Fedorchuk M. Theoretical and practical substantiation of a technology of growing irrigated garden sage (S. officinalis) in southern Ukraine

Anatomic and physiological features of garden sage plant growth and development and the effect of bioeconomic factors on the ontogenesis dynamics of this crop have been investigated. The processes of plant growth and development depending on natural agrotech-nological factors were experimentally researched. The dynamics of nutrition elements in the soil, its water and physical properties as well as specific features of water consumption by plants and the above-ground crop, and seed formation depending on cultivation practices were determined and evaluated from the viewpoint of economy and bioenergy. An all-round examination of biochemical characteristics of garden sage depend-ing on fertilization, tillage depth, sowing time and inter-row spacing was done. A model of crop productivity of garden sage depending on rainfall, and a statis-tical model of sage green bulk yield from the date of the renewal of its vegetation were developed. The research results are of great practical value. They are widely applied in spe-cialized farm units in southern Ukraine, Poltava region, the Crimean Autonomous Republic and Moldova, and they were also used in working out the regional Program of the social and economic development of the Kherson region for the period of 2005-2011 and the Strategy of the economic and social development of the Kherson region till 2015. The agrotechnical practices developed and improved have undergone extensive practical trials certified by the central board of agriculture and food and by a number of farms.