SELENIUM-CONTAINING BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE COMPOSITE FORMULATIONS AS EFFECTIVE GROWTH REGULATORS FOR IMPROVING SOWING QUALITY OF SEEDS AND MORPHO-BIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF WHITE AND PURPLE CABBAGE HEADS

Abstract

Abstract. Purpose. To analyze regulatory effects of selenium-containing biologically active formulations manufactured in Ukraine on the sowing quality of seeds and on morpho-biological parameters (level and uniformity) of productive organs (heads) in varietal populations of cabbage plants. Methods: General scientific, measuring, weighing, and variation statistics. Results. The regulatory effects of selenium-containing composite formulations, D-8SЕ and D-АМSSЕ, were tested on three white cabbage varieties (Kharkivska Zymova, Ukrainska Osin, and Bilosnizhka) and one purple cabbage variety (Paleta). D-AMSSE was more effective; the cabbage varieties differently responded to its application, depending on genotypes, however they similarly increased the head weight (by 22–23 %). An analogous pattern was observed for head density (it increased by 13-22 %). In the control, there was a medium or strong correlation between the head weight and head volume. Depending on treatment with the studied formulations, a stable increase in the Pearson's pairwise correlation coefficient (rp) was noted for the four cabbage varieties (rp = 0.55...0.95). D-8SE and D-AMSSE positively affected the sowing qualities of cabbage. A statistically significant increase in the seed germination energy by 8.99–15.64 %, laboratory (by 10.25–19.18 %) and field (by 13.05–23.24 %) germination abilities was observed in the four varieties. Conclusion. Tests of D-8SЕ and D-АМSSЕ confirmed theirhigh efficiency as growth regulators to optimize the growth of apical meristems of cabbage plants, making formation and maturation of heads more even and uniform within the varietal populations. D-8SE and D-AMSSE beneficially affected the sowing quality of cabbage compared to the standard growth regulator - gibberellic acid (GA3). In particular, for Kharkivska Zymova, there was 0.80- to 1.23-fold advantage of the composite formulations in the field germination ability. In Ukrainska Osin, this there was a 1.38- to 2.05-fold