Assessment of the source material of Clarkia Pursh by breeding valuable economic and biological characteristics in the conditions of the south Western Siberia

An assessment of the economic and biological value of Clarkia Pursh varieties of ornamental annual herbaceous plants is presented based on a set of characteristics important for different areas of breeding of this crop in the south of Western Siberia. The scheme of the experiment included 20 variants, in 4 repetitions. The experiment included 5 new domestic varieties created by the author on the basis of the Novosibirsk State Agrarian University (55°01’ s. 82°55’ w.d.). The first domestic variety is Clarkia purpurea (Curtis) A. Nelson & J.F. Macbr. The Purple Fairy was characterized by an early flowering period (42±1 day after germination), Cv = 4,0 %, a short growing season of 102±2 days, high seed productivity (1000 seeds = 0,73±0,004 and seeds from one plant = 5,5±0.02 g), and pollen viability – 82 %, fruit setting – 93 % and seed productivity coefficient (KSP) – 83 % and high 100 % laboratory germination of seeds. Among the clarkia samples, sources of five different flowering periods were identified: 15 % – early flowering; 2) 15 % – mid-early flowering; 3) 20 % – medium flowering; 4) 40 % – mid-late blooming; 5) 10 % – late blooming. For the first time in the climatic conditions of the south of Western Siberia, temperature limits for the passage of interphase periods were established for 3 Clarkia species according to the sum of active temperatures above 10°C: С. рurpurea required the smallest sum of active temperatures above 10°C (Q1=801°C – Q3 =1723°C), with an average value of 1234°C. The sources of the abundance of flowering have been identified. The author’s varieties were distinguished by high seed qualities. A direct dependence of the seed productivity coefficient on the viability of pollen has been established (r = 0.99, p < 0.05). The early clarkia varieties, C. purpurea (5.5 g) and C. unguiculata (3.8 g), had the highest seed productivity. Thus, a comprehensive assessment of Clarkia samples served as the basis for the development of the national methodology RTG/1157/1 for conducting tests on Clarkia Pursh environmental protection systems, made it possible to identify sources of selectively valuable economic and biological traits and create a fund of original seeds that provides directions for further breeding and reproduction of promising samples for their further implementation in the production and landscaping of the region.