Environmental testing of Linum usitatisimum L. varieties in the steppe zone

Abstract

The research was conducted from 2017 to 2019 in the steppe zone of southern Russia. In all three years of research, the average annual air temperature exceeded the annual average value by 1.9, 2.1 and 2.2 in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively. During the growing season of oil flax, 82.7 mm of precipitation fell in 2017, 225 mm in 2018 and 241 mm in 2019. The following oil flax varieties were tested in the experiment: Fliz (control), VNIIMK 620, Chibis, Solnyshko, Pestrik, and Uralsky. Analysis of the sheaf material showed that the number of bolls on one plant was greater for the varieties Solnyshko and Pestrik (2.6 and 2.7 pieces on one plant, respectively) than on the control variety of Fliz. The average number of seeds in one boll in all studied varieties for three years was the same. The height of Chibis and Pestrik oil flax plants was 2.7 and 2.1 cm higher than the control variant, respectively. The average weight of seeds from one plant over three years was greater for Chibis and Solnyshko varieties and amounted to 0.43 and 0.52 grams, respectively. In terms of yield, the control variant exceeded only VNIIMK 620 variety by 0.04 t/ha. At the same level with the control variety were Chibis, Pestrik and Uralsky. The Solnyshko variety gave significantly lower yields. There was no exceeding of the oil content in flax seeds as compared to the control variety. VNIIMK 620 variety was on par with the Fliz variety with an oil content of 44.82%.