Biological features of chicory seeds

Abstract

Purpose. Studying the influence of growing seed bearers methods on the yield and quality of root chicory seeds in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine.Methods. Analysis, synthesis, generalization, laboratory and field experiments.Results. Field germination of seeds was higher from the indirect method of growing 92 % on average by variety, according to the direct method of growing 89 %. In terms of varieties, the highest seed germination was in the variety 'Umanskyi 98' (93 %), and the lowest in the variety 'Umanskyi 96' (91 %). In particular, the 1000-seed weight in the case of the indirect planting method of cultivation averaged 1.70 g for varieties, and 1.58 g under direct method. However, with the indirect method of growing chicory seed yield on average varieties was 0.35 t/ha, direct 0.40 t/ha. The level of seed productivity was highest in the variety 'Umanskyi 98', 0.38 t/ha in the indirect method and 0.42 t/ha indirect. The highest laboratory similarity of chicory seeds was in seeds, which were stored at humidity of 8–10 % and 93 %. Whereas, with seeds having a moisture content of 18–19 %, the germination rate averaged 67 % over the three years. Researches have also found that structural soils do not form a soil crust and contribute to increased field germination. So, the highest field germination of chicory root seeds (85.3 %) was on chernozem of small humusness, coarse loamy soil with string mulching in ‘Umanskyi 96’. A slightly lower value of the considered indicator was in cultivar ‘Umanskyi 97’ – 84.7 %. The greatest field germination of seeds was on leached loamy black soil in both varieties studied, 65.9% and 68.7 %, respectively.Conclusions. The biological characteristics of root chicory seeds require high requirements for the soil type, the seed material preparation for its cultivation, namely, additional drying it to a moisture content of 8–10 %, which in the future will affect the yield of chicory seeds and root crops.