hard shells, three had medium-hard shells, and six had soft shells. Most of the genotypes had sweet grains (12 genotypes), while one had a bittersweet taste. Overall, the studied sweet almond genotypes are important for expanding the genetic base in Uzbekistan through hybridization with each other or with standard varieties.