Prospects for the introduction of various representatives of the genus larch (Larix Mill.) in the Nizhny Novgorod region

The purpose of the study is a comparative assessment of the viability and prospects of further economic use of various representatives of the genus Larch in the Nizhny Novgorod region. To assess the viability and prospects of plants, 7 main indicators were adopted, which were determined by systematic visual observations of the general and seasonal development of plants and, at the same time, can characterize the condition and the possibility of the existence of these plants in these conditions. These are the following indicators: lignification of shoots; winter hardiness; preservation of the growth form; shoot-forming ability; height gain; generative development ability; methods of reproduction in culture. Representatives of the genus larch have complete lignification of the entire annual growth, annual shoots do not freeze during the winter period, and the form of growth in the culture remains. In addition, the studied species of larch have an annual increase in height and are capable of seed maturation. The study showed that European larch and Sukachev’s larch have the highest viability (100 points) in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The overall viability index of Japanese larch, broad-scaled larch and hanging larch is slightly lower (95 points), but they can also be attributed to the group of quite promising species. Daurian larch, Lyubarsky larch and Polish larch have a lower viability index (93 points). The conducted studies, which have shown the high viability of all introduced species of the genus Larch, determine great opportunities for carrying out full-scale introduction work, forming an assortment of species of this genus, replicating planting material to create landscaping plantings of larch in the territory of settlements of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The native species, Sukachev’s larch, deserves wider use in forestry, and the introducers of this genus are used in the creation of plantation and landscape crops, protective afforestation, and landscaping of settlements.

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