Agroecological test of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) in Tajikistan

Relevance. The Republic of Tajikistan is a mountainous country, 93% of whose territory is occupied by mountain ecosystems. The vertical zonation where it is possible to grow crops extends at altitudes from 350 to 4000 m above sea level. Taking into account the growing population of the republic, scientists are faced with the task of finding and implementing innovative ways and methods of obtaining the maximum volume of necessary products and biological mass per unit area while maintaining and increasing the fertility and quality of land and soil resources. Among the agricultural crops that could in the future provide high biological mass with an energy component per unit area of agricultural land include the Jerusalem artichoke plant (Helianthus tuberosus L.). Material and Methods. In various agro-ecological conditions of Tajikistan, collection material of Jerusalem artichoke (more than 25 varieties) was studied in order to determine its production potential and further introduction in various ecological zones of the republic. Jerusalem artichoke plantings were carried out in the Southern (Vaseisky, Vakhsh and Muminabad districts, located respectively at an altitude of 460, 600 and 1200 m above sea level), Central (Dushanbe, Kanask zone, at an altitude of 840 and 2560 m, respectively) and Eastern (Rasht and Lyakhsh areas located respectively at an altitude of 1800 and 2000 above sea level) in Tajikistan. In the conditions of Tajikistan, the soils mainly belong to the following types: light gray soils, typical gray soils and mountain carbonate soils.