The specifics of the manifestation of morphometric parameters of seeds in varietal populations of vegetable fennel (Foeniculum vulgare ssp. vulgare (Miller) Thell.)

Seven accessions of vegetable fennel selection of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center for Ecology were studied, in which significant differences were found in the degree of expression of the main morphological parameters (the length of the seed, endosperm and embryo). The length of each seed, endosperm (on a longitudinal section), and embryo (after isolation) were analyzed sequentially. The experiment was repeated four times, in each repetition at least 30 seeds. The indices IE/S, IZ/E, IZ/S were calculated as the corresponding ratios of the length of the seed, endosperm, and embryo.Results. A group of vegetable fennel samples showed significant differences in the length of the seed, endosperm and embryo and their ratios. The variety Udalets used as a standard had a seed length of 6.85±0.164 mm, an endosperm length of 5.30±0.118 mm, and an embryo length of 2.35±0.093 mm. Population No. 17 of the FSVC and variety Corvette of the VNIIO selection and collection sample vr. 161 local populations from India significantly (by 18.5 and 17.5%) exceeded the average value of the standard for seed length at a 1% significance level, and the minimum value of the parameter (5.65±0.109) was noted in population No. 10 of the FSVC. The minimum endosperm length was noted in samples No. 10 (4.16±0.094) and No. 11 (5.11±0.167), which is 21.5 and 4.5% lower than the standard. The largest endosperm was possessed by the seeds of the Korvet variety (6.18±0.169 mm) and sample No. 17 of the FSVC (6.09±0.158 mm), which exceeds the standard by 16.6 and 14.9%. The remaining samples exceeded the standard in this indicator, but to a lesser extent. The length of the embryo only in the Corvette variety (2.38±0.097 mm) was at the level of the standard, and even slightly exceeded it. For the rest of the specimens, this indicator varied from 1.44±0.065 mm for No. 10 to 2.25±0.165 mm for No. 10, which is significantly 4.2–38.7 below the standard. Depending on the sample, the coefficient of variation of indicators changed for the length of the embryo (17.7-32.8%), the length of the endosperm (9.6-12.2%) and the length of the seed (8.6-12.8%). A close relationship was noted only between the length of the seed and the length of the endosperm, the correlation coefficient varied from 0.595 (No. 11 FSVC) to 0.837 (Udalets St). All values of the correlation coefficient had a positive value. According to the value of the Ie/z index, the seeds of accessions No. 15 of the FSVC and vr. 161 India. Seeds of accessions No. 17, No. 10 and varieties Corvette with an index from 0.30 to 0.39 are assigned to the third class. The fourth class includes seeds of the variety Udalets (St) and selection sample No. 11 of the FSVC.