Мінливість біологічних і морфологічних ознак однорічних малопоширених видів овочевих рослин родини айстрові (Asteraceae Dumort.)

The aim and tasks of the study . To establish botanical-biological patterns and the potential variability of valuable economic features of the existing gene pool of loose-leaved lettuce and to identify species with high yields of top-quality commercial products. Material and methods . The research was carried out in breeding crop rotations of the Institute of Vegetable and Melon Growing (VMG) of NAAS in the Kharkiv Region (Eastern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine) and of the Experimental Station “Maiak” of the VMG of NAAS in the Chernihiv Region (Woodlands). The experiments were carried out in compliance with "Methods of Experimentation in Vegetable and Melon Growing" (2001). Minor vegetables were systematized in compliance with "Guide to Higher Plants of Ukraine" by the same traits and referred to the family, genus and species by morphotype. Breeding was conducted by "Modern Methods of Vegetable and Melon Breeding" (2001). Results and discussion . Analyzing the yield capacities of the studied varieties entered in the State Register, one should note that varieties Vagomyi and Slobozhanin gave up to 39.9 t/ha in the Piedmont Zone of the Crimea and the Eastern Forest-Steppe. In the Woodlands, the highest yield of 32.0–59.0 t/ha was produced by variety Zorepad with the variability range of 27 t/ha, which indicates its plasticity. Varieties Shar Malinovyy, Zolotoy Shar and Olzhych gave consistent yields in this zone with the range of 1.3–1.8. It was established that varieties Vagomyi and Slobozhanin (AR Crimea) and Snezhinka (Woodlands) accumulated more vitamin C – 18.0–23.4% and 18.6–21.8%, respectively. Thus, Woodlands is the most favorable zone to obtain yields and fulfill the quality potential of varieties, where variety Snezhinka was distinguished by early ripeness and vitamin C content. It was established that the morphological (approbation) traits of “leaf rosette height” and “leaf length” in loose-leaved lettuce, variety Snezhinka, were medium variable (by the variation coefficient), depending on the year. The rosette and leaf widths had variability of 25.1 and 23.9%, respectively, whereas a high coefficient of variation V = 33.86% was recorded for the leaf number, which closely correlated with the yield. Conclusions. The results of studying minor species of annual vegetables of the Asteraceae family ( Lactuca sativa L., Carthanus tinctorius L., Cephalophora aromatica Schrad. and Calendula officinalis L.) demonstrated that Lactuca sativa and Cephalophora aromatica were the most yielding. For cultivation and introduction of these plants, biological and morphological features and their medicinal potential were determined. The parameters of varietal variability of economic features in loose-leaved lettuce, variety Snezhinka, were determined depending on meteorological factors during the growing period; the optimal conditions were determined by sums of active temperatures and precipitation