DROUGHT RESISTANCE OF BERRIES BUFFICLE PLANTS IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE FOREST-STEPPE ZONE OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The results of studying the drought resistance of berry bush plants by the field method of observation, laboratory-field, and laboratory methods of studying the water regime of plants are analyzed. The conducted researches testify to sufficient levels of water-holding ability of leaves of the studied grades of berry cultures. In the raspberry varieties Ruby Giant, Golden Giant, and Cascade Delight, the water holding capacity was higher after 24 hours, as indicated by the lowest rates of water loss by leaves (64.73 %, 68.13 %, and 69.66 % – respectively). According to the indicator of water deficit, the most drought-resistant raspberry varieties were Ruby Giant and Cascade Delight raspberry varieties. Indicators of water deficit of gooseberry leaves (3.2 %) indicate a high level of drought resistance of Neslukhovsky. The lowest drought-resistant gooseberry varieties Neslukhivskyi and Bezshipnyi were the lowest in terms of moisture loss during the study.
The obtained indicators of resistance of the studied plants to drought conditions show that the varieties of raspberry Ruby Giant and Cascade Delight, as well as gooseberry varieties Neslukhovsky and Bezshipny are characterized by a high level of drought resistance, even in adverse growing season 2021. The productivity of berry plantations depends on providing the soil with moisture during the growth of shoots, and during fruiting. In the year of the study, insufficient water supply in the fruiting phase adversely affected the overall berry bush plants, and also led to a significant reduction in their yield. In conditions of lack of moisture for plant development in large-fruited varieties of raspberries (Ruby Giant, Orange Giant, Yellow Giant), a small part of the crop dried up on the shoots. The Golden Giant and Cascade Delaine raspberry varieties, as well as the Neslukhivsky gooseberry variety, had high yield levels.
Based on the assessment of a set of indicators (water holding capacity, water deficit, yield) to create highly productive industrial berry plantations can be recommended raspberry varieties Golden Giant, Ruby Giant and Cascade Delaine, as well as gooseberry varieties Neslukhovsky and Bezshipny.