AGROECOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF NEW SOYBEAN VARIETIES OF DOMESTIC BREEDING IN THE CENTRAL BLACK EARTH ZONE OF RUSSIA

The aim of the work is to carry out a comparative agroecological evaluation of new soybean varieties Bingo, Teiri and Aegis of ‘Shchelkovo Agrohim’ JSC breeding in natural and climatic conditions of the north of the Central Black Earth zone. The research was carried out in OOO NPO Betagran-Seeds in 2023-2024. The soil of the experimental field is dark grey forest medium loamy medium cultivated. It has close to neutral reaction in arable horizon (pH - 5.7). In terms of humus content in the upper horizon it is moderately provided - from 5.25% to 5.5%. It is highly provided with mobile phosphorus and potassium (187 and 174 mg/kg, respectively). Soybean was preceded by winter wheat. In autumn, 150 kg/ha of potassium sulphate and 300 kg/ha of ammophos were applied. In spring - 150 kg/ha of ammonium sulphate and before sowing 50 kg/ha of ammophos. Seeds were treated with fungicide Heracleon, 1.2 litres/t and insecticide Imidor PRO, 2 litres/t. Sowing was carried out in the second decade of May. Counting plot area was 20.1 m2. Repetition was threefold. Sowing method - wide-row sowing with row spacing of 45 cm. Seeding rate - 600 thousand/ha. Seed embedding depth 3-5 cm. Harvesting was carried out with a ZÜRN 110 combine harvester. When conducting scientific research, we were guided by generally accepted methods and GOSTs. Biochemical indicators of seed quality of soybean varieties were determined on infrared analyser ‘Infralum FT-12’. Varietal peculiarities of responsiveness of new varieties to weather conditions of the growing season have been revealed. This is manifested in the onset of phenological phases of plant development, formation of yield and seed quality. The varieties under study in the conditions of the Orel region fully mature at the end of the first - middle of the second decade of September. The average yield of the varieties varies from 3.92 to 4.03 tonnes/ha. Protein content in seeds averages 37.5%, fat - 19.99%, fibre - 15.66%. Teiri and Aegis varieties are not inferior to the control variety Bingo in terms of yield and seed quality.