Purpose. Reveal varietal features of formation grain sorghum yield structure elements depending on inter-row spacing and fertilizing doses of nitrogen fertilizers. Methods. Laboratory, field, statistical. Results. Data on features of structural elements formation and productivity of grain sorghum in dependence on varietal characteristics, inter-row spacing and level of mineral nutrition are presen­ted. An important indicator for plant productivity formation is productive tillering, since grain sorghum, like most cereals, has the ability to tiller, which under favourable conditions allows forming up to 25–45% of yield on the side shoots. In our case, sowing of grain sorghum with sowing rate 190 thousand pcs./ha and inter-row spacing 35, 50 and 70 cm, respectively, we got the same plant nutrition area – 526 cm2; the distance between plants in the row is 15, 10.5 and 7.5 cm, respectively. The average number of grains per panicle in the sorghum hybrid ‘Lan 59’ according to the experiment was 866.9 grains, but the maximum values were observed with inter-row spacing 70 cm and fertilizers N60P60K60 + N40 – 1035.1 pcs. In hybrid ‘Brigga F1’, on the average in the experiment was 554.3 pcs. grains/panicle, and with inter-row spacing 70 cm and fertilizing by nitrogen fertilizers N20–60, respectively 595.7 – 602.4 pcs. We obtained similar indicators in hybrid ‘Burggo F1’ and fertilizing rate N60P60K60 + N40 – 961.7, but on average, in the experiment, the hybrid formed 858.6 pcs. grains/panicle. Mass of grain from one plant allows fully evaluate individual productivity of plants of studied hybrids. The best indicators of grain mass per plant were obtained with inter-row spacing 50 cm and fertilizing rates N60P60K60 + N60. So, on average, in the experiment in hybrid ‘Lan 59’, 41.2 g of seeds were formed per one plant, in the hybrid ‘Brigga F1’ – 63.4 g, in the hybrid ‘Burggo F1’ – 64.0 g. The best weight parameters of 1000 seeds were obtained with the inter-row spacing 50 cm and fertilizing rates N60P60K60 + N60, that is, ‘Lan 59’ – 37.3 g, ‘Brigga F1’ – 37.4 g, ‘Burggo F1’ – 30.2 g. Conclusions. Changes in inter-row spacing and level of mine­ral nutrition cause variability in formation of yield structural components of grain sorghum hybrids – productive tillering, number of panicles per hectare, number of grains per panicle, mass of grain per plant, mass of grain per panicle and mass of 1000 seeds, which determine individual productivity of plants.

Purpose. Identify the peculiarities of the growth and development of plants, formation of productivity of sweet sorghum hybrids for different widths of row spacing, crops density and the use of the growth stimulant Vympel 2 in the zone of the Forest-Steppe Ukraine. Methods. The study used hybrids ‘Dovista’ and ‘Huliver’. The width of the row spacing was 45 and 70 cm for the density of the crops: 150 thousand pcs/ha, 200 thousand pcs/ha, 250 thousand pcs/ha. Sorghum seed treatment was carried out using Vympel 2 (0.5 l/t) growth stimulant and its additional foliar application in the tillering stage of the crop (0.5 l/ha). Results. Studies have revealed that the ‘Dovista’ hybrid has a significant potential for productivity due to a longer growing season. At different widths of row spacing and density of plants standing, the hybrid ‘Dovista’ yield exceeded the average by 3.6 t/ha of‘Huliver’ hybrid. The yield increase at the level of 7.3–13.0 t/ha was obtained in the variant of application of growth stimulant Vympel 2 at 45 cm of row spacing and changes in sowing rates from 150 to 250 thousand pcs/ha. Similar variants of experiment at 70 cm of width of row spacing ensured collection of vegetative mass of sweet sorghum at 6.7–12.6 t/ha more than in cont­rol variants. The growth stimulant Vympel 2 increased the accumulation of dry matter in ‘Dovista’ hybrid with a row spacing of 45 cm and various seeding rates by 1.3–4.3 t/ha, whereas with a row spacing of 70 cm – by 1.2–3.5 t/ha. In the ‘Huliver’ hybrid in similar experiments, an increase in dry matter was obtained at the level of 1.7–3.9 t/ha, and the application of the growth regulator ensured the collection of dry matter of sweet sorghum by 1.3–3.0 t/ha above the control variants. Total sugar content in the variants of the experiment was biased. Application of seed treatment with growth stimulant Vympel 2 (0.5 l/t) followed by foliar application in the tillering stage (0.5 l/ha) increased the content of total sugars by 0.15, but this slight deviation was within the experimental margin. Conclusions. The highest yield of green mass at a density of 250 thousand plants per hectare and seed treatment with growth stimulant Vympel 2 (0.5 l/t) + foliar application in the tillering stage (0.5 l/ha) provided the ‘Dovista’ hybrid – 98.8 t/ha, which is 5.3 t/ha more than in the ‘Huliver’ hybrid for the width of the row spacing of 45 cm. In the phase of physiological maturity of the grain, the content of total sugars in sweet sorghum was, on average, at the level of 15.0%, in the ‘Dovista’ hybrid – 15.4%, in the ‘Huliver’ hybrid – 14.7%.

The article features the results of research on phenological observations, biometric parameters of growth and development of the plants of sugar sorghum Silosnoe 42 variety during the vegetation at different terms of sowing and seeding depth in the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. In particular, we show data on ground germination capacity of the seeds, the duration of the interphase periods, tillering, plant height and the diameter of the stem. It was established that the planting of sugar sorghum in mid-May (the third sowing date) to the seeding depth of 4...6 cm enabled better plant development, as well as in these conditions the maximum values of plant growth and development were registered compared to the other test editions. Therefore, were would suggest the third term of sowing and seed depth 4...6 cm for growing the crop in this area.

Purpose. Studying and identifying winter wheat varieties that are resistant to causal agents of major diseases and pests. Methods. Laboratory analysis, field study. Results. On artificial infection backgrounds of causal agents such varieties as ‘Smuhlianka’, ‘Svitanok Myronivskyi’, ‘Berehynia Myronіvska’, ‘Horlytsia Myronіvska’ have shown high level of resistance to brown rust; ‘Svitanok Myronivskyi’, ‘Berehynia Myronіvska’ – to powdery mildew; ‘Smuhlianka’ – to covered smut. Varieties ‘Voloshkova’, ‘Yuviliar Myronivskyi’, ‘Myrliena’, ‘Oberih Myronivskyi’, ‘Kolos Myronivschyny’, ‘Lehenda Myronivska’ had medium resistance to Septoria leaf blotch; ‘Smuhlianka’, ‘Myrliena’, ‘Oberih Myronivskyi’, ‘Berehynia Myronіvska’, ‘Horlytsia Myronіvska’, ‘Myronivska storichna’ – to Fusarium head blight; ‘Myronіvska 65’, ‘Smuhlianka’, ‘Lehenda Myronivska’, ‘Berehynia Myronіvska’ – to root rots. Among the varieties studied, there were those with group resistance to diseases: ‘Voloshkova’, ‘Myrliena’, ‘Yuviliar Myronivskyi’, ‘Oberih Myronivskyi’, ‘Bohdana’, ‘Myronivska storichna’, ‘Ekonomka’, ‘Svitanok Myronivskyi’, ‘Berehynia Myronіvska’, ‘Horlytsia Myronіvska’, ‘Smuhlianka’. Varieties bred at the V. M. Remeslo Myronivka Institute of Wheat are distinguished by pest resistance. During autumn tillering phase of winter wheat the smallest number of large cereal aphids was observed in varieties ‘Smuhlianka’ and ‘Myronivska storichna’, leafhoppers – in varieties ‘Smuhlianka’, ‘Myrliena’, ‘Yuviliar Myronivskyi’. The slight population of thrips in the phase of earing was marked in the variety ‘Kolos Myronivschyny’, in the milk-ripe stage the smallest number of larvae per ear was detected in varieties ‘Smuhlianka’, ‘Voloshkova’, ‘Kolos Myronivschyny’. Varieties ‘Lehenda Myronivska’ and ‘Smuhlianka’ were proved to be resistant to damages of stems by sawflies. It should be noted that ‘Smuhlianka’ variety shows resistance to aphids, leafhoppers and grain sawflies. Conclusions. It was established that winter wheat varieties bred at the V. M. Remeslo Myronivka Instutite of Wheat are characterized by resistance to certain causal agents, some of them – to their group. Varieties that are resistant to the most common and harmful phytophages were identified.

Purpose. To study the dynamics of soft winter wheat lectin activity in caryopsis and at the early stages of ontogenesis of varieties developed by Poltava State Agrarian Academy as well as investigate varietal differences depending on dynamic pH medium. Methods. Laboratory analysis, method of hema­gglutination reaction, analytical approach, statistical evaluation. Results. A change in lectin activity was determined in samples of 14 soft winter wheat varieties in caryopsis and at the early stages of ontogenesis (on the third, seventh, tenth and twelfth day of seedlings emergence). High lectin activity was observed in samples of seven and ten days seedlings. This could be evidence of active participation of proteins in physio­logical and biochemical processes at the time of emerging wheat tillering node that can be important in forming adaptive reactions to stress. Wheat lectin activity variation for рН ranging between 4,0 and 8,0 that depended on a variety was defined for the first time. Conclusions. According to hema­gglutination ability of wheat lectins, all varieties were divided into three groups: of high ability – 4 varieties, middle – 9 varieties, low – 1 variety. Varietal variability for the investigated trait can be used in breeding programs as marker trait. In most varieties variation of hemagglutination was observed at dilutions ranging between 1:2 and 1:256. Availability of two lectin agglutination peaks in acidic and alkaline media for seedlings was fixed.