INFLUENCE OF SEED DENSITY OF UNIVERSAL AND GRAIN AMARANT VARIETIES ON YIELD AND PHYSICAL-TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF GRAIN
Authors: Yurkevych Ye. О. , Valentiuk N. O. , Kohut I. M. , Boiko P. I. , Kovalenko N. P. 
Published: October 2022

In the conditions of global warming, in particular the growing aridity of the steppe zone of Ukraine, as well as the deficit of organic matter and declining nitrogen reserves in the soil, agricultural producers are faced with the task of finding effective cultivation of drought-resistant crops that are competitive in the market, have economic feasibility and unpretentiousness in cultivation.

The experiment was established in 2021 in the research field of the Department of Field and Vegetable Crops within the land use of LLC «Iceberg» Rozdilna district of Odessa region. The administrative center is located in the village Grebinky. The experiment is two-factor: factor A – varieties of amaranth, factor B – the density of standing amaranth plants. Variants of the experiment are arranged sequentially in 3 repetitions. The total area under the experiment is 10 thousand m2, the total area of the plot is 555,0 m2, the accounting area is 300,0 m2. The predecessor is Sudanese grass for hay and green fodder on 2 cuts. Agricultural techniques in the experiment are adopted for the cultivation of organic amaranth, without fertilizers and plant protection products. Amaranth was sown with 60 cm row spacing with the help of ASTRA NOVA 5б4 seed drill.

One of the features of amaranth plants is the specificity of the location of leaves on the stem, which determines the effective use of sunlight even in thickened crops. Our research studies have established a certain effect of changes in the density of amaranth crops on its productivity. The best yields of amaranth grain are observed at a sowing density of 150 thousand pieces/ha. It was found that the highest yield of amaranth grain in the experiment was obtained by Lera variety and was in the version of 150 thousand pieces/ha – 3,34 t/ha, which exceeds the control version by 0,53 t/ha, or 18,9%, and we prove mathematically (LSD05 for AB = 0,21 t/ha). The same applies to the variety Kharkivsky-1, where under the conditions of the year the largest grain yield was obtained in the variant with a sowing density of 150 thousand pieces/ha and amounted to – 3,06 t/ha, exceeding the control variant by 0,25 t/ha, or by 8,9%, which is a significant difference. Further increase or decrease in sowing density provided a decrease in yield. To obtain quality products from harvesting to direct processing into amaranth grain, a set of technological operations of post-harvest processing is used, the purpose of which is to prevent losses and preserve all its useful properties. From the conducted research studies, it is possible to draw a conclusion that the nature of amaranth grain is very variable indicator. The main factors that influence the nature of amaranth grain include the method of grain laying, grain density, variety, surface condition, fullness, moisture content of the grain mass. With an increase of humidity there is the increase in the mass of 1000 grains, the speed of soaring and the angle of natural slope.

Studies have shown that the optimal sowing density for growing amaranth in the Southern Steppe of Ukraine is 150 thousand pieces/ha. Under such conditions, the highest yield of amaranth grain is formed, which under the conditions of the year was for the variety Kharkivsky-1 (universal) 3,06 t/ha and for the variety Lera (grain) – 3,34 t/ha. Knowledge of the basic physical and technological characteristics of the grain mass is a prerequisite for determining the optimal modes of technological equipment for post-harvest processing and reliable storage of grain for processing.