Features of saflor productivity formation depending on agricultural growing
Authors: Aliieva O. , Polyakov A. 
Published: January 2022

Safflower is a promising drought-resistant crop, its cultivation in the Southern Steppe of Ukraine as an insurance crop is an effective use of natural climatic potential in unstable weather conditions of the summer period. Due to its biological characteristics, the plant is able to withstand many adverse natural factors. Recently, crops are expanding, but oilseed yields are still low. The reason for this is the imperfection of the technology of growing safflower, taking into account the specific soil and climatic conditions of the area. The aim of our research was to establish the peculiarities of the formation of the productivity of safflower varieties depending on the methods of care for crops on herbicide-free and herbicide-based backgrounds. The research was conducted in 2017-2019 in the fields of the Institute of Oilseeds of NAAS. Sowing of safflower varieties Zhyvchyk and Dobrynya was carried out in the first decade of April with a sowing rate of 240,000 similar seeds per hectare. The system of basic tillage: classical. Options for the use of herbicides: 1. Control – without herbicides; 2. Application of Harness herbicide (2.0 l/ha) under pre-sowing cultivation. Options for care systems: 1. Control – without care; 2. Harrowing before and after germination; 3. Two inter-row tillage; 4. Post-emergence harrowing and inter-row tillage. Bookmarking of experiments and conducting research was carried out in accordance with generally accepted methods of field experiments in agriculture and crop production. According to the results of our research, the influence of agricultural cultivation techniques on the growth, development and productivity of safflower varieties Zhyvchyk and Dobrynya was established. The lowest values of the number of baskets for both varieties on herbicide and non-herbicide backgrounds were obtained in the absence of agricultural practices for the care of crops: in the variety Zhyvchyk 9.4 and 9.7 pcs., In the variety Dobrynya 8.9 and 9.1 pcs. The application of herbicides did not have a significant effect on the number of baskets on the plant, but the number of baskets increased during agricultural practices. According to studies, the number of seeds in the basket was affected by both the use of herbicides and crop care. Thus, the lowest values were obtained for both varieties on a herbicide-free background and without care (control) and were equal to 15.0 for the variety Zhyvchyk , 14.3 for the variety Dobrynya. The application of the herbicide led to an increase in the number of baskets to 16.5 pcs. in the variety Zhyvchyk and 15.7 pcs. in the Dobrynya variety. The use of agricultural methods of care contributed to an increase in the number of seeds in the basket on both herbicide and herbicide-free backgrounds. The weight of seeds from the basket varied depending on the variety, application of herbicides and agricultural practices for plant care. Its indicators in the variety Zhyvchyk on a herbicide-free background were 0.51-0.61 g, and on a herbicide 0.60-0.68 g. The application of the herbicide led to an increase in the weight of seeds in the basket by 0.4-0.9 g. Weight seeds from a basket in the variety Dobrynya on a herbicide-free background was equal to 0.60-0.69 g, and on a herbicide 0.70-0.80 g. When applying the herbicide, the weight of seeds increased by 0.10-0.11 g. Over the years of research it was found that the weight of 1000 seeds was significantly influenced by all three factors: variety, herbicide application and crop care. Depending on the variety, its values were 34.8-38.4 g for the Zhyvchyk variety and 43.3-47.2 g for the Dobrynya variety. Against the background of herbicide application, the weight of 1000 seeds increased by 2.2 g in the Zhyvchyk variety and 2.5 g in the variety Dobrynya in the absence of techniques for crop care (control). Under the influence of agricultural practices, the weight of 1,000 seeds increased. On a herbicide-free background, the lowest values were obtained during two inter-row treatments and were equal to 35.7 g in the variety Zhyvchyk and 44.5 g in the variety Dobrynya, during pre- and post-emergence harrowing – 36.7 and 45.1 g, and during post-emergence harrowing and inter-row tillage – 37.2 and 45.3 g, respectively. The weight of 1000 seeds on the herbicidal background was higher than on the non-herbicide, both for the variety Zhyvchyk and for the variety Dobrynya: during two inter-row treatments the weight of 1000 seeds was 37.2 in the variety Zhyvchyk and 46.3 g in the variety Dobrynya, at carrying out pre- and post-ladder harrowing – 37.9 and 47.2 g, and during post-ladder harrowing and inter-row tillage - 38.4 and 47.2 g, respectively. Depending on the background of herbicide application and crop care option, on average for three years of research the yield level of safflower variety Zhyvchyk was in the range of 1.08-1.54 t/ha and Dobrynya variety 1.16-1.64 t/ha. Growing safflower on a herbicidal background provided an increase in yield compared to the herbicide-free background, depending on the option of crop care: for the variety Zhyvchyk 0.13-0.19 t/ha and for the variety Dobrynya 0.17-0.24 t/ha. As a result of crop care methods, an increase in the level of safflower yield of both Zhyvchyk and Dobrynya varieties was observed on both backgrounds of herbicide application. The increase in yield was: for the variety Zhyvchyk on a background without herbicide 0.18-0.27 and on a herbicide background 0.15-0.30 t/ha; for the variety Dobrynya 0.15-0.24 and 0.15-0.30 t/ha, respectively. The highest indicators of safflower yield and fat yield per hectare for the variety Zhyvchyk 1.54 t/ha and 418 kg and for the variety Dobrynya 1.64 t/ha and 452 kg were obtained for cultivation against the background of soil herbicide for pre-sowing cultivation with post-emergence harrowing and inter-row cultivation.