Comparative characteristics of oilseed flax varieties in Western Forest-Steppe of Ukraine conditions

Purpose. To study the effect of different sowing periods, seed sowing rates onto morphological and crop capacity indicators of oilseeds flax of Ukrainian varieties: ‘Orfei’, ‘Svito­zir’ and ‘Vodohrai’. Methods. The research was conducted in 2018–2019 in the branch of Ukrainian institute of plant varieties expertise in Khmelnytsky oblast state centre of plant varieties expertise, village Trebukhivtsi, Letychiv region, Khmelnytsky oblast. The following factors are studied: sowing period (15, 20, 25 April); seed sowing rates in million items per hectare (4, 6, 8); varieties of oilseed flax from The Institute of oilseed plants of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Ukraine: ‘Orfei’, ‘Svitozir’ and ‘Vodo­hrai’. Embedding experiments, material estimation, plants, harvest and seeds analysis are done in accordance with the “The method for the qualification examination of plant varieties for suitability for distribution in Ukraine”. Results. The credible difference between the variants according to the rate of sowing the seed and the terms of so­wing was defined. The estimation of the oilseed flax varieties according to the morphological and harvesting indicators was done. The variety of oilseed flaxseed ‘Svitlozar’ demonstrated higher harvest rate and morphological indicators in a so­wing period of 20–25 April and the sowing rate 6 and 8 million seed per1 hectare. It was also revealed, that regardless of a variety, the sowing rate of 6 million seeds per one hec­tare is the best of all. A better number of capsules, the seeds in the capsules and the weight of the seeds in the plant was formed by the variety ‘Svitlozir’ compared to the varieties ‘Orfei’ and ‘Vodohrai’. With early sowing period, the smal­-lest values of morphological and yield indices were observed in the varieties of flaxseed, irrespective of the variety and norms of seeding. Conclusions. For more full realization of the genetic potential of the varieties of oilseed flax according to the morphological and harvest indicators in the conditions of Western Forest-Steppe the sawing rate must be 8 million seeds per one hectare, and the sawing period of 20–25 April. The variety ‘Svitlozir’ is characterized by its higher crop capacity and morphological indicators