The thesis is devoted to a systematic review of the genus Lycium L. flora of Ukraine, natural distribution, the formation of a cultivated range in the world and Ukraine, the history of introduction, the study of morphological, biological, ecological features, biochemical properties of species L. barbarum L., L. chinense Mill., L. truncatum Y.C. Wang in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine and the prospects for their use.
A new systematic review of the genus Lycium of the flora of Ukraine is presented based on an inventory of 20 herbaria (including foreign ones) and the results of original field research. For the first time, three new species of L. chinense, L. truncatum and L. ruthenicum, are presented with a detailed morphological description. The position of the genus Lycium in the angiosperm system was analyzed. For the first time, the history of the introduction, the state, and prospects of the cultivation of Lycium spp. in the world and Ukraine, the natural and cultigen areas of L. barbarum and L. chinense have been determined. For the first time, under conditions of introduction, the morphological characteristics and morphometric parameters of the vegetative and generative organs of the species and varieties of Lycium were studied. The levels of their variability have been determined, and important and indifferent for breeding traits have been determined. For the first time, original data were obtained on the bioecological characteristics of three species of Lycium introduced into the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. The peculiarities of the passage of phenological phases of development, flowering, and fruiting, the dynamics of the development of the floral sphere of Lycium spp. The beginning of the growing season was noted with the accumulation of SET from
22.0 to 84.0°C, which occurs in March-early April. Leaf opening and shoot growth in L. barbarum begins at an average daily temperature of 10°C, in L. chinense and L. truncatum
– 12°C. The average length of the growing season in Lycium spp. is 214±8.5 days. Plants
of Lycium spp. bloom 3-4 (sometimes 5) times during the growing season, depending on the characteristics of the species and weather and climatic conditions. Mass flowering of all species occurs in the second half of August – early September. The winter hardiness of Lycium species and varieties and their reproductive capacity have been determined. The drought resistance of plants was determined based on changes in the water-physical properties of the leaf apparatus. The high drought tolerance of plants is due to a high degree of water retention capacity and a low level of water deficiency in leaves. High drought resistance of L. truncatum and L. barbarum species was noted, and lower – in L. chinense. The biochemical composition of fruits and leaves of Lycium plants was estimated. Methods have been developed and the timing of seed and vegetative reproduction has been determined. Prospects for the perspectives of cultivation of Lycium spp. Formed in the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine a unique gene pool of species and varieties of Lycium spp., introduced from different geographic regions of North America, East Asia, and Europe.
