INTRODUCTION ABILITIES OF ONOBRYCHIS ARENARIA (KIT.) DC. IN CENTRAL YAKUTIA
Onobrychis arenaria (Kit.) DC. is a valuable forage plant. The species is known as a good melliferous plant that can also be used as a medicinal and ornamental plant. The introduction evaluation of Onobrychis arenaria was carried out, and the research objectives were as following: the study of a seasonal rhythm of the species development, a comparative analysis of morphological characteristics of cultivated and wild plants, and the definition of seed reproduction abilities of the species. Onobrychis arenaria, being a representative of a monotypic genus in Yakutia, represents a widespread species. The studies were conducted in the Yakut Botanical Garden of the Institute for Biological Problems of Cryolithozone, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Concurrent observation was conducted in the plant introduction nursery and in the initial natural cenopopulation, being seeds source for the collection. The results of a long-term introduction experiment were used, the phenological observation was carried out by I.N. Beideman’s technique, and plant seed yielding capacity was defined according to the Guidelines on Seed Science of Introduced Plants. In the conditions of the Botanical garden the Onobrychis arenaria blossoms and bears fruits annually; culture conditions favorably affect plant growth and development, the rhythm of ontogeny changes, and the values of both linear and quantitative features increase considerably. The laboratory germination and seed yield of Onobrychis arenaria in the wild and in culture have been studied. A high introduction ability of Onobrychis arenaria suggests its successful cultivation as a forage and ornamental plant.