Efficiency of methods for selecting the initial material of oil flax in primary seed production

Abstract

Relevance. The efficiency of primary oil flax seed production largely depends on the methods of plant selection and the creation of updated (original) seeds, which still remain complex and time consuming. The development of new, more advanced methods for selecting the initial crop material, aimed at reducing labor intensity, labor costs and speeding up work at the initial stages of seed production, is relevant and has practical significance. Methods. The object of research was the process of selection and testing of oil flax plants according to the relevant characteristics, the subject of research was typical plants and seeds obtained from them. The experiments were carried out in accordance with the methods of field experiments, as well as methodological recommendations for seed production of oil flax. The varietal quality of seeds was assessed by the method of soil control. The content of phosphorus and potassium in the soil was determined by the Kirsanov method, and the acidity of the soil was determined by the ionometric method.Results. It has been established that the method of selecting oil flax plants according to a new trait — the flowering period, compared with the accepted analogue, made it possible to increase the yield of renewed (original) seeds by 35.6%, increase their uniformity in seed weight by 8%, seed strength —by 9.1%, reduce labor costs by 31%. The method of soil control established a high level of varietal quality of seeds created using selection for a new trait. It was revealed that negative selection, which involves the removal of plants that are atypical in terms of morphological characteristics, provided, compared with the control, an increase in seed yield by 22.6%, an improvement in their morphological and physiological properties, including an increase in seed strength by 13.6%, an increase in the length of the seedling seed by 25%, as well as a reduction in labor costs by 23.5%. The results of soil testing showed that this method allowed us to obtain original material uniform in color, as well as plants with the necessary evenness in height and fiber content in the stem.