THE ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND ECONOMIC INDICATORS OF BUCKWHEAT PLANTS IN THE ZONE OF THE SOUTHERN FOREST-STEPPE OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The article is devoted to choosing buckwheat varieties, which can ensure the production increase of buckwheat grain products in the Southern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine taking into account their biological and technological indicators. The investigation was made during 2020–2021 in field and laboratory conditions of Ustymivka Experimental Station of Plant Growing of the Institute of Plant Growing named after V.Ya. Yuriev, of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine. The experiment was organized by the scheme of the control seed plot using the generally accepted cultivation technology. As a result of the studies, it has been established that plant stand of different buckwheat cultivars varied from 103.1 to 147.2 cm, at the average value in the group of 119.4 cm. Moreover, the highest indicator in the group (123.7) was registered in 2021 as a result of favorable weather conditions; Volodar variety had 146.8 cm and Ukrainka – 147.2 cm. The analysis results of the growing period duration have shown that all the buckwheat varieties reacted on improving cultivation conditions –they increased the growing period, but indeterminate type varieties had considerably higher indicators: Ukrainka – from 72 days and nights in unfavorable 2020 to 78 days and nights in more favorable 2021; Volodar variety – from 72 days and nights in 2020 to 81 days and nights in 2021. It has been determined that the duration of “blossoming-ripening” period varied from 36 to 47 days and nights on the average during the years of experiments, at the average value of 41 days and nights. The highest variation of this indicator was registered in Ukrainka and Slobozhanka varieties – 6 days and nights, and Volodar – 8 days and nights. The research of the technological indicators’ group has shown that all the studied varieties corresponded to the standard as to coarse-granularity, and such buckwheat varieties as Nadiyna and Volodar formed the most coarse grain – 29.3 g and 29.2 g, respectively, and the smallest kernels were formed in Selianochka (27.1g), Slobozhanka (27.6 g), and Yuvileina 100 (28.0 g) varieties. According to the conducted assessment, the lowest grain hull content was registered in Sofia, Antaria buckwheat varieties (21.1% in each) and Olha (21.7%). Concerning the studied grain uniformity, the grain material of СИН 3/02 and Nadiyna buckwheat varieties had the highest index value – 81.8%, Selianochka had 81.3%, Yelena and Sofia – 81.0% each. Thus, according to all the analyzed indicators, Olha, Yelena, and Sofia buckwheat varieties are expedient to cultivate in the conditions of the Southern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine.