Spring Regrowth Research Articles

Promising species of the genus Sedum (<i>Crassulaceae</i>) of the Orenburg branch of the Federal Horticulture Center for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery

The article summarizes the results of observations of the promising samples of the genus Sedum of the genetic collection of ornamental crops of the Orenburg branch of the Federal Horticultural Center for Breeding, Agrotechnology and Nursery. Investigation of the features of the development phases and evaluation of the prospects of introduction of 7 species and 1 variety (Sedum selskianum Regel & Maack, Sedum dasyphyllum L., Sedum spurium cv. Rubi Glou, Sedum gybridum L., Sedum rupestre L., Sedum acre L., Sedum album L., Sedum ewersii Ledeb.) were held in 2019-2021. The phenological phases of the development of collection samples were studied, the prospects of introduction in the conditions of the steppe zone of the Southern Urals were evaluated. The studied groundcover perennials are assigned to the group of long-term vegetating plants. The beginning of the growing season of the studied samples was observed in the second decade of April, the sum of positive temperatures during the study period ranged from 158.7 to 207.4 ˚C; the temperature index above 5 ˚C over the years of research ranged from 50.6 to 81.9 C. The deployment of young leaves and the beginning of spring regrowth was noted after 7-12 days at the sum of active temperatures from 56.4 to 153.4 ˚C. The duration of the flowering period varies among the studied samples, the longest flowering is characteristic of S. selskianum, S. srurium cv., S. album. The onset of fruit maturity in various species is observed from the second decade of June to the second decade of July, in S. ewersii – in the second decade of September. Groundcover species of the genus Sedum in the conditions of the steppe zone of the Southern Urals are distinguished by a long (from 49 ± 4 days in S. acre to 64 ± 3 days in S. ewersii) period from the beginning of spring regrowth to the onset of flowering. The period from the onset of flowering to fruit ripening ranges from 29 ± 4 days for S. selskianum to 62 ± 3 days for S. album. According to the results of the study, 3 promising samples were identified for widespread use in landscaping.

The response of alfalfa cultivars to mobile aluminum toxicity

AbstractAlfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) as a perennial forage grass is widely adapted to favorable environmental conditions with wide range of soils including acid soils. The productivity traits of alfalfa in the soil without and with 1.8–14.7 mgAl/kg concentration of mobile Al were investigated. The study site was conducted at the Vėžaičiai Branch of the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, 55°70 N lat., 21°49 E long. The experiment featuring 19 cultivars was established on a Balthygleyic Dystric Retisol in 2018. In 2019 and 2020, the productivity traits were evaluated: spring regrowth, plant height before flowering, stem number, seed yield, and fresh and dry matter yield. The mobile Al negatively influenced productivity traits of alfalfa in 2019 and 2020. Several cultivars of alfalfa were distinguished by tolerance to mobile Al and will be used for further selection for breeding. In 2020, the cultivar Europe from France was distinguished by spring regrowth, number of stems and fresh matter yield in the soil with mobile Al. The cultivar Ludelis from France differed by spring regrowth and height before flowering time in the soil with mobile Al in 2019–2020. The cultivar Skriveru from Latvia was the most yielding by seed yield in the soil without and with mobile Al in 2019. The Lithuanian cultivar Antanė was yielding by dry matter yield in the soil with and without mobile Al in 2019. The cultivar Žydrūnė from Lithuania was yielding by fresh and dry matter yield in the soil with and without mobile Al in 2020. This study on acid soils with and without mobile Al concentrations has revealed the differences of productivity traits under different environmental conditions of experimental years. Results of this study are important not only for Lithuania but also for the other lands of Europe where Retisol are prevails.

‘Gvardeets’: a new awnless brome (<i>Bromorsis inermis</i>) cultivar developed in Tyumen Province

Background. Awnless brome (Bromopsis inermis (Leyss.) Holub) is a perennial herbaceous plant used as feed in animal husbandry, for phytomelioration, and as a component of grass mixtures to make a durable natural cover for landscaping. Studying the genetic diversity of this species and selecting the best accessions will help to develop new cultivars capable of productive longevity.Materials and methods. In 2017, a new cultivar of B. inermis called ‘Gvardeets’ was submitted to the State Variety Trials. It was developed using chemical mutagenesis followed by multiple selection from cv. ‘Sverdlovsky 38’ at the Research Institute of Agriculture for the Northern Trans-Ural Region, a branch of Tyumen Scientific Center. During the growing seasons of 2012–2020, the cultivar was compared in the field according to the main productivity indicators with the reference cvs. ‘Langepas’ and ‘Sverdlovsky 38’. Observations were performed according to the guidelines for the study of fodder crops.Results and conclusions. The new cultivar ‘Gvardeets’ is mid-season: it takes 50–60 days for its plants to develop from spring regrowth to the beginning of mowing and 95–110 days to harvesting. The plants are erect, 115–145 cm high; foliage content is 38–50%. Protein content in dry matter is 7.0–12.0%; fiber content, 28.2–34.0%. It has a good yield: the harvest of green mass for 9 years averaged 22.8 t/ha; hay, 7.7 t/ha; seeds, 0.19 t/ha, which is higher the original cv. ‘Sverdlovsky 38’ ( ) by 13, 12 and 16% and the productive cv. ‘Langepas’ by 6, 7 and 5%, respectively. It is winter-hardy, resistant to lodging, technology-friendly, and well adaptable to adverse environmental conditions, which ensures its high value for practical use. It was designed for hayfields and pastures. According to the results of the State Variety Trials, in 2021 it was commercialized for the Volga-Vyatka (4), West Siberian (10), and East Siberian (11) regions of Russia.

PRODUCTIVITY CHANGE OF AWNLESS BROME DUE TO APPLICATION OF VARIOUS AGROCHEMICALS

The results of studies of field experiments on possibility of achieving highly productive agrocenoses of awnless brome due to application of various agrochemicals at different times are presented. To achieve the above goal, studies on agrochemical effects on awnless brome seed-breeding plots were carried out in OAO Mordoviagosplem in Ozerny village, the city of Saransk, the Republic of Mordovia in 2018-2020. Scheme of a two-factor experiment included: Factor A - Time of application of agrochemicals. 1 - At the beginning of spring regrowth, 2 - At booting stage, 3 - In the phase of spring regrowth + booting stage. Factor B - Types of agrochemicals. 1. - Without application of agrochemicals (control). 2. - Megamix Profi. 3. - Megamix-nitrogen. 4 - Albite. It was revealed that maximum weight of 25 shoots, compared with the control, was noted in case of Albit application in the phase of growth, tillering, growth + tillering (79.6; 86.0; 87.0 g); Megamix-Profi (80.4; 80.6 g) and Megamix-Nitrogen (84.8; 82.5 g) in the phases of tillering and growth + tillering. The most intensive shoot formation (533 pcs./m2) was noted in case of double application of Albit, its application at the time of spring regrowth provided maximum economic efficiency coefficient (0.04) and aboveground mass yield (18.54 t/ha). Application of Megamix- Nitrogen (531, 466 kg/ha) and Albit (507, 463 kg/ha) in the spring regrowth and booting phase, as well as Megamix-Profi (508 kg/ha) in booting phase contributed to formation of predominant seed yield.

Использование цифровой фенотеки травянистых растений в декоративном растениеводстве

Abstract. This study shows the improvement of classical methods of studying the growth and development of ornamental plants through the use of modern digital technologies. The purpose of the work is to show students in the direction of 35.03.10 “Landscape architecture” (Decorative plant growing profile) the biological features and decorative qualities of introduced plants in the conditions of the continental climate of the forest-steppe of Western Siberia and to create a digital phenological library. Methods. The construction of the phenospectrum was based on the works of T. I. Fomina and I. N. Beideman. For the design of complete phenospectrum of beautifully flowering plants, it was noted: regrowth, vegetation, budding, flowering, fruit tying, fruit ripening, the end of vegetation. In the abbreviated versions for the digital phenological library, only the periods of vegetation and decorative were noted, the flowering phase was filled with a color corresponding to the color of the variety or species. Calculations for plotting hydrothermal conditions were carried out by standard methods using statistical packages of the Microsoft Excel 2003 program. Results. Examples of single-band phenospectrum characterizing various phenorhythmotypes are given. The advantage of two-band phenospectrum compiled according to the Method of phenological observations for botanical gardens is shown when characterizing plants that create a flowering and decorative-deciduous effect. According to this Method, the phenology of vegetative aboveground shoots includes the phases: B1 – the beginning of spring regrowth; B2 – the unfolding of leaves, B3 – the end of shoot growth, L1 – the beginning of leaf death, L2 – complete leaf death. Additional phenophases are proposed for a more complete description of the spring and summer decorative-deciduous effect. Additional phenophases are proposed for a more complete description of the spring and summer decorative-deciduous effect. For example, Vant or Vlim is a period when young leaves have a bright anthocyanin or lemon color. Additionally, the period of regrowth of summer leaf generation is shown. In the course of training, on the basis of the compiled templates, the method of combining phenospectrum with diagrams of hydrothermal conditions of growing seasons, including abnormally arid and abnormally humid, is also mastered. Scientific novelty. The possibilities of a digital phenological library are shown, which allow to quickly and reliably simulate the flowering and decorative-deciduous aspects of flower expositions and landscape groups based on complete and abbreviated phenomenon spectra. The materials of the digital phenological library complement the visualization of landscaping projects.

Detection of quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with spring regrowth in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Spring regrowth is an important trait for perennial plants including alfalfa, the most cultivated forage legume worldwide. However, the genetic and genomic basis of the trait is largely unknown in alfalfa due to its complex genetic background of the tetroploid genome. The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with spring regrowth using high-resolution genetic linkage maps we constructed previously. In total, 36 significant additive effect QTLs for the trait were detected. Among them, 10 QTLs individually explained more than 10% of the phenotypic variation (PVE) with four in P1 and six in P2. Six overlapped QTLs intervals were detected with two and four intervals distributed in P1 and P2, respectively. In P1, both overlapped genomic regions were located on homolog 7D. In P2, the four QTLs with PVE>10% were co-localized on homolog 6D. Meanwhile, six pairs of significant epistatic QTLs were identified in P2. Screening of potential candidate genes associated with four overlapped QTLs (qCP2019-8, qLF2019-5, qLF2020-4, and qBLUP-3) narrowed down one candidate annotated as MAIL1. The Arabidopsis homolog gene has been reported to play an important role in plant growth. Therefore, the detected QTLs are valuable resources for genetic improvement of alfalfa spring vigor using marker-assisted selection (MAS), and further identification of the associated genes would provide insights into genetic control of spring regrowth in alfalfa.

Growth and development of representatives of the genus Rosa L. in the Stavropol Botanical Garden

Relevance. To identify the features of the growth and development of species of roses of different geographical origin, to establish the biological minimum temperatures necessary for the beginning of flowering of representatives of the genus Rosa L., to study the morphological indicators of fruits.Methodology. The research material was 12 wild roses belonging to 4 sections: Canina Crep, Cinnamomeae DC, Luteae Crep, Pimpinellifoliae DC. The research was carried out using the methods of the Main Botanical Garden, floral and geographical analyses — according to Hrzhanovsky. A caliper was used to measure the length and diameter of 10 fruits. For the analysis of statistical data, the MS Excel table processor and the integrated MATLAB mathematical package were used.Results. The article presents the results of a study of species of roses in the Stavropol Botanical Garden of various geographical origin. The study involved 12 species belonging to 4 sections. The features of growth and development of plants in new soil and climatic conditions are revealed. The dates of the beginning of the main phenological phases andtheir duration have been established: spring regrowth of shoots, budding, beginning and end of flowering, fruiting. In the studied species of roses, the growing season begins in the first — second decade of March, flowering occurs in late May — early June, the fruits ripen in August — September. The dependence of the timing of the beginning of flowering in the studied roses on the dynamics of the accumulated average daily air temperatures and the sum of effective temperatures above 5 °C was revealed. Mathematically, it was proved that the lower limit of the air temperature required for the beginning of flowering of species of roses is +16 °C, when the sum of the average daily temperature air St° = 1007.75–1069.48 °С and St эф > 5 °С = 530.75–594.75 °С are accumulated. Early flowering species of roses include Rosa foetida Herrm., R. pendulina L., R. pimpinellifolia L., late flowering — R. caudata Baker and R. corymbifera Borkh. The shortest flowering period is in R. caudata Baker, R. jacutica Juz. and R. kamtschatica Vent. Representatives of those types mostly bloom once. Their flowers are formed on biennial and more mature shoots. The flowering period is 13–23 days. Rosa rugosa Thunb. blooms again, its flowering period is extended and long — from 40 to 48 days. All species of roses form fruits. The longest fruits are in R. pendulina L., R. caudata Baker, R. rugosa Thunb., R. corymbifera Borkh. and R. canina L., and large ones — in R. rugosa Thunb., R. marretii Lev. and R. roxburghi Tratt.

Promising agricultural technologies for growing winter wheat for sustainable agricultural development

In the arid zone of light chestnut soils of the Lower Volga region, in order to increase the influx of organic matter and basic nutrients into the soil, winter rye and yellow two-year-old clover should be cultivated in occupied fallows as sideral crops. To increase the replenishment of potassium in the soil, it is also recommended to grow phacelia on siderate as a fallow crop. Plowing oats in the form of green fertilizer led to a decrease in the input of organic matter and mineral nutrition elements into the soil compared to the control. The highest content of nitrate nitrogen, mobile phosphorus and exchangeable potassium in the arable layer of the soil during the sowing of winter wheat, when its plants leave for winter and spring regrowth, as well as during harvesting, was provided by the predecessors of the occupied fallows by winter rye, two-year-old clover and phacelia for siderate. The highest yield of winter wheat was obtained by the predecessors the pure fallow and occupied fallows by winter rye, sweet clover and phacelia for siderate. According to the predecessors, the occupied fallows by spring ginger and oats for siderate showed a significant decrease in the yield of winter wheat.

Dynamics of Spring Regrowth and Comparative Production Performance of 50 Autumn-Sown Alfalfa Cultivars in the Coastal Saline Soil of North China.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) production is affected by many factors, including management practices, soil conditions, and the environmental elements of the target area. Varietal differences, in terms of agronomic performance and forage yield, among 50 alfalfa cultivars under six harvest systems following regrowth were evaluated during the growing season of 2019–2020 under non-irrigated rainfed conditions in a coastal saline-alkali soil region of North China. Days to harvesting, plant height, canopy area, growth rate, and forage yield were assessed to rank the cultivars. Furthermore, the key factor influencing the regrowth of the second year after over-wintering was identified based on the growth status before over-wintering by using the Boston Matrix method. Results showed significant (p < 0.05) differences among cultivars and harvests regarding plant height, canopy area, and forage yield. Alfalfa forage yield ranged between 24.2 t ha−1 yr−1 and 32.7 t ha−1 yr−1. The highest forage yield was obtained in cultivar Guochan No.1, and was lowest in cultivar Magnum 601. Forage yield reached the greatest values for the first harvest, and then decreased gradually and changed stably. The forage yield of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth harvest ranged from 3.4 t ha−1 to 4.3 t ha−1 (averaged across 50 cultivars), which represented 10.8% to 15.2% of the annual total forage production. We also observed that forage yield correlated strongly, but negatively, with the growth rate. According to subordinate function value analysis, Womu No.1, WL440HQ, Weston, Surprise, and WL354HQ proved optimum cultivars for general cultivation in this coastal area. In future, development of alfalfa cultivars with improved regrowth and tolerance to heavy saline-alkali soil and early spring drought would be necessary to increase forage yield under rainfed conditions in coastal saline-alkali areas of North China.

Phenotyping seedlings for selection of root system architecture in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

BackgroundThe root system architecture (RSA) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) affects biomass production by influencing water and nutrient uptake, including nitrogen fixation. Further, roots are important for storing carbohydrates that are needed for regrowth in spring and after each harvest. Previous selection for a greater number of branched and fibrous roots significantly increased alfalfa biomass yield. However, phenotyping root systems of mature alfalfa plant is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and subject to environmental variability and human error. High-throughput and detailed phenotyping methods are needed to accelerate the development of alfalfa germplasm with distinct RSAs adapted to specific environmental conditions and for enhancing productivity in elite germplasm. In this study methods were developed for phenotyping 14-day-old alfalfa seedlings to identify measurable root traits that are highly heritable and can differentiate plants with either a branched or a tap rooted phenotype. Plants were grown in a soil-free mixture under controlled conditions, then the root systems were imaged with a flatbed scanner and measured using WinRhizo software.ResultsThe branched root plants had a significantly greater number of tertiary roots and significantly longer tertiary roots relative to the tap rooted plants. Additionally, the branch rooted population had significantly more secondary roots > 2.5 cm relative to the tap rooted population. These two parameters distinguishing phenotypes were confirmed using two machine learning algorithms, Random Forest and Gradient Boosting Machines. Plants selected as seedlings for the branch rooted or tap rooted phenotypes were used in crossing blocks that resulted in a genetic gain of 10%, consistent with the previous selection strategy that utilized manual root scoring to phenotype 22-week-old-plants. Heritability analysis of various root architecture parameters from selected seedlings showed tertiary root length and number are highly heritable with values of 0.74 and 0.79, respectively.ConclusionsThe results show that seedling root phenotyping is a reliable tool that can be used for alfalfa germplasm selection and breeding. Phenotypic selection of RSA in seedlings reduced time for selection by 20 weeks, significantly accelerating the breeding cycle.

Evaluation of meadow clover varieties in the foothill zone of the RSO — Alania

Relevance. The advantages of meadow clover, as a forage crop, is that it is a source of highly nutritious feed in monoculture and in grass mixtures, containing protein, macroand microelements, vitamins and carotenes. In the conditions of the foothill zone of the RSO — Alania, a new breeding material of meadow clover was studied. The possibilities of selection of breeding samples with high winter hardiness, feed and seed productivity are studied. The analysis of the most productive samples in terms of productivity and resistance to diseases was carried out. The research objective was to identify the most promising varieties of meadow clover for cultivation in specific natural and climatic conditions of the Republic of North Ossetia — Alania.Methods. Experimental studies were carried out on the experimental fields of the North Caucasus Research Institute of Mountain and Foothill Agriculture of the VNC RAS in the forest-steppe zone of the RSO — Alania. The soils of the experimental site are represented by leached chernozems on pebbles, they are characterized by a high content of gross and available nitrogen and phosphorus reserves. In terms of the content of mobile potassium, they are average in comparison with other soils. The arable layer contains from 3.3% to 4.7% of humus. The reaction of the soil solution in the upper horizons is neutral. The tab of experiments, phenological observations and statistical processing of the obtained data were carried out using generally accepted methods.Results. According to the duration of the period from the beginning of spring regrowth to the beginning of flowering at the first mowing, the studied varieties can be attributed to medium-ripe and late-ripe. То variety Vladikavkazsky the duration of the growing season was 65–70 days, to variety Daryal — 75–80 days, Farn — 70–75 days. Later matures include varieties Alan and Orlik. In the spring during the development periodand the beginning of regrowth there was no big difference between the varieties. The Daryal variety started growing earlier than everyone else, the difference was 5 days. The earliest flowering was observed in the Daryal variety, the difference between the studied varieties was from 10 to 20 days. In the varieties of meadow clover studied by us, the Alan variety surpasses other varieties in winter hardiness, productivity and biological yield. The highest plant height was found in samples of local selection Alan, Vladikavkazsky, Farn (within 68–72.4 cm), surpassing the standard variety Daryal by 7–11.4 cm.The seed yield of the samples had a weak positive correlation with the number of days from the beginning of spring regrowth to the beginning of flowering (r = 0.27).

Features of seasonal growth of Arundo donax var. versicolor Mill. (Stokes) in the conditions of the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Purpose. To define of phenological and morphological features of A. donax var. versicolor growth during the introduction in the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NBG). &#x0D; Methods. The object of research was the plants of A. donax var. versicolor in the collection of ornamental grasses of the department of flower and ornamental plants of NBG. The plants were grown on a sunny experimental area during 2014–2020. Since under NBG conditions, A. donax var. versicolor did not enter the flowering phase, the beginning of the phases of spring regrowth, leaf unfolding, and the end of the growing season were recorded. Morphometric parameters and shoot-forming ability were investigated for 3–5 years of cultivation. &#x0D; Results. The beginning and duration of the phases of shoot spring regrowth and the unfolding of leaves of A. donax var. versicolor as well as their dependence on the sum of effective temperatures was established. Thus, spring regrowth begins with renewal buds on May 11 ± 5 days at the effective temperature sums of 226.6 ± 19.7 °С. The phase of leaf development in plants occurred on May 20 ± 7 days. The effective temperature sum at the beginning of this phase was 309.45 ± 11.66 °C. The productivity of shoot formation (1.6 ± 0.3 shoot per plant) under the conditions of introduction was determined. &#x0D; Conclusions. A. donax var. versicolor plants did not have a full cycle of seasonal development in the conditions of the NBG. Plants formed vegetative monocyclic shoots 240–260 cm tall. The duration of their vegetation was 182–189 days. The optimal period for the growth of the ground mass of plants fell on July-August. During this period, the leaves were quickly formed, the number of which was 28.8 ± 6.68 on the shoot. The correlation between the rate of accumulation of effective temperatures and the rate of regrowth of plant shoots was recorded.

Yield and fodder value of pierced leaf sylphia on the reclaimed lands of the non-chernozem zone

Relevance. The article is devoted to the actual problem of studying non-traditional fodder crop — pierced leaf sylphia ( Silphium perfoliatum ), which is promising for introduction on reclaimed lands of the non-chernozem zone of the Russian Federation. Methods and results. The research was carried out at the test site of the All-Russian Research Institute of Reclaimed Lands — a branch of the Federal Research Centre “Soil Science Institute named after V.V. Dokuchaev”(Tver region). The experiments were carried out in 2017–2020. Soil on the experimental site isdrained soddy-podzolic loamy soil. The arable layer is characterized by the following agrochemical indicators: pHKCL — 6.7, the content of easily hydrolyzable nitrogen — 50.1 mg/kg of soil, mobile phosphorus (P 2 O 5 ) — 272.0 mg/kg of soil, and the concentration of exchangeable potassium (K 2 O) — 78,0 mg/kg of soil. When cultivated on the reclaimed lands of the Tver region, pierced leaf sylphia provided high yields of green mass — 73.0 ± 2,7 t/ha or 13.1 ± 0,8 t/ha of dry matter. The maximum height of the shoots of pierced leaf sylphia reaches during the flowering period, which, in the conditions of drained lands, begins 90–100 days from the beginning of spring regrowth, which indicates the late maturity of this culture in the conditions of the non-chernozem zone. The flowering period is the best period for harvesting sylphs for animal feed, since it is at this time that one kilogram of green feed contains 0.12–0.15 feed units, 170 g of dry matter, 16.5 g of crude protein, 24 mg of carotene, 41 g of fiber, 4.5 g of calcium, 0.4 g of phosphorus, which corresponds to the zootechnical norms of animal feeding. The introduction of pierced-leaved sylphia into the system of feed production on reclaimed lands, including in a green conveyor, allows obtaining the maximum amount of nutrients per unit area, using innovative technologies for the cultivation of forage plants, increasing the quality of feed and the concentration of energy in 1 kg of dry matter to 10,0–10.5 MJ.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ВЕГЕТАЦІЇ АГРОФІТОЦЕНОЗІВ ПШЕНИЦІ ОЗИМОЇ ПІСЛЯ ПОПЕРЕДНИКІВ БОБОВИХ БАГАТОРІЧНИХ ТРАВ

The article is devoted to solving the problem of increasing the yield of winter wheat crops when it is grown after the predecessors of six types of perennial legumes. The features of the passage of the growth and development phases of winter wheat plants in the spring are shown, depending on the predecessors. The dynamics of plant height in the spring-summer period is analyzed. The change in the density of winter wheat plants during the spring renewal of the growing season and at the end of the growing season was studied. The spring thinning of winter wheat plants, the coefficient of total and productive tillering are calculated. The total number of stems of winter wheat plants and productive stems is shown. The level of grain yield of winter wheat, depending on its predecessors, was investigated, and correlation-regression relationships between it and the factors of spring-summer vegetation of crops were revealed. A close correlation has been proved between the grain yield and the number of all stems, as well as productive stems of winter wheat plants on an area of one square meter, as well as between the grain yield and the height of winter wheat plants at the beginning of spring regrowth. It is shown that the most favorable growing conditions and the level of grain yield of winter wheat when growing it after various types of perennial legumes is observed after the predecessor of meadow clover, where the highest plant density at the end of the growing season was observed – 145 million pcs/ha, the number of total – 878 pcs./m2 and productive stems – 799 pcs./m2, as well as the highest plant height at the beginning of spring regrowth – 6 cm. This allows you to get a winter wheat grain yield of 5.8 t/ha without the use of mineral fertilizers. After white melilot, the yield of winter wheat was 10.2 % less and amounted to 5.21 t/ha; after sandy sainfoin – 14.% less – 4.99 t/ha; after the eastern goat's rue – by 21.6 % less – 4.55 t/ha; after sowing alfalfa – by 24.5 % less – 4.38 t/ha and after horned grass – the lowest yield – 4.03 t/ha, which is 30.6 % less than after meadow clover

Buried but unsafe – Defoliation depletes the underground storage organ (USO) of the mesic grassland geophyte, Hypoxis hemerocallidea

Mesic grasslands in South Africa (> 650 mm a − 1 MAP) are rich in herbaceous forbs, which outnumber grass species by more than 5 to 1. Many of these forbs are geophytes with underground storage units (USOs), such as thickened rootstocks, rhizomes, bulbs, or corms, that provide resources (non-structural carbohydrates, minerals, and water) enabling them to resprout after dry, frosty winters, and fire. However, despite their extensive biomass and reserves ostensibly protected underground, mesic grassland geophytes can be severely depleted or extirpated by chronic trampling and grazing of their aerial parts by livestock. This study examined a possible explanation for the demise of grassland geophytes in overgrazed grassland by investigating, in a pot trial, whether the growth of a geophyte and the size of its USOs are negatively affected by simulated green leaf loss. In a 2 × 2 factorial (clipped vs. unclipped x spring regrowth in the dark vs. light), five replicate plants of Hypoxis hemerocallidea, a common mesic grassland geophyte that resprouts from a corm, were subject to six severe (clipped to 80 mm) defoliations during the growing season and regrown in spring under full or restricted light to measure stored reserve contribution to regrowth. Defoliated plants were resilient to defoliation during the growing season, matching the total biomass production of unclipped plants, though cutting reduced the number of leaves by ¬60% and flowers by almost 85%. Spring regrowth on stored reserves equalled that from reserves plus concurrent photosynthesis, indicating the value of USOs for regrowth. However, there was a marked carry-over effect of previous season defoliation, resulting in a one-third reduction in shoot growth and 40% fewer inflorescence in spring. Crucially, corm mass was more than halved by clipping, which resulted in lower spring biomass and inflorescence production. It was concluded that buried stored reserves are not protected from recurrent defoliation and mechanical damage to aerial plant parts and that continued diminishment of USOs under chronic disturbance by overgrazing or frequent mowing would weaken and likely eventually kill plants, reducing overall forb species richness. Lenient management by infrequent summer mowing or grazing at moderate stocking rates combined with periodic rotational full season resting and dormant-season burning is recommend to maintain the USOs and vigour of grassland geophytes in mesic grassland.

Geographic patterns in seasonal changes of body mass, skull, and brain size of common shrews.

Some small mammals exhibit Dehnel's Phenomenon, a drastic decrease in body mass, braincase, and brain size from summer to winter, followed by a regrowth in spring. This is accompanied by a re‐organization of the brain and changes in other organs. The evolutionary link between these changes and seasonality remains unclear, although the intensity of change varies between locations as the phenomenon is thought to lead to energy savings during winter.Here we explored geographic variation of the intensity of Dehnel's Phenomenon in Sorex araneus. We compiled literature on seasonal changes in braincase size, brain, and body mass, supplemented by our own data from Poland, Germany, and Czech Republic.We analyzed the effect of geographic and climate variables on the intensity of change and patterns of brain re‐organization.From summer to winter, the braincase height decreased by 13%, followed by 10% regrowth in spring. For body mass, the changes were −21%/+82%, respectively. Changes increased toward northeast. Several climate variables were correlated with these transformations, confirming a link of the intensity of the changes with environmental conditions. This relationship differed for the decrease versus regrowth, suggesting that they may have evolved under different selective pressures.We found no geographic trends explaining variability in the brain mass changes although they were similar (−21%/+10%) to those of the braincase size. Underlying patterns of change in brain organization in northeastern Poland were almost identical to the pattern observed in southern Germany. This indicates that local habitat characteristics may play a more important role in determining brain structure than broad scale geographic conditions.We discuss the techniques and criteria used for studying this phenomenon, as well as its potential presence in other taxa and the importance of distinguishing it from other kinds of seasonal variation.

ЗИМОСТІЙКІСТЬ РОСЛИН ПШЕНИЦІ ОЗИМОЇ ЗАЛЕЖНО ВІД ПОПЕРЕДНИКІВ БОБОВИХ БАГАТОРІЧНИХ ТРАВ

The article is devoted to solving the problem of increasing the winter hardiness of winter wheat crops when it is grown after the predecessors of six types of perennial legumes. The features of the passage of the growth and development phases of winter wheat plants in the autumn, depending on the predecessors, are shown. The dynamics of plant height in the autumn-spring period is analyzed. The change in the density of winter wheat plants during the period of full germination and during the spring renewal of vegetation was studied. The winter cutting of winter wheat plants, the area of damage to the leaf surface, the proportion of damaged plants and the percentage of their height decrease during the winter period were calculated. The level of grain yield of winter wheat, depending on the predecessors, was investigated, and correlation-regression relationships between it and the factors influencing wintering were revealed. A close correlation has been proved between grain yield and the percentage of damaged winter wheat plants during the winter period and their height at the beginning of spring regrowth. It is shown that the most favorable conditions overwintered and the level of grain yield of winter wheat when grown after various types of leguminous perennial grasses is observed after the predecessor of meadow clover, where damage is observed by unfavorable conditions, only 16.7 % of the plants overwintered and their height at the time of the spring renewal of vegetation is 6 cm. This makes it possible to obtain a grain yield of winter wheat of 5.8 t/ha without the use of mineral fertilizers. The use of leguminous perennial grasses as precursors of winter wheat that develop over two to three years (meadow clover, white melilot, sand sainfoin) contributes to the formation of a significantly higher yield of winter wheat grain compared to predecessors of perennial legumes that vegetate for a long time period – five to eight years (horned lily, sowing alfalfa, eastern goat's rue). The yield of winter wheat after the predecessor of horned clover was the lowest – by 30.5% less than after the predecessor of meadow clover.

Assessment of decorative features of representatives of the genus narcissus l. in the South-Ural botanical garden-institute of UFRC RAS

The article presents the results of the primary introduction study of nine new varieties of the genus Narcissus L. (‘Apricot Whirl’, ‘Candy Princess’, ‘Green Eyes’, ‘Mon Cheri’, ‘Peach Cobbler’, ‘Slim Whitman’, ‘Sunlover’, ‘Sunny Girlfriend’, ‘Sunny Side Up’) on the basis of the South-Ural Botanical Garden-Institute of Ufa Federal Research Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences. It is shown that more than half of these cultivars from the SUBGI UFRC RAS collection are represented by plants registered in the last century. According to the international classification, introduced species were assigned to four groups. The maximum number of varieties is presented in groups: large-crowned narcissus and narcissus with a split crown. It was revealed that in two years of study, all cultivars reached the flowering phase. The main biomorphological parameters of introduced varieties (plant height, leaf length and width, flower diameter, length and width of the crown and perianth lobes) were studied. It has been determined that most varieties are characterized by a two-tone color and an average flower size. Phenological observations were carried out. It was revealed that spring regrowth in all studied varieties is observed aft er snow melt in the second decade of April. By the timing of flowering, cultivars are divided into early (flowering in the III decade of April) and early middle (flowering in the I decade of May). The duration of the flowering phase varied on average from 6 to 12 days. The decorative qualities of the studied varieties have been investigated. On a 100-point scale, five cultivars scored over 90 points (‘Mon Cheri’, ‘Sunlover’, ‘Candy Princess’, ‘Apricot Whirl’, ‘Sunny Side Up’). They have large and beautifully shaped flowers, with a clean bright color of the perianth and crown, strong and tall peduncles, long and abundant flowering, pleasant aroma. These varieties are the most promising for inclusion in the zonal assortment of cultivated plants recommended for use in green building in the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Effect of Site Specific Nitrogen Management on Seed Nitrogen—A Driving Factor of Winter Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.) Yield

It has been assumed that the management of both soil and fertilizer N in winter oilseed rape (WOSR) is crucial for N accumulation in seeds (Nse) and yield. This hypothesis was evaluated based on field experiments conducted in 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11 seasons, each year at two sites, differing in soil fertility, including indigenous N (Ni) supply. The experimental factors consisted of two N fertilizers: N and NS, and four Nf rates: 0, 80, 120, 160 kg ha−1. Yield, as governed by site × Nf rate interaction, responded linearly to Nse at harvest. The maximum Nse (Nsemax), as evaluated by N input (Nin = Ni + Nf) to WOSR at spring regrowth, varied from 95 to 153 kg ha−1, and determined 80% of yield variability. The basic reason of site diversity in Nsemax was Ni efficiency, ranging from 46% to 70%, respectively. The second cause of Nse variability was a shortage of N supply from + 9.5 soil to −8.8 kg ha−1 to the growing seeds during the seed filling period (SFP). This N pool supports the N concentration in seeds, resulting in both seed density and a seed weight increase, finally leading to a yield increase.

THE PHENOTYPIC FEATURES OF RED CLOVER (TRIFOLIUM PRATENSE L.) THAT CORRELATE WITH SEED PRODUCTIVITY

To reduce the time of the selection process when creating varieties of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) with a high seed yield, it is necessary to use the source material with the features that positively correlate with an increased seed productivity. It is estimated that in the Northern part of the Central Black Earth Economic region of the Russian Federation the seed productivity of red clover has a high correlation with the weight of the dried mass, a number of stems, inflorescences, seeds in the flowers, seed setability, inflorescence dissemination and a short сorolla tube. The average correlation coefficient was found between the seed yield productivity (1000 seeds), the length of the stem and the full visibility of the leaf pattern. A lesser degree positive correlation was found between seed productivity and a number of beans in the flower, two-seeded beans, a number of internodes, the length of time from the beginning of the spring regrowth and up to the anrhesis. The research has revealed the correlations between the seed productivity and economic, biological, and morphological characteristics of red clover in the Northern part of the Black Earth Economic region of the Russian Federation, and the North Caucasus region, in particular in the Oryol Oblast and North Ossetia-Alania, where this crop occupies a leading position among the cultivated perennial herbs. It is used In biological farming at the hayfields and pastures. It was found that the seed productivity of the red clover as an individual plant is largely determined by the capacity of its development there was a high correlation between the seed yield and the dried mass of the plant (r = 0.72). The plants with the largest number of stems were characterized by the highest seed yield, which was inherent in both diploid and tetraploid cultivars (r = 0.61-0.79 and r = 0.55-0.83, respectively). The seed productivity of plants depended on the number of productive flowers on the plant (r = 0.57-0.78 for diploids and r = 0.76-0.89 for tetraploids) and their mass (r = 0.84). There is a lesser degree correlation between seed productivity and the number of beans in the flower (r = 0.12-0.18 for diploids and r = 0.04-0.16 for tetraploids). To a much greater extent, seed productivity depended on the number of seeds in the flowers (r = 0.79-0.81 for diploids and r = 0.63-0.86 for tetraploids). For the yield of tetraploid seeds, not only the total content of seeds in the flowers is important, but also the number of developed seeds (r = 0.84-0.89), since a significant part of the set seeds dies at various stages of ontogenesis and is removed during the sorting process. Seed productivity of red clover was largely determined by seed setability (r = 0.66-0.77 for diploids and r = 0.49-0.76 for tetraploids) and inflorescence dissemination (r = 0.71-0.80 for diploids and r = 0.70-0.75 for tetraploids). The seed productivity of red clover was associated with a mass of 1000 seeds. For diploid cultivars, this connection was mostly weak (r = 0.24-0.32), for tetraploids - average, which is due to larger seeds (r = 0.39-0.45). As for diploid cultivars, the presence of a weak correlation between seed productivity of the two-seeded beans (r = 0.09-0.18) and the number of stem internodes (r = 0.14) was found. The presence of an average correlation of the seed productivity with the full visibility of the leaf pattern (r = 0.30) was also noted.