TRANSFORMATION OF THE HERBACEOUS LAYER OVER 20 YEARS OF RESTORATION SUCCESSION IN BROAD-LEAVED FORESTS WITH LIANAS IN THE SOUTH OF PRIMORYE TERRITORY

The structure of herbaceous layer in the conditionally-indigenous mixed broad-leaved type of forest with lianas and its change for 1998-2018 are analyzed. Research was carried out at the ecological profile "Gornotayozhniy" (Ussuriysky district, Primorye Territory). A general description of phytocoenoesis is given. Complexes of microgroups of the herbaceous layer, united by the similarity of species composition, life forms and seasonal development, have been identified and characterized. Cartographic schemes of the herbaceous layer with the placement of microgroups at the beginning of research and after 20 years were compiled. It has been established that in the structure of herbaceous layer of forest ecosystems the directions of regular changes caused by the course of the forest-forming process are clearly traced.

Litter Quality and Microbes Explain Aggregation Differences in a Tropical Sandy Soil

Soil aggregates store most soil organic carbon (SOC), but how does litter quality influence their formation? We hypothesized varying litter quality to facilitate differences in aggregate formation by altering the seasonal development of microbial biomass (MB) C and N, with MB driving aggregate development in a tropical sandy soil in Thailand. Aggregate development was studied in a long-term fallow experiment, receiving 10 Mg ha−1 annual applications of rice (Oryza sativa) straw (low N and polyphenols (PP)), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) stover (high N, low PP), tamarind (Tamarindus indica) litter (medium N and PP), or dipterocarp (Dipterocarpus tuberculatus) leaf litter (low N, high PP) compared to a control. N-rich litter from groundnut and tamarind led to significantly higher MB, bulk soil C and aggregate C than dipterocarp, rice straw, and the control. Bulk soil C and small macroaggregates C of N-rich litter treatments increased about 7% in 30 weeks. Increasing MB N explained increasing small macroaggregate C and both, MB C or N were important covariates explaining temporal variations of C stored in the microaggregates, in silt and clay. MB also explained temporal variations of aggregate fraction weights. With time, SMA C only increased in the N-rich groundnut and tamarind treatments, but decreased in other treatments. Connections of MB to aggregate C and weight substantiated the importance of microbial activity for aggregate formation and carbon sequestration. By promoting MB for longest time spans, medium-quality tamarind could best facilitate aggregate formation, and increase silt and clay C.

Influence of temperature conditions on seasonal development of Cydalima Perspectalis Walker, 1859 (lepidoptera: crambidae) in the Crimea

In 2018-2020 phenological observations of Cydalima perspectalis Walker were carried out in two agroclimatic regions of the Crimea. The pest, both on the Southern Coast of the Crimea and in the central foothill zone, develops in three generations. The sum of effective temperatures required for the development of generations varies over the years in a wide range, which is due to the asynchronous development of the caterpillars of C. perspectalis . The beginning of summer of the adults of the overwintered generation over the years of research in both regions differed insignificantly and was noted with the accumulation of the sums of effective air temperatures above 10°С on the Southern Coast of the Crimea from 210 to 297 degree days, and in Simferopol - from 222 to 299 degree days. It was found that in the summer months in the central foothill zone of the Crimea, in terms of temperature indicators, more favorable conditions are created for the development of boxwood firewood than on the Southern Coast of the Crimea. The combination of hydrothermal conditions, in which air temperatures exceed 33-36°C, and the relative humidity drops below 19-49%, cause the death of up to 20-28% of Cydalima perspectalis egg embryos at an early stage of embryogenesis. From the embryos of eggs of later stages of embryogenesis, under these conditions, the hatching of caterpillars occurred by 100%.

Phenotypic plasticity of the Cydalima perspectalis Walker life cycle stages development in the Crimea

The box tree moth ( Cydalima perspectalis Walker) is an invasive insect that has rapidly colonized the vast area of the European continent, damaging tonatural and ornamental box trees. In order to develop effective phytophagous control measures there are features of the local populations seasonal development that have been studied in the Crimea. It is determined that during the growing season in the green spaces of the Crimean parks there is a temporary overlapping of both development stages and generations of the C. perspectalis populations. An important seasonal adaptation of C. perspectalis to the habitat’s conditions is thermal sensitivity reduction and development acceleration of all life cycle stages in the second summer generation under the influence of photoperiod. This flexibility of ontogenetic requirements for the transition to diapause provides higher phenological variability in populations. There is identified the temperature and photoperiod impact to development rate of larvae and the influence of relative humidity to development rate of pupae. With identical thermal reaction norms for development of the overwintered larvae, for complete of life cycle of the one generation life cycle in the Southern coast of the Crimea conditions needed the sum of growing degrees-days are 80 °С higher than in the Foothill Crimea. It is identified relative constancy of growing degrees-days needed for complete of the second summer generation of C. perspectalis . It allows considering them as a tool for determining the timing of effective treatment of third-generation larvae before they cause severe damage. For the comparability of the research results with the available publications, it was proposed to use the temperature threshold of 9.5 °С when calculating the growing degrees-days.

Seasonal development of aboveground phytomass of evergreen introduced plants on the Southern Coast of the Crimea

For the Southern Coast of Crimea, the problem of park communities’ productivity, due to the high recreational load on the environment and climate change, is of particular relevance. The aim of the research was to study the features of the introduced park communities evergreen aboveground phytomass formation and seasonal growth in the conditions of the Southern coast of the Crimea. A comparative assessment of vegetative shoots seasonal growth features of plants Laurus nobilis L., Prunus laurocerasus L., Viburnum tinus L., Aucuba japonica Thunb and Nerium oleander L. was performed. It was found that the time of renewal of shoot growth in spring after winter dormancy in V. tinus and A. japonica began at 459-462 °C, P. laurocerasus - 649 °C, and L. nobilis - 886 °C and N. oleander - 990 °C amounts of active air temperatures above 5 °C. The largest growth (49.3 cm) and the accumulation of leaf phytomass (42.3 cm3) differ in annual shoots of N. oleander. P. laurocerasus has a great potential with a phytomass volume an annual shoot of 24.5 cm3. The increase of shoots phytomass in V. tinus, A. japonica, and L. nobilis is 7-8 times less than that in N. oleander.

Оптимизация элементов технологии возделывания томатов в защищенном грунте по малообъемной технологии

The elements of the technology of cultivation of tomatoes by a low-volume hydroponic method using the mineral wool substrate "Grodan" have been studied. The advantages of growing crops by the method of low-volume technology in the greenhouse complex SRL "Polimer Gaz Conducte", Falesti, Moldova are shown. The trade name of the branch is "EcoAgroPrim". Greenhouse SRL "PolimerGazPrim" is a member of the Moldovan Association "Association of Farmers of Moldova", which includes 128 greenhouse facilities. The enterprise produces 130-245 tons of pink-fruited indoor (greenhouse) tomato per year. We studied and analyzed the elements of technology for growing tomatoes in greenhouses using low-volume technology and carried out phenological observations and biometric measurements of plants for several years 2015-2020. It is shown that based on the analysis of phenological observations and biometric measurements, a table of the seasonal development of the crop was compiled, and the highest yield was noted in May and June for all years of observation and, accordingly, the gross harvest was the highest during this period.

Features of seasonal growth of Arundo donax var. versicolor Mill. (Stokes) in the conditions of the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Purpose. To define of phenological and morphological features of A. donax var. versicolor growth during the introduction in the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NBG). Methods. The object of research was the plants of A. donax var. versicolor in the collection of ornamental grasses of the department of flower and ornamental plants of NBG. The plants were grown on a sunny experimental area during 2014–2020. Since under NBG conditions, A. donax var. versicolor did not enter the flowering phase, the beginning of the phases of spring regrowth, leaf unfolding, and the end of the growing season were recorded. Morphometric parameters and shoot-forming ability were investigated for 3–5 years of cultivation. Results. The beginning and duration of the phases of shoot spring regrowth and the unfolding of leaves of A. donax var. versicolor as well as their dependence on the sum of effective temperatures was established. Thus, spring regrowth begins with renewal buds on May 11 ± 5 days at the effective temperature sums of 226.6 ± 19.7 °С. The phase of leaf development in plants occurred on May 20 ± 7 days. The effective temperature sum at the beginning of this phase was 309.45 ± 11.66 °C. The productivity of shoot formation (1.6 ± 0.3 shoot per plant) under the conditions of introduction was determined. Conclusions. A. donax var. versicolor plants did not have a full cycle of seasonal development in the conditions of the NBG. Plants formed vegetative monocyclic shoots 240–260 cm tall. The duration of their vegetation was 182–189 days. The optimal period for the growth of the ground mass of plants fell on July-August. During this period, the leaves were quickly formed, the number of which was 28.8 ± 6.68 on the shoot. The correlation between the rate of accumulation of effective temperatures and the rate of regrowth of plant shoots was recorded.

Adaptive assessment of Сypripedium macranthon Sw. in the Аltai botanical garden

Аn adaptive assessment was given to 3 samples of Cypripedium macranthon attracted to the introductionfrom different ecological and phytocenotic growing conditions for the formation of a cultigenic population of the speciesin the Altai Botanical garden. According to the results of phenon observations and biometric indicators, Cypripedium macranthon samples were attracted to the introduction from young birch communities from the territory of the Southern Altaiwith a vertical distribution threshold from 415 to 1057 m above the sea level. They are stable in culture and undergo a fullcycle of seasonal development. However, due to the lack of self-seeding, it is premature to talk about the success of creatinga cultigenic population of Cypripedium macranthon.