Morphological features and productive potential of plants of the genus Vigna Savi. in the conditions of the Right-Bank ForestSteppe of Ukraine

Aim. To conduct a comprehensive study of morphological features of the genus Vigna plants, to assess their productive potential depending on the species characteristics under the conditions of introduction in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. The main method of work was a comparative morphological analysis of plants grown from seeds. The research was carried out at the introduction sites and in the laboratory of the Department of Cultural Flora of the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine during 2019–2021. Plants of four species of the genus Vigna: V. radiata (L.) R.Wilczek, V. angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & H.Ohashi, V. mungo (L.) Hepper, V. unguiculata (L.) Walp were the material for the study. We studied the patterns of growth processes and plant development depending on species characteristics. Soil germination of seeds without prior preparation was determined depen ding on species characteristics. Field, laboratory and me thods of analysis of variance and statistical evaluation of average data using Microsoft Excel (2010) were used. Results. It was revealed that the seeds of plants V. radiata, V. angularis, V. mungo, V. unguiculata being introduced in the Right Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine were characterized by a high level of sprouting energy (from 64.8% in V. angularis to 78.9% in V. unguiculata ) and germination (from 84.3% in V. radiata to 99.6% in V. angularis), the intensity of growth and development of aboveground and underground organs during the growing season and seed productivity (from 468 g/m2 in V. radiata to 585 g/m2 in V. mungo). This indicates the prospects of their cultivation as a source material for breeding research and the advisability of use in crop production, which will expand the potential of the raw material base in addition to traditional legumes and cereals. Conclusions. The morphological characteristics of seeds, vegetative and reproductive organs of plants of the genus Vigna were studied. Peculiarities of formation of seed productivity, aboveground and underground part of plants during vegetation depending on species specificity in the conditions of introduction in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine were determined.