THE FORMATION OF SAFFLOWER AGROCOENOSIS IN THE CONDITIONS OF FOREST-STEPPE OF MIDDLE VOLGA REGION

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to study the formation of productive agrocoenosis of safflower in the conditions of the Middle Volga region. The studies were conducted in 2015-2018 on the fields of the Penza Institute of Agriculture. The growing season of safflower in 2015 proceeded in insufficiently moistened conditions with HTC – 0.76, with an average daily temperature of 21.3 °C. In 2016, the vegetative period of safflower proceeded in moderately moistened conditions with HTC – 1.1 and an average daily temperature of 20.1°C. The vegetation period of 2017 was characterized as insufficiently moistened with HTC – 0.82 units. The conditions of 2018 were severe, HTC was only 0.4. The seedlings of the culture appeared in nine days. After 71 days, the flowering phase began, it lasted on average about 30 days. The duration of the period from flowering to ripeness of safflower was 36 days. The growing season of safflower in the conditions of the Middle Volga region averages 116 days. Field germination of safflower varied within 71.2-77.6%, the safety of plants for harvesting ranged from 93.6 to 96.5%. The largest leaf area of safflower was formed during the flowering phase (22.9-26.8 thousand m²/ha). The value of the photosynthetic potential ranged from 1.98 to 2.55 million m² × day/ha. The highest net productivity of photosynthesis was observed in 2018 and 2016 and amounted to 2.95 and 2.99 g/m² × day, respectively. Safflower, on average over four years, formed a fairly high and stable yield: 1.19 and 1.32 t/ha. The maximum yield of safflower seeds was obtained in 2016 and averaged 1.32 t/ha.

Keywords

• safflower
• yield
• growing season
• field germination
• photosynthetic activity