In the modern scientific classification, the olive as a botanical genus unites 80 species that grow in the countries with a subtropical climate, where this plant performs the function of an ameliorant for terraced mountain slopes, protecting them from erosion and landslides with its dense and branched root system. Despite a variety of species, only European olive is cultivated, 25 species are used in industrial production – table, oilseed and universal ones.
In Turkmenistan, the fruit form is widely introduced in the town of Turkmenbashi, the Esenguly and Magtymguly etraps and other places where a subtropical climate prevails. The first olive plantations in those places were planted in the late 1930s on the initiative of the Academician Vavilov. Now, the trees are planted in the private garden sector of the capital and its suburbs, perhaps there are such plantings in other places, because industrious hands can grow the most exotic crops in the fertile Turkmen land – from black pepper and banana to papaya. Walnut, cherry and persimmon trees can grow and bear fruit in our climatic conditions, then why not try the olive tree – one of the oldest evergreen fruit crops?
