Adiz Boboev, who is the governor of Samarkand region, visited “the UC Davis Foundation Plant Services” scientific center, which operates within the University of California, Davis in California.

This center specializes in the cultivation, propagation, testing and distribution of high-quality, disease-free plant seedlings for agriculture. Here, elite virus-free seedlings of grapes, fruit trees, strawberries, potatoes and other crops are grown. Laboratory and diagnostic services, import and quarantine control have also been established. The center is equipped with modern laboratories, greenhouses and specially protected plantations, and houses a collection of thousands of plant species and varieties. A number of important initiatives were discussed during the visit to the center. In particular, the issues of introducing a system for the production of disease-free, certified seedlings for fruit orchards in the Samarkand region, strengthening phytosanitary standards based on the experience of UC Davis, and improving the quality of export-oriented products were considered. Particular attention was paid to the establishment of laboratories for the detection of plant diseases in Samarkand, the introduction of modern biotechnological diagnostic methods, and cooperation in improving the skills of scientific personnel. At the same time, issues of creating new crop varieties adapted to climate change, developing water-saving agrotechnologies, and implementing innovative projects aimed at increasing soil fertility were also discussed. In the educational sphere, proposals were made to establish internship programs in the United States for students and specialists of Samarkand Agrarian University, organize joint training and seminars, and introduce online educational platforms. The parties set specific tasks for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation. These agreements will play an important role in forming an innovative and export-oriented agricultural system in the Samarkand region.