Yield properties and sowing characteristics of switchgrass seed depending upon cultivation conditions

Abstract

Necessity of studying switchgrass as an energy crop, raw material of which may be used for producing different types of biofuel such as liquid one, solid and gaseous ones has been substantiated in the article. The foreign experience of obtaining switchgrass seed of high quality has been investigated on the basis of scientific publications. We have established the limiting factors affecting seed yield, sowing characteristics, germination conditions, growth and development of plants in the early periods of vegetation. The attempt of determining optimal conditions (by hydrothermal coefficient and soil fertility) for providing high seed yield in Ukraine as well as ways of increasing seed characteristics has been made.

Many years’ experiments were conducted in the central part of Forest-Steppe of Ukraine on two types of soils: high-productive soil with humus content of more than 4 % and nutrient lean soil with humus content of less than 2 %. Research material was plants and seed of Cave-in-Rock switchgrass variety of foreign selection.

The methods of testing, field and laboratory experiments, scientific recommendations were applied in the experiment. The experimental results were processed by the dispersion analysis and correlative-regression analysis with application of the computer program Statistics.

After three years of investigation, influence of the vegetation period weather conditions on switchgrass seed productivity has been established. The limiting factors and the ways of decreasing their effect in order to provide guaranteed getting of high quality seed material in the conditions of Forest-Steppe of Ukraine have been defined by the experiments. At the same time the effect of soil conditions on the crop seed productivity has been proved. The analysis of the research findings enabled to show influence of biometric (quantitative) characteristics of the generative plant part (length and number of panicles per the plant, mass of 1000 seeds) on seed productivity that affect total seed yield. Besides, influence of seed material size and storage period on laboratory seed germination in the interconnection with seed formation peculiarities on maternal plants in different cultivation conditions has been determined.

The yield of switchgrass seeds depends on weather factors and soil fertility. Also we defined influence of quantitative characteristics in the generative plant part – length and number of panicles per the plant, mass of 1000 seeds on seed yield. Laboratory germination of seeds depends on the storage size and the mass of 1000 seeds.