Polymer substrates for sowing seeds of agricultural crops

The work is devoted to the current direction: the creation of innovative materials and technologies for modern agriculture. The results of an experiment on sowing seeds of Purple basil (Purple Ruffles) on polymer substrates that were placed in containers with soil for the full vegetation process are presented. Polymer substrates - nonwoven fibrous materials are obtained from biodegradable polylactide and natural rubber taken in different ratios. The studied polymers are environmentally friendly and are destroyed in the environmental conditions without the formation of toxic waste. The entire vegetation process of Purple basil (Purple Ruffles) took place under phytotron conditions. An increase in the germination of purple basil seeds sprouted on polymer substrates was shown compared to the control group. The germination in the control sample was 68%, with the use of polymer substrates - from 72% and higher, depending on the ratio of polymers. The mass of one plant, the height of the aboveground part, turned out to be 1.5 times higher on average in basil plants grown on polymer substrates than in the control sample. The length of the roots also increased by 1.5-2 cm. The observed effect is probably associated with the biodegradation of the polymer substrate in the soil due to the action of moisture and microorganisms (bacteria, mold), resulting in the formation of low-molecular compounds that are a nutrient medium for the basil plants.