Scholarly record
CULTIVATION PECULIARITIES OF ORNAMENTAL GRASSES IN SOUTHERN UKRAINE
Abstract
Ornamental plants of the family Poaceae are becoming increasingly popular in modern landscape design due to their high ornamental value, ecological resilience, and adaptability to various soil and climatic conditions. The biological features of growth, habit formation, and methods of reproduction in different climatic conditions were studied. During 2023-25, research was initiated at the Kherson SAEU focusing on the cultivation of grass planting material via seed and vegetative propagation, specifically for Pennisetum alopecuroides, P. glaucum Purple Baron, Miscanthus sinensis, M. sacchariflorus. High-growing and low-growing species were chosen for their eco-biological characteristics, enabling resource-efficient cultivation without compromising their aesthetic appeal. The best results were demonstrated by P. alopecuroides, the germination level of which reaches 30-35%. In this regard, significant attention is paid to improving pre-sowing seed preparation technologies and alternative propagation methods, in particular vegetative propagation, which allows obtaining homogeneous planting stock while preserving varietal characteristics. The study examined the features of vegetative reproduction of the studied ornamental grasses. It was found that the most effective method of their propagation is clump division, which ensures high plant survival rates (up to 98-100%) and the rapid formation of a well-developed plant habit.
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References15
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