Influence of agricultural cultivation techniques on the quality of milk thistle fruits

Relevance. The research is aimed at developing elements of technology for cultivating milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.). Such elements as the timing and methods of sowing, the seeding rate, and weed control measures are presented here. The research was carried out on leached Chernozem soils of the Middle Volga region in a temperate continental climate. Results. The effectiveness of early spring ordinary crops, allowing to increase the content of oil- up to 33%, protein - up to 16%, was established. The methods used allow to increase the oil harvest from 1 ha by an average of 14%, in comparison with wide-row sowing, which is a significant indicator in the cultivation of the crop. The use of agrotechnical methods of weed control provided an increase in the yield of milk thistle seeds by an average of 0.16 t/ha, in comparison with the control.