Zhuravel T. Intruduction of the genus Echinacea Moench species to the south-east of of Ukraine

The thesis presents investigation results of biological and morphological peculiarities of three species of the genus Echinacea Moench: Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench, Echinacea angustifolia DC., Echinacea pallida (Nutt.) Nutt.introduced to the south-east of Ukraine. The basic regularities of plant outogenesis have been ascertained. Morphologic indices of the genus E. purpurea plants, grown under different natural-climatic conditions, have been compared. Seasonal rhythms of growth and development flowering and fructification, drought, resistance under condition of the south-east of Ukraine have been investigated. Chemical composition of three plant species of genus Echinacea has been determined under condition of the south-east of Ukraine. A candidate to the population variety has been grown and forwarded to the State commission in plant variety testing. The candidate is characterized by long vegetation period, tolerance and winter hardiness that is important for growing under steppe zone conditions.A useful model of fodder agricultural phytocenosis has been developed using Echinacea purpurea.