Agro-Ecological Zones of Hazelnut in Georgia

Hazelnut is an ancient, important and traditional nut crop for the subtropical zones of Abkhazia, Adjara, Samegrelo, Guria, Imereti and the Kakheti regions. Hazelnut is spread in different altitude conditions - wild forms we can even meet 1800 to 2000 m above see level height, in mixed forests, where the sum of active temperature varies from 1400 to 2000 degrees C. The diversity of natural conditions of Georgia has an influence on biological features of different varieties of hazelnuts for ecological zones. According to a multiyear scientific research it was established that industrial scale hazelnut prefers the subtropical climate conditions of Georgia with high humidity (75-80%) and with an active temperature sum of 3800-4250 degrees C. Hazelnut is grown better in those places where the annual average temperature varies between 13-14 degrees C, the average temperature of the coldest month is not more than 3.5-5.5 degrees C, and the average temperature of the warmest month reaches 22-23 degrees C, when annual precipitation is 1500-2000 mm and during the vegetation period 900-1200 mm. According to a study a group of varieties with different maturity period was identified: a) early period ripeness varieties - 'Dedoflis titi', '`Tskhenis dzudzu', 'Saivanob.', 'Chkhikvictava', b) middle period ripeness varieties - 'Gulshishvela', 'Nemsa', 'Vanis tetri', 'Vanis tsiteli', 'Anakliuri', 'Ucha-tkhili', 'Kharistvala', 'Atababa', c) late period ripeness varieties - 'Khachapura', 'Gile', 'Shveliskura', 'Gandja', 'Cherkezuli'. After complex investigation of diverse landscape conditions, agro-climatic data, growing and yielding information of local and introduced varieties special agro-ecological zones for the distribution of commercial hazelnut orchards were determined.