Authors: L. A. LOGVINENKO, scientific researcher, The Labor Red Banner Order Nikita Botanical Gardens – National Scientific Center of the RAS (298648, Crimea, Yalta, urban settlement Nikita; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Keywords: myrtle, Myrtus communis L., seeds, germination, germination energy, seed storage, fruit, 1000 seed weight, seed production.
Abstract: The qualitative characteristics of myrtle seeds were studied depending on the duration of their storage. It was established that this crop has no rest period, the germination of freshly harvested seeds was 63 %, however, a slight rest period after harvesting provided better sowing characteristics, germination increased to 97 %, germination energy increased to 71 %, and the duration of the germination period decreased to 30 days. Storing seeds for more than one year has significantly reduced their quality indicators – energy and laboratory germination have significantly decreased by 2.0 and 1.7 times. When sowing seeds with a shelf life of two or more years, germination energy was 15 %, and germination rate was 32 %. At the varietytesting site of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, the seeds of myrtle ordinary were formed annually and fully ripened. The period of formation and ripening is greatly extended in time and was 95–110 days. The weight of fruits from a bush aged 7 years averaged 1115 g, and the number of fruits is 2593–2608 pcs/bush. Three types of fruits were identified: small, medium and large, causing respectively 3 forms of berries: round, oval and pear-shaped. The number of seeds in them ranged from 1–4 pieces in small fruit and up to 11–16 pieces in large fruit. The most accomplished and high-quality seeds are formed in medium-sized fruits, having a germination rate of 91.0 %, a germination energy of 74.0 %, and a maximum mass of 1000 seeds – 8.20 g. High rates of germination showed seeds not purified from the pericarp. When the seeds were ripening, the myrtle had a high moisture content – 63 % and during the whole period of storage the pericarp protected the seed from drying out.
