Zhaneta Hakobyan, doctor of biological sciences, a leading researcher of the Institute of Botany after A.Takhtajyan of  NAS RА, has  discovered and described a new pear variety, Pyrus hyrcana Fed. var. yeghegisi  Akopian.

"The Yeghegis River gorge of Vayots Dzor marz, Darelegis floristic region, is distinguished by a rich species diversity of wild pears. A study of rare and endangered pear species has been conducted in this region. A new pear variety has been discovered and described in the Yeghegis River gorge, in the vicinity of Vardahovit village. Herbarium material has been collected, the features of intraspecific variability have been studied using the morphological structure features of leaves, flowers and fruits,” said Zhaneta Hakobyan, the head of the research group that has conducted the study, the curator of the "Flora and Vegetation of Armenia" exhibition plot. 

She mentioned that the study of wild pears (Pyrus L.) is one of the priority scientific directions of the Institute of Botany, since Armenia is a home to a rich diversity of the genus Pyrus L. "The collection of wild pear trees in the Yerevan Botanical Garden is of scientific, environmental and educational value. Our collection now includes 20 species, namely P. caucasica Fed., P. browiczii Mulk., P. communis L., P. daralaghezii Mulk., P. elata Rubtzov , P. fedorovii Kuth., P. georgica Kuth., P. gergerana Gladkova, P. hyrcana Fed. var. yeghegisi Akopian, P. medvedevii Rubtzov, P. megrica Gladkova, P. oxyprion Woronow, P. pseudosyriaca Gladkova, P. sosnovskyi Fed., P. syriaca Pall., P. takhtadzhianii Fed., P. tamamschjanae Fed., P. theodorovii Mulk., P. turcomanica Maleev, P. zangezura Maleev," said Zhaneta Hakobyan.

Based on the research results, an article was published: Akopian J. A. 2021. A new variety of Pyrus hyrcana Fed. (Rosaceae) from Vayots Dzor province of Armenia // Takhtajania, 7: 4-11 (in English). https://takhtajania.am. Pyrus hyrcana Fed. var. yeghegisi Akopian.

"The article was placed on Researchgate, it has arisen great interest among foreign experts and has been cited by them," said Zhaneta Hakobyan.

The research has been carried out with participation of young researchers within the framework of the project "Conservation of wild pears (Pyrus L.) of Armenia in the Yerevan Botanical Garden" supported by the BGCI/ArbNet 2020 Partnership Program grant and by the  Arnold Arboretum partner organization (USA, Boston).