Economic and reproductive indicators of A. victorialis and A. ursinum during introduction in the Moscow Region

Shade-resistant Allium (A. victorialis and A. ursinum) plants have significant differences in morphological, seasonal and other indicators. In the conditions of the Moscow Region, A. victorialis, grown in alluvial meadow soils, ends its vegetation season in August, A. ursinum – in July. The period from the beginning of shoot growth to seed maturation is 80–85 days for A. victorialis and 65–72 days for A. ursinum. A. victorialis has 2.8, A. ursinum – 2.3 leaves per plant. The length and width of a leaf is 16.0 and 5.9 cm for A. victorialis and 19.5 and 4.6 cm for A. ursinum. The yield of leaves in A. victorialis is by 1.08 time higher than that in A. ursinum. In leaves of the studied Allium species, the average dry matter content is 17.5–18.6 %, nitrates – 154.1–159.2 mg/kg fresh weight, monosaccharides – 3.7–3.8 % fresh weight, ascorbic acid — 129.7–131.8 mg% fresh weight, chlorophyll – 248.9–254.2 mg/100 g dry weight, carotene – 26.5–27.4 mg/kg fresh weight, hydroxycinnamic acids – 175.4–179.9×10-3 % dry weight, flavonoids — 291.7–304.0×10-3 % dry weight. The studied representatives of the Allium L. genus can be considered as potential sources of biologically active compounds. By the study results on the seed productivity as a reproduction and introduction basis and by testing the cultivation possibility in ex situ conditions (in culture), A. victorialis has the limiting value of real seed productivity by 7.8 and the potential seed productivity by 3.1 times higher than those of A. ursinum, correspondingly. The studied species are insect-pollinated plants, whereby the seed-setting rate directly depends on the environmental factors (temperature, heavy rains, continuously cold weather, etc.), which are different in different years.