The Use of Robinia L. Genus Representatives in Greenery Optimization of the National Dendrological Park “Sofiyivka” of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Abstract

Aim. The task of development of the dendrological flora gene pool of the National Dendrological Park “Sofiyivka” of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, as the basis for greenery in the Right-bank forest-steppe and other regions of Ukraine is quite urgent nowadays. It is stipulated by the necessity of finding and selecting sustainable species and forms for greenery introduction and optimization of the dendrological park. So, it caused the aim of our research conducting. Methods. Based on the literature analysis and the author’s own expeditionary and field studies, the results of Robinia genus representatives’ implementation in Ukraine and the dendrological park “Sofiyivka” have been presented. The main ecological factor of cultivation of the limited species composition of Robinia genus representatives in the climatic conditions of Ukraine has been revealed. The vitality and promise of Robinia species introduction in the conditions of the Right-bank forest-steppe of Ukraine have been defined by the method of integral quantitative evaluation of viability and perspectivity of wood species introduction based on visual observations of P. Lapin and S. Sidneva (Lapin, Sidneva, 1973). Results. The following six of twenty species of Robinia genus have been cultivated under the natural and climatic conditions of Ukraine: R. pseudoacacia L., R. viscosa Vent., R. holdtii Beiss., R. ambigua Poir., R. luxurians (Dieck) C. K. Schneid. and R. hispida L.. In the National Dendrological Park “Sofiyivka”, Robinia genus has been represented by the following species: R. pseudoacacia, R. luxurians, R. viscosa and five garden forms R. pseudoacacia: R. p. ‘Decaisneana’, R. p. ‘Pyramidalis’, R. p. ‘‘Tortuosa’, R. p. ‘Umbraculifera’ and R. p. ‘Unifoliola’. The main limiting environmental factor in the distribution of Robinia genus representatives in Ukraine is the air temperature in winter. R. pseudoacacia, R. viscosa and R. luxurians belong to quite perspective and promising wood species for use in the Right-bank forest-steppe of Ukraine by the sum of the indicators of viability and the prospects. Conclusions. Species that have proved to be stable in the dendrological park “Sofiyivka” can be successfully introduced into landscaping and used to optimize greenery in the Right-bank forest-steppe of Ukraine.