Practice of improving Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seeds and European spruce (Picea abies L.) progeny

The article notes that the efficiency of reforestation in the Russian Federation is insufficient, the main problems are shortage and high cost of planting material. Techniques for presowing treatment of seeds in order to increase germination energy and germination of seeds are analyzed. A review of literature sources has been conducted to assess the application effectiveness of plant growth regulators in soaking seeds in order to increase their progenity and increase the resistance of seedlings to adverse factors. Soaking seeds does not require much effort and is the easiest way to treat seeds. A review of preparations (plant growth regulators) for seed processing from the «State Catalog of Pesticides and Agrochemicals» showed that mainly preparations are designed to stimulate the germination of seeds of agricultural plants, fruit and berry crops. Research is actively conducted to find effective preparations and their optimal concentrations for the treatment of coniferous seeds. Based on the review of research, a list of effective preparations for the treatment of Scots pine seeds has been established. Along with ready-made preparations of active substances, a promising way to influence the germination of seeds and increase the resistance of emerging plants to adverse factors may be plant raw materials in the form of wood wastes, parts of shrubs and trees, fall, herbaceous vegetation, including weeds, etc. A review of chemical, biological, physiological methods for improving seed quality showed that they can all be effective. The main principle of choosing the method of treating seeds should be the availability, economic feasibility and high efficiency of the preparation and devices.