Weather conditions influence on root chicory seed productivity and seed quality depending on mother plants treatment with growth regulatory preparations

The objective of research is to study the influence of weather conditions on the seed productivity of mother plants and the quality of seeds depending on their pre-planting treatment with growth-stimulating preparations (Epin-Extra, Zircon, Siliplant). The object of research is the Yaroslavsky-1 chicory variety. Field experiments were carried out during 2021-2023 at the root crop selection and seed production sector of the All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Growing, a branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Center of Vegetable Growing. In the control variant (without treatment), a positive correlation was observed between the average temperatures for the period May-July and the seed productivity of plants, the weight of 1000 seeds and their germination. The correlation coefficients were 0.656…0.949; 0.544…0.945 and 0.536…0.985, respectively. The growth-regulating preparations used in the work had an adaptogenic effect and reduced the sensitivity of seed plants to meteorological factors. There were practically no correlations between the weather conditions, seed productivity and seed quality in the variant with pre-planting treatment with the preparation Zircon, which was characterized by the highest value of seed productivity - 7.25 g/plant. In the variants with treatment with the preparations Epin-Extra and Siliplant, no significant positive correlation was observed between the average temperatures of the growing season and the seed productivity of plants, but it was present between the temperatures for the period from May to July and the quality indicators - the weight of 1000 pcs. of seeds and their germination. Also, for these variants, a correlation was noted between the amount of precipitation, air humidity and seed productivity of plants. The results obtained confirm the effect of using the studied growth-regulating preparations in the seed production technology of root chicory.