Influence of weather conditions of seed set of winter rapeseed in the central zone of the Krasnodar region

The purpose of the research was to study the influence of temperature and air moisture, wind velocity, cloud coverage, and precipitation amount on seed set of winter rapeseed in the central zone of the Krasnodar region. The objects of the research were winter rapeseed cultivars Elvis, Loris, Sarmat, Selegor, and Olivin. The conditions of 2022 during flowering period were favourable. The air temperature varied from 14.3 to 18.3 °C, precipitation amounted 12.4 mm, and they did not prevent pollination. The wind velocity in average by ten-day periods was 5.1 m/sec, cloud coverage (32.2%) and air moisture (61.1%) were optimal both for self-pollination and for pollen transfer by wind and insects. The seed set in average was 81.3%. The weather conditions of 2023 were less favorable. Lowered air temperatures - from 12.2 to 16.1 °C, frequent precipitations - 40 mm, air velocity from 2.8 to 4.7 m/sec, increased cloud coverage - to 85%, and air moisture to 77.3% negatively influenced self-pollination and prevented pollen transfer by wind and insects, and thereby decreased the realization of a potential productivity by 23.9%. The cultivars Sarmat and Selegor demonstrated the highest seed set both in favorable and unfavorable conditions. The cultivar Elvis was less sensitive to weather changes during flowering. The variation of a trait of seed set in favorable conditions was insignificant (CV = 2.4-7.1%). Changing of a trait of seed set in a pod to highly variable (CV = 11.7-28.3%) in 2023 certifies the genotype selection with high seed set ability is able only in unfavorable for pollination weather conditions.