Biological characteristics and economically important traits of winter false flax bred in V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops

The aim of this article is to study certain biological characteristics of the breeding material of winter false flax from the workcollection of V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research of Oil Crops. We carried out the research in 2017–2020 at the experimental field of V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops in the central zone of the Krasnodar region. The direct count of the number of chromosomes in mitotic cells of root meristems showed that the false flax plants of the variety Karat have the most common genome with 2n=40. The count of the number of ovules in a flower ovary showed the potential productivity of the reproductiveorgans of winter false flax plants at the level of 22.3 pcs, varying from 16 to 25. There were no significant differences in the number of set seeds under free flowering and self-pollination in the variety Karat. Under free flowering, an average of 14.8 pcs of seedsset – 66.3%, and under self-pollination, it was 14.7 pcs – 66.0%. In the conditions of the central zone ofthe Krasnodar region, we did not observe cross-pollination in winter false flax. In the conditions of 2018–2020, we noted the spread of powdery mildew and white rust. Winter false flax was not affected by field pests, in particular by crucifer flea beetles, blossom weevil, and weevils of a Ceutorhynchus genus. The evaluation of samples of winter false flax over the past two years showed that its productivity varied from 1.15 to 2.35 t/ha. The oil content of seeds of different genotypes in different years was at the levelof 36.6-44.1%. The content of erucic acid in oil of winter false flax varied in the range of 2.26–3.26%. All samples had a low level of glucosinolates – 11–12 µmol/g. The overwintering of all samples of winter false flax was 95–100%.