PARTIAL RESULTS ON FRUITS ASSESSMENT OF SOME WALNUT GENOTYPES PRESERVED AT RIFG PITESTI, ROMANIA

Forty-five walnut genotypes, with different origins, from germplasm fund of RIFG Pitesti, Romania were evaluated, regarding fruit size (nut weight, size index – SI, index of roundness - IR and kernel percentage). The results obtained have highlighted the fact that in walnut collection from RIFG Pitesti there is a large phenotypic diversity. Thus, the average nut weight ranged from 8.00 g ('Novaci' cv.) to 22.00 g ('Geoagiu' 453 cv.). The largest fruits registered 'Geoagiu 453', 'Germisara', 'Ciprian Ion', 'Hartley' cvs. (over 20 g). The kernel percentage ranged from 30.66% ('Geoagiu 210' cv.) to 56.25% ('Valrex' cv.). The largest kernel percentage (over 50%) registered 'Recea', 'Valcor', 'Valrex', 'M 44-39', 'Sarmis', 'Velnița', 'Schinoasa', 'Ciumești 77', 'Cazacu', 'Chisinau', 'Fălești', 'Codrene' and 'Jupânești' cvs. It has been observed that some genotypes, although they have small fruits, have a high kernel percentage ('Valcor', 'Valrex', 'M 44-39', 'Sarmis', 'Schinoasa', 'Recea', 'Chandler', etc.). and other genotypes with large fruit have small kernel percentage ('Geoagiu 453', 'Germisara', 'Ciprian Ion', 'Hartley'. etc.). The values of the index of roundness varied from 0.64 mm on 'Recea' cv. (elongated form) to 1.01 mm on 'Secular' cv. (round form). Most of the genotypes studied (86.67%) had elongated fruits.