Influence of pre-sowing seed stimulation on oilseed flax productivity

Abstract

Oilseed flax is a promising and competitive oilseed crop that can replace part of sunflower in the crop structure without harming the economy. Growing oilseed flax is 1,1–1,3 times cheaper than growing sunflower. Therefore, there is a pressing issue of expanding the area under oilseed flax and improving the elements of cultivation technology. The aim of the research was to determine the effect of pre-sowing seed treatment with various physiologically active preparations on the productivity and yield of oil flax plants. Research methods. Experimental studies were conducted on the basis of the Research Center «Experimental Field» of the State Biotechnological University in 2020–2021. The field experiment was set up according to a complete factorial design in accordance with generally accepted methods. The study was conducted with various physiologically active drugs: Radifarm, Vympel, Polymixobacterin and Vitazym. Untreated seeds were used as a control. Seed treatment was carried out before sowing. Seeds were treated by the method of semi-dry dressing. Results. Studies have shown that the productivity and yield of oil flax plants were affected by the studied physiologically active preparations. It was proved that Radifarm, Vimpel, Polymixobacterin and Vitazym had different effects on the elements of the crop yield structure during the years of research. In 2020, the effect of the studied preparations was more significant compared to 2021. Stimulation of seeds with Radifarm and Vympel preparations consistently provided the largest increase in the yield of oil flax seeds at the level of 2,4 and 1,6 c/ha. The smallest increase in yield on average for two years was in the variants of seed treatment with Polymyxobacterin and Vitazyme and amounted to 0,8 and 0,4 c/ha. Conclusions. The studied physiologically active preparations had a significant effect on the productivity of oil flax plants. Stimulation of seeds by the preparations contributed to an increase in plant height, the number of lateral shoots and bolls, the weight of thousands of seeds and the crop yield. The two-year data proved that the effectiveness of the studied preparations depended on the weather conditions during the growing season of the crop under study. Among the studied growth regulators, it should be noted the effectiveness of Radifarm, which on average for two years of research provided the maximum yield of oil flax seeds at the level of 16,4 c/ha (increase to the control of 19,7 %).