Formation of economic valuable indicators in Satureja Hortensis L. depending on growing agrotechnical methods in the conditions of the Central Forest-Steppe

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of the work is to study the dynamics of growth and development, the formation of economically valuable traits of Satureja hortensis L. depending on the timing of sowing and moisture conditions in the Central Forest-Steppe. Methods. The research was conducted in 2024 in the conditions of the Central Forest- Steppe. The soil of the area where the research was conducted is typical black soil. The material for the research was a sample of Satureja hortensis L. No. 6-23. The seeds of this sample were sown in two rows with a row spacing of 50 cm. The first sowing period was carried out in the third decade of April. A decade later, the second sowing period was carried out. Crop irrigation was carried out in three variants, which included intensive drip irrigation, moderate drip irrigation and natural moistening. Phenological observations and biometric measurements were carried out for the crops. Every two weeks, the height and diameter of the plants were measured, the mass of the above-ground part of the plants was determined. The mass fraction of essential oil in the plant raw materials was determined bythe Ginsberg method on the Clevenger apparatus. Results.The duration of the development phases of Satureja hortensis L. plants differed depending on the sowing dates.The tillering phase occurred for plants of the second sowing date three days later than for the first sowing date. The beginning of the budding phase was observed 44 days after the beginning of the tillering phase for plants from the first sowing date and 32 days later for plants from the second sowing date. The duration of the interphase period from budding to the beginning of flowering for plants from the first sowing date was 13 days, and for plants from the second sowing date it was 5 days shorter. Flowering of plants from the second sowing date also occurred in a shorter period. In the process of plant development, a gradual increase in the height and diameter of plants was noted.At the mass flowering phase, plants from the first sowing date were 45 to 57 cm high, with a diameter of 40 to 52 cm. At the same time, the above-ground mass indicators ranged from 62 to 121.7 g per plant. During the second sowing period at the mass flowering phase, the plants had a height ranging from 45 to 47 cm, with a diameter of 37 to 45 cm. The above-ground mass indicators ranged from 61 to 89 g per plant. The highest indicators of height, diameter and mass of the above-ground part were recorded for variant with intensive irrigation during the first sowing period, and the lowest ones were recorded for the natural moistening variant of the second sowing period. During the growing season, the content of essential oil in the vegetable raw materials of Satureja hortensis L. gradually increased in all variants of the experiment. The mass fraction of essential oil at the mass flowering phase varied from 0.14 to 0.67%.The highest mass fraction of essential oil was observed for plants in variant with the first sowing period and with natural humidification. And the yield of essential oil from one plant was maximum for variant with the first sowing date and with moderate drip irrigation (0.55 g). Conclusions. Thus, in the conditions of the Central Forest-Steppe, Satureja hortensis L. plants from the first sowing period and with intensive drip irrigation have the highest height and diameter indicators and form the highest yield of above-ground mass. The maximum indicators of the mass fraction of essential oil were recorded in plants from the first sowing period with natural moisture. However, the yield of essential oil from one plant, that is, plant productivity, was maximum in variant with the first sowing period with moderate drip irrigation.