Lukianets O.D. Optimization of cultivation of salad endive and escarole chicory in the Right-Bank Forest Steppe of Ukraine. – Qualifying scientific work as a manuscript.
Thesis for a candidate degree in agricultural sciences by specialty 06.01.06 – Vegetable Growing, (20 Agricultural Sciences and Food). Uman National University of Horticulture, Uman, 2019.
The thesis deals with the introduction into production of new valuable varieties of salad endive and escarole chicory, development and improvement of elements of technology of their cultivation in the Right-Bank Forest Steppe of Ukraine.
The adaptive capacity and varietal characteristics of salad endive and escarole chicory were investigated, the effectiveness of the basic elements of technology was generalized and new approaches in the cultivation of salad endive and escarole chicory were found. This involves the use of high-yielding varieties, clarification of sowing dates, adherence to optimal plant placement schemes, application of etiolation in order to improve the product quality, and exploration of plant cultivation under invitro conditions, which is relevant for spreading and growing of salad chicory in the Right-Bank Forest Steppe of Ukraine.
It has been investigated that the duration of the main stages of growth and development of salad endive and escarole chicory plants depends on the varietal composition and sowing period. Thus, the vegetation period under the sowing in the third decade of April for the salad escarole chicory varieties was 61-63 days, and for the salad endive chicory varieties – 58-68 days.
For sowing in the third decade of May, the growing season was 59-61 days for chicory salad escarole and 57-65 days for varieties of chicory salad endive.
It is established that the best period for sowing of salad endive and escarole chicory is the third decade of April. According to the yield indices, there was a certain excess in the escarole chicory varieties – 34.21 t/ha, compared to 33.41 t/ha for chicory salad endive varieties. However, under sowing in the third decade of April, the yield of escarole chicory varieties was 0.54 t/ha not significantly lower compared to endive varieties. The highest yield was observed in escarole chicory varieties in 2015 under sowing in the third decade of April – 42.4 t/ha. Among the endive varieties, this index was the highest in the Corby variety in 2014 – 54.1 t/ha. The least productive during the research years was the variety of Seagull endive chicory variety – 28.7 t/ha.
One of the important technological operations in growing chicory salad endive and escarole chicory is etiolation. Methods of etiolation and their duration caused a significant decrease in the yield of the studied chicory salad varieties. The greatest decrease in yield was observed with the use of black agrotextile for etiolation – 12.7-33.7 t/ha, while under the exclusion of such this agricultural measure from the technology (control) – 22.3-35.8 t/ha. The highest commercial yield was observed when using opaque caps, which for the Salgir salad escarole chicory varieties was 16.4–19.3 t/ha and for the Corby salad endive chicory varieties – 25.8–27.1 t/ha or 70– 76%.
Characterizing the band sowing method, we notice a tendency of yield increase. Thus, for the layout schemes (20 + 50)×30 cm, the increase to control reached the level of 5.9–8.7 t/ha, and for the schemes (20 + 50)×20 cm, 22.3–23.5 t/ha respectively,. The increase in the number of plants up to 92.0 thousand pcs/ha under the layout schemes (20 + 50)×30 cm compared to 74.0 thousand pcs/ha under the scheme 45×30 cm (control) provided the yield of the studied varieties at the level of 33,4–42,7 t/ha.
The studies have shown that the method of microclonal propogation invitro is one of the promising links in the technology of growing of salad endive and escarole chicory. To obtain the sterile explants, the effective use of mercury dichloride (HgCl2) under one-minute sterilization. MS-3 with a concentration of 0.5 mg/l BAP and 0.1 mg/l NOC was the best environment for the explant propagation, and MS-2 with a 0.5 mg/l IMK concentration was the most effective for the rhizogenesis induction. The study of the conditions of adaptation of rooted regenerative plants has shown that the adaptation of the plants in tubes using the Eco-plus universal substrate is an effective method. The viability of regenerative plants under these conditions was 81.8-88.9%.
Keywords: chicory salad, endive, escarole, variety, layout scheme, sowing time, plant density, commercial goods, yield, quality indices.
