INTRODUCTION OF ALLIUM ALTAICUM PALL. IN THE SIBERIAN BOTANICAL GARDEN OF TSU

The purpose of research is to study the economic and biological characteristics of Allium altaicum Pall. (Altai onion) in the conditions of the subtaiga zone of the Tomsk Region. Objectives: to study the rhythm of seasonal development, morphological characteristics; to determine seed productivity and seed quality. The study was carried out on the ecosystem dendrological territory of the Siberian Botanical Garden of the Tomsk State University in 2020–2023. When conducting the study, generally accepted methods were used: N.A. Naumova, I.N. Beideman, G.N. Zaitsev, B.A. Dospehov. The objects of the study were three samples of Allium altaicum Pall. The seeds were obtained from the botanical gardens of Ivanovo, Norway and Germany. Collection samples are 2–4 years old. Samples of A. altaicum show high seed germination in the year of harvesting – from 93.5 to 96.7 %. All samples make self-seeding, which indicates adaptation of the species upon introduction. When propagating A. altaicum from seeds, it is recommended to use seeds no older than 1 year of storage. Under the conditions of the Tomsk Region, A. altaicum samples undergo a full development cycle. The growing season ranges from 156 to 160 days. The studied samples are promising for use for cutting greenery in early spring and autumn. High seed productivity and seed germination were revealed. Fungal species (Aspergillus, Penicillium, Stachybotrys) found on the seeds are capable of producing toxins and inhibiting the germination of onion seeds. The maximum diversity of fungi was found on the seeds of A. altaicum from Ivanovo, the least – on the seeds of samples from Norway and Germany, which affected the decrease in seed germination during storage.