Cultivation History and Origin Distribution of Walnut

The Origin of    Walnut

   walnut is a large deciduous tree native to ancient Persia (present-day Iran) in the hinterland of Asia. In recent years, archaeologists have found carbonized walnuts in the cultural relics unearthed from primitive social sites (Neolithic) in Cishan Village, Wu'an, Hebei Province, and abundant walnut and hickory sporopollen were also found in Xizang Niexiong lacustrine sediments. it proves that China is one of the primary centers of walnut in the world.

The picture shows walnut

About the cultivation of walnut in   , Zhang Hua of Jin Dynasty wrote in Museum Chronicles that "this fruit came out of Qianghu, and Zhang Qian went to the Western regions in the Han Dynasty to get the seed back, which was planted in the middle of Qin Dynasty and gradually reached the middle soil." this happened in 122 BC, which proved that walnut cultivation in China has a long history. Walnut germplasm resources are very rich in the north and south of China. According to the Records of Walnut trees in China, there are 216 clone varieties and fine varieties, 164 improved varieties and 486 fine lines. The most famous walnuts are Dapao walnut in Yunnan (also known as Fanzhou walnut in Shanxi, Shimen walnut in Hebei, Sichuan Luren walnut, Xinjiang paper walnut, "egg skin" walnut in Qinling area of Shaanxi Province, Lin'an walnut and so on. All of them are peculiar walnut resources in China.

Distribution range of    walnut

The distribution of    walnut in the world is mainly concentrated in Europe, Asia and North America. France, Italy and Romania are the most cultivated in Europe, China and Turkey are the most in Asia, and the United States is the most concentrated in the southwestern state of California. Among the more than 30 walnut producing countries in the world, China, the United States and Turkey are among the top producers. The total area of walnut in the United States is about 100000 hectares, of which the area of fruit trees is about 80, 000 hectares, with an annual output of about 220000 tons. Turkey now has more than 3 million fruiting trees, with the highest output reaching 150000 tons.

   walnut cultivation in China has a long history and has a wide distribution range. At present, there are still a large number of wild walnut forests in the mountainous areas of Gongliu and Huocheng in Xinjiang. Walnuts are planted in North China, Northwest and Southwest provinces and autonomous regions, and the main producing areas are Shanxi, Hebei, Shaanxi, Gansu, Liaoning, Yunnan, Sichuan, Shandong, Xinjiang and other provinces and autonomous regions. According to most expert studies, walnuts in China are mainly concentrated in the following three areas:

Northwest region of   : including Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang and other provinces and autonomous regions

   North China: including Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Beijing and other provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government

Southwest of   : including Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Xizang and other provinces and autonomous regions.

   with the adjustment of agricultural and forestry planting structure, walnut cultivation in China is gradually concentrated, forming a regional advantage, these areas have large cultivation area, high yield and excellent quality. For example, Fenyang, Xiaoyi and Zuoquan in Shanxi, Taian in Shandong, Changli and Shexian in Hebei, Shangluo in Shaanxi, Minhe in Qinghai, Wuwei and Longnan in Gansu, Bijie in Guizhou, Guiyang in Yunnan, and around the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang are all famous walnut producing areas in China. After the 1970s, the yield of walnut in the main producing areas increased rapidly. Yunnan Province accounted for about 1x5 of the national total output of nearly 500000 tons in 2006, followed by Sichuan, Shanxi and Shaanxi, and the output was in the forefront of the country.

   the total output of walnut in China ranks first in the world, and its quality is good. Walnut and walnut kernels exported are very influential in the international market. Fanzhou walnut in Shanxi and Shimen walnut in Hebei are famous local varieties.