Seed productivity of rod-shaped millet depends on ripeness groups of varieties

Abstract

Purpose. The article presents the results of research on the seed productivity of rod-shaped millet (PANICUMV VIRGATUM L.) depending on the maturity groups of variety samples. Methods. Laboratory, measuring and weighing, mathematical and statistical. The results. Proto-like millet - switchgrass is one of the promising perennial cereal plants for the production of biofuel, which is able to accumulate significant amounts of biomass due to photosynthesis, this crop belongs to plants with C4 type of photosynthesis. Much research has been done on the elements of biofuel crop cultivation technology, but the issue of seed productivity has not been sufficiently studied. Millet is a rod-like propagated seed, which is characterized by a high state of biological dormancy and, accordingly, low germination. It was found that the yield and germination of seeds depend both on the maturity groups of the varieties and on the sum of the active temperatures. Seed yield of mid-early and mid-late varieties was significantly higher than that of very early, late and very late varieties. The highest seed germination – 47% was obtained in 2018, where the sum of active temperatures was the highest. As the sum of active temperatures decreased, seed germination decreased. Correlation-regression analysis revealed a direct average dependence of the sum of active temperatures and seed germination, the correlation coefficient is 0.48. The greatest impact on seed quality was the factors of "year conditions" during the growing season, which was 37.3-37.6% and "variety" - 33.8-34.0%. Conclusions. It was established that the yield and quality of seeds depended on the maturity group of the varieties - in very early varieties, the yield was significantly lower, and the energy of germination and germination was significantly higher, compared to the varieties of other maturity groups.