Field germination of white mustard seeds depending on agrotechnical measures

Abstract

White mustard is an important reserve as a green fertilizer in improving soil fertility, enriching it with organic matter and draining heavy alkaline soils. This culture is able to assimilate phosphorus from inaccessible forms, is a
phytomeliorant ‒ root and stubble remains suppress the development of many diseases, the pathogens, many of which live in the soil. The use of mustard green manures makes it possible to compensate for a significant proportion of biological forms and mineral phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. It leaves about 10 t/ha of crop residues in the air-dry mass, which, if properly incorporated into the soil-absorbing complex, can improve the presence of organic matter. This is a promising one hundred percent liquid crop, since the biology of the plant allows it to be used not only as a good predecessor that can improve the agrophysical and phytosanitary properties of the soil, but also as a green fertilizer. Seeds are used in many industries and fuel pellets are formed from dry plant residues. Mustard meal as a by-product after degreasing and grinding turns into mustard powder ‒ it is valued on the domestic and foreign markets on a par with a sunflower oil. It is the main component of table mustard and mayonnaise, sauces and seasonings, marinades and canning mixes. The high content of biologically active substances required by our body (vitamins (A, D, E, K, P), polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterol, chlorophylls, phytoncides, glycosides, etc.) distinguishes mustard oil.

The results of studies carried out in the department of seed production and seed science on gray forestal surface-gleyed soils of the Western Forest-Steppe zone in 2021–2023 are presented. It has been established that the process of seed germination is inextricably linked with the reserves of productive moisture of the sowing soil layer (0–10 cm) during the sowing-shooting period, seeding rates and the temperature regime. It has been substantiated that growth stimulants, under the influence of which intensive moisture absorption and enzyme activation in treated seeds took place, provided an increase in field germination by 0.9–2.9 %. The most effective was the pre-sowing treatment with the tank mixture of the modesto disinfectant, 48 % t. l. s. (12.5 l/t) with plantagen growth stimulator at a rate of 0.4 l/t, at which the average percentage of field germination was 95.4 during the years of research. Sowing methods and seeding rates did not have a significant effect on field germination, this indicator mainly depended on the quality of the seed. Under the influence of an increase in the application rates of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, the differences between the variants of the experiment were insignificant.