ECOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE PINE PLANTS VARIETIES OF THE PICEA GENUS IN ASSESSMENT OF THE PROSPECTS OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION IN THE ORYOL REGION
Selection and introduction of a new high-quality range of plants that can grow in modern conditions is the main goal of studying plants in the genetic collection of the arboretum of the Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding (VNIISPK), which includes more than 300 species, forms and varieties of woody plants. The class of coniferous plants, which makes up 25% of the total number of taxa, is represented by three families and nine genera, one of which is Picea A. Dietr. The analysis of ecological and biological features was carried out for 10 native and introduced plant species of this genus in the collection of the VNIISPK arboretum. All the studied species and forms had high winter hardiness, with the exception of Picea omorica (Pancic) Purcyne. With the loss of decorativeness, the Picea canadensis Britt was damaged by pests; Picea omorica (Pancic) Purcyne. was affected by diseases. Two highly decorative genotypes that are resistant to a complex of adverse environmental factors have been identified for use in landscaping of objects of various purposes in the Orel region: P. abies f. cristata (L.) H. Karst and P. pungens f. glauca Reg. For landscape gardens and parks, it is also recommended to use the P. abies f. virgata (Jacq.) Casp.