Purpose. To determine the efficiency of growing soybean varieties ‘Ustia’, ‘Cordoba’, ‘Estafeta’ depending on the influence of microfertilizers and growth regulators. Methods. Field, laboratory. Results. The article presents the results of studying the efficiency of growing different varieties of soybeans. It was found that in the cultivar ‘Ustia’ the best values of assimilation of photosynthetically active radiation were obtained for the applications of Yara Vita Mono Molitrak in the budding phase (0.25 l/ha) with growth regulator Radostym, and Yara Vita Mono Molitrak in the budding phase (0.25 l/ha) + in the flowering phase (0.25 l/ha) with two studied growth regulators. Similar patterns of the utilization rate of photosynthetic radiation were obtained for the ‘Cordoba’ and ‘Estafeta’ varieties. According to the indicators of the energy balance, the complex use of micronutrient fertilizers and growth regulators in any case pays off with an increase in the yield, which means it is energetically expedient. The maximum coefficients of energy efficiency in the ‘Ustia’, ‘Cordoba’ and ‘Estafeta’ varieties were obtained with the introduction of micronutrient fertilizers Yara Vita Mono Molitrak in the budding phase (0.25 l/ha) + in the flowering phase (0.25 l/ha) and growth regulators Biosyl and Radostym. However, the use of growth regulators separately does not always provide an economic return on investment. In particular, in the variant without Yara Vita Mono Molitrak microfertilizer, the ‘Cordoba’ variety received 28 873 UAH/ha of net profit, while the introduction of growth regulators did not pay off, since there was no significant increase in the yield, and with the use of growth regulators Biosyl and Radostym net profit was within 28824–29179 UAH/ha. In general, the use of micronutrient fertilizer Yara Vita Mono Molitrak with growth regulators Radostim and Biosyl ensu­red guaranteed yield increase. Conclusions. When gro­wing ‘Ustia’, ‘Cordoba’ and ‘Estafeta’ varieties from an energy point of view, it is better to use Yara Vita Mono Molitrak microfertilizer in the budding phase (0.25 l/ha) with the growth regulator Radostym. Under these conditions, the obtained energy efficiency ratio was 3.24; 3.41 and 3.45, and the profit was 31503, 34072 and 34649 UAH/ha, respectively

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%.

Purpose. To conduct a comprehensive agrobiological assessment of broccoli hybrids Brassica oleracea L. convar. botrytis (L.) Alef. var. сymosa Duch. in terms of the key agronomic traits under the conditions of the Western Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. The object of the study was the following foreign broccoli hybrids: ‘Lucky F1’ (reference), ‘Batavia F1’, ‘Belstar F1’, ‘Monaco F1’, and ‘Rumba F1’. Phenological observations, biometric measurements, and records were conducted in accordance with the Methodology of Experiments in Vegetable and Melons (2001). Results. On ave­rage over the years of research, the highest yield was obtained from hybrids ‘Monaco F1’ (41.2 t/ha) and ‘Rumba F1’ (38.0 t/ha). A slightly lower yield was in ‘Belstar F1’ (32.3 t/ha) and ‘Batavia F1’ (29.6 t/ha). In general, all hybrids under investigation provided a significant yield increase (6.3–17.9 t/ha) compared to reference ‘Lucky F1’ (23.3 t/ha). The largest diameter of the main head was recorded in the hybrids ‘Rumba F1’ (19.7 cm), ‘Monaco F1’ (20.5 cm) and the smallest in ‘Lucky F1’ (14.3 cm). The weight of the main head of all hybrids was significantly higher than that of reference (295 g): ‘Batavia F1’ 451 g, ‘Belstar F1’ 477 g, ‘Rumba F1’ 514 g, and ‘Monaco F1’ 542 g. The weight of the side heads of the broccoli ranged from 328 g (‘Lucky F1’) to 807 g (‘Monaco F1’). The highest biochemical indicators of commodity product were provided by hybrids ‘Rumba F1’ and ‘Monaco F1’: the total dry matter content was 11.3 and 11.6%, soluble solids 6.4 and 6.7%, sugars 3.5 and 3.8%, and vitamin C 89.3 and 98.7 mg/100 g, respectively. Conclusions. Under the conditions of the Western Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, it is recommended to grow new foreign broccoli hybrids ‘Rumba F1’ and ‘Monaco F1’, which ensure high yield and quali­ty of commodity product. According to the results of the agrobiological assessment, a typical model of broccoli variety is proposed, which may serve as a project for the development of the evaluation form for ability indicators of Brassica oleracea L. convar. botrytis (L.) Alef. var. сymosa Duch. for distribution inUkraine.

Possibility of heterosis effect approbation by using synthetic varieties of winter rye was discussed. Heterosis level of first five generation of rye synthetics did not decrease. Considerable yield decrease of winter rye grain took place in later generations. Concept of synthetic varieties of winter wheat creation in Ukraine is prospective, though it requires scientific, economical and legal improvement.