Cultivating of clones of Sacred Fig tree of Zacchaeus in Russia: problems and prospectives

Successful cloning of the Sacred Fig tree of Zacchaeus (Ficus sycomora L.), taken by scientists of the All-Russian Horticultural Institute for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery (Moscow) under the auspices of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society, opens the possibility of cultivation of clones of this Christian shrine. Taking into account the natural process of cloning in plant organisms, and on the basis of an expanded understanding of such phenomena as genetic memory, the authors believe that the clones are obtained naturally and retain a certain sacredness of the parent plant. Their cultivation is possible in the conditions of protected ground and open ground. The climatic conditions of Russia make it possible to cultivate the clones of the Sacred Fig tree indoors (climatology, greenhouses, winter gardens) and in the open ground with the protection of the cold season. This is possible only in the sub-tropical region of Russia, as the Black Sea coast (near Sochi). The most suitable conditions for the cultivation of these clones in this region is in the Subtropical Botanical garden of Kuban, Research Institute of floriculture and subtropical crops and Sochi arboretum. The article detailed discuss the technical specifications of the alleged cultivation of clones of the Sacred Fig tree on the example of the Subtropical Botanical garden of Kuban, where currently there are four of the clone submitted for pre-acclimatization in the conditions of the region. With regard to the cultivation of clones of the Sacred Fig tree in its natural form and large size, this is possible only within the range of this species or in areas with similar climatic conditions. This can be the territory of religious sites in Palestine (Israel); Museum and Park complex in Jericho, Sergey town house in Jerusalem, the Cultural and business educational complex in Bethlehem; outside of Palestine - Patriarchal representation of St. Nicholas in Bari (Italy) and St. Nicholas Cathedral in Nice (France).

Священная смоковница, Императорское православное палестинское общество, клонирование, генетическая память, защищённый грунт, Sacred Fig tree, Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society, cloning, genetic memory, protected ground

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