Creating a digital seed library of annual ornamental plants

The purpose of research is to describe the morphological features, to present the morphometric characteristics of the seeds of annual ornamental plants and to create their digital seed library. In the introduction experiments, seeds of local and non-regional reproduction were used. The studies were carried out using a Carl Zeiss Stereo Discovery V12 stereomicroscope with an AxioCam MRc-5 high-resolution digital camera (Axio Vision 4.8 software). Pictures of the same field of view were taken twice, the first shows a scale bar (1 mm), this picture is used to describe the color, shape and sculpture of the surface of the seed. In the second similar picture, specific parameters of length and width are put down for completed seeds, and for those with a rounded shape – diameter, which allows statistical processing. It was revealed that 10–12 seeds are enough to obtain statistically reliable data on their sizes (the relative error does not exceed 5 %). The shape of seeds in the studied objects belonging to different genera and families is described as spherical, spherical-angular, flattened, flat, oval, rounded, kidney-shaped, trihedral, club-shaped, elongated-trapezoidal. The color of the seeds is predominantly brown in various shades, as well as gray-yellow, silver-gray, black-gray, coal-black. The seed rind (testa) of some species had adaptations for spreading seeds. A smooth and sculpted seed rind surface was noted. In some species, spines, tubercles, pits, folds, hairs, hooks were formed on it. A smooth and sculpted seed coat surface was noted. In some species, thorns, tubercles, pits, folds, hairs, glochidiums were formed on it. Viewing objects with a stereomicroscope also makes it possible to identify samples with seeds of poor quality, insufficiently cleaned, to disassemble some mixtures of seeds with a sufficient morphological difference. The study presents morphological descriptions and morphometric characteristics of seeds from Solanaceae, Onagraceae, Asteraceae, Polemoniaceae, Capparaceae, and Verbenaceae families. The materials of the digital seed library make it possible to qualitatively study a much larger volume of species in practical classes on ornamental plant growing.