SELECTION OF SUBSTRATES AND MICROBIOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE CULTIVATION OF LEEK CASSETTE SEEDLINGS FOR THE CONDITIONS OF THE FOREST-STEPPE OF UKRAINE
Abstract
Due to the long growing season, leeks in the forest-steppe of Ukraine are grown mainly by the seedling method. The yield of onion vegetable plants will be higher with the cassette method of growing seedlings. The advantage of cassette seedlings is the possibility of mechanized planting with seedling planting machines. Substrates of different composition, quality and cost are offered for growing vegetable seedlings. A number of physiologically active preparations with different mechanisms of action are popular in vegetable growing, environmentally friendly and affordable. The technology of growing leek cassette seedlings needs to be improved in terms of selecting a substrate for low-capacity cells and optimizing the nutritional conditions of young plants in a limited root volume. The article presents a comparative characterization of the effect of such substrates as universal Generous soil and peat Klasmann TS1 (factor A) on the quality of leek cassette seedlings. The effectiveness of supplementing substrates with microbiological preparations Azotophyte (5 g kg-1) and Mycofriend (5 g kg-1) (factor B) was also evaluated. In the field experiment, the yield of leeks was determined depending on the technology of growing seedlings. Improvement of the substrate for filling the cassettes with microbiological additives Azotophyte and Mycophriend accelerates the formation of leek seedlings by 2–3 days. Based on the studies, it was found that the type of substrate and microbiological preparations significantly influenced the development of the root system of seedlings, the share of which was 29–35 % of the total plant weight. The largest leaf surface (11.32 cm2 plant-1) and total weight (1.73 g plant-1) were obtained when growing cassette seedlings on Klasmann TS1 peat substrate with the introduction of Azotophyte + Mycofriend. However, the type of substrate (factor A) and the interaction of factors A×B did not have a significant effect on such indicators as the raw weight of seedlings on the 10‑th day, the number of leaves, the leaf surface area of seedlings at the time of planting and the marketable weight of leeks. Microbiological additives had a significant and reliable effect on the yield of leeks. The use of Mycofriend was less effective compared to the introduction of Azotophyte into the substrate. On average, over two years, the variation in leek yield was insignificant, with a coefficient of variation – 4 %. As a result, the highest yield was obtained after the combined use of Azotophyte + Mycophriend – 38.3 t ha-1 on the Klasmann TS1 substrate and 37.6 t ha-1 on the Generous Land substrate.
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