Agroecological assessment of oil seed crops of the Asteraceae

The article presents an assessment of the productivity and quality of seeds of oilseeds of the aster family in the agro-climatic conditions of the forest-steppe of the Middle Volga region. Experimental work on the assessment of the productivity of oilseeds was carried out in 2021–2023 at the experimental field of the Penza Research Institute. The object of research was safflower dye Alexandrite, guizotsia Abyssinian Medea and milk thistle spotted Aurora. Studies have shown that the yield of safflower averaged 1.46 t/ha. The highest yield (1.65 t/ha) was obtained in 2021. The highest yield reached 1.59 t/ha in guizotsia, and 1.37 t/ha in milk thistle. The oil content of milk thistle and safflower seeds was 27.1% and 23.7%, respectively. The maximum fat content was noted in the seeds of the herb — 40.6%. The protein content of all crops was high: from 18.9% in milk thistle to 21.9% in guizotsia. On average, over the years of research, all crops have formed large seeds. The weight of 1000 safflower seeds averaged 38.2 g, milk thistle — 27.6 g, and gizotia — 3.6 g. The seeds of guizotsia and safflower are characterized by a very high content of linoleic acid — 73.34% and 80.91%, respectively. Milk thistle oil was characterized by a high content of linoleic (50.34%) and oleic (31.05%) acids. All crops were distinguished by a high criterion of drought resistance. The highest rate was recorded in the province (78.5%). Safflower and milk thistle have a drought tolerance coefficient of 72.1% and 74.3%, respectively.