The dissertation presents a generalization of worldwide and domestic experiences in researching, biology, and cultivation of representatives of the Malvaceae genus. It includes the results of our own research on the agroecological assessment of individual Malvaceae species regarding their suitability for cultivation in Ukraine based on predictive models. We evaluated the sowing qualities of seeds and studied the regulation of the dormant period. Additionally, we conducted studies on the productivity of forest mallow (Malva sylvestris L.) based on placement schemes and mathematical models calculations.
The study focuses on representatives of the Malva genus in the Ukrainian natural flora, as well as introduced species that show promise for cultivation in the forest-steppe region of Ukraine. The research investigates the agrobiological patterns of how agroclimatic, soil modes and agrotechnical conditions influence the agroecological state and productivity of Malva plants.
The dissertation research aims to enhance agro-technological research. This is due to the widespread use of plant phytomass and flowers as raw materials in various fields such as pharmacy, traditional and evidence-based medicine, food technology, cosmetics, biotechnology, and bioenergy crop cultivation.
Mallows are known for their ecological plasticity, which explains why many members of this family have a wide geographical distribution. This plasticity also makes them undemanding to growing conditions, which is why there has been little scientific interest in the agrotechnology of growing this crop. Varietal diversity is only present in the case of ornamental forms of these plants.
To produce industrial raw materials, hollyhocks must be bred to meet high technological requirements.
The potential for introducing mallow into agricultural production is closely linked to the impact of global climate change on the conditions for growing crops. It is important to consider the effects of warming trends when strategically planning agricultural production. One common approach is to model global climate change under different scenarios. Models describing the distribution of plant or animal species should be based solely on bioclimatic predictors. Similarly, models predicting changes in agroclimatic conditions for growing crops should consider the impact of climate on soil properties.
A factor analysis of the ecological niche was conducted to evaluate the intricate influence of bioclimatic variables and soil properties on plant distribution. Gradient analysis was utilized to determine species' optimum and tolerance parameters to agroecological factors. The Maxent procedure was employed to model the current spatial distribution of species and predict future changes due to global climate change.
Nineteen bioclimatic variables with a spatial resolution of 2.5 minutes were utilized from the global climate database WorldClim for bioclimatic modeling.
This thesis establishes trends in the transformation of the global and European range of species of the genus Malva, including curly mallow (Malva verticillata L.), small mallow (Malva pusilla L.), inconspicuous mallow (Malva neglecta Wallr.), forest mallow (Malva sylvestris L.), and annual lavater (Malva trimestris (L.), taking into account climate change in the next 50-70 years. Models were created to show changes in the spatial variability of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content, as well as soil acidity, across Europe due to global climate change.
This text describes the climatic and soil factors that influence the spatial distribution of plants in the genus Malva. It also identifies the most suitable species for cultivation in the Poltava region, taking into account global climate change. The two most promising species are Malva sylvestris and Malva trimestris.
To regulate the sowing qualities of forest mallow (Malva sylvestris L.) seeds, we studied stratification and evaluated its effectiveness. Our research showed that indicators such as energy, friendliness, germination rate, and laboratory germination varied over the years. However, stratification conditions produced better results in the 2019 seed study compared to other years. On average over three years, stratification increased germination energy by 5.0-5.4%, germination rate by 4.2-4.6%, and germination friendliness by 6.2-10.5%.
The study investigated the growth and development of forest mallow during ontogeny. The maximum plant height recorded was 89.0±4.57 cm (ranging from 68-112 cm). The number of leaves per plant increased dynamically up to 20-60 days (in different years), after which it stabilized and decreased until the end of the growing season. Leaf weight varied across years, with the highest weight observed during the second or third sampling period. The mass of stems reached its peak 40-60 days after the five-leaf stage, which was the initial observation period (15.20 cm-18.35 cm).
