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The cultivation of legumes in Ukraine is key for agriculture and the economy, as they are strategic crops for food security, export potential and sustainable development of the agricultural sector. The study aimed to examine the current state of legume cultivation in Ukraine and identify the main aspects that determine their production. Gross harvest, yields, planted areas, export dynamics and prices of such legumes as soybeans, chickpeas, beans and peas for 2015-2023 were analysed to address the set aim. The results of the study showed the stability and potential growth of legume production in Ukraine. Despite changes in the level of soybean exports, production and processing from year to year, there is a general upward trend. In 2023, soybean exports reached a record high of 3.6 million tonnes, a significant increase from the lowest level in 2021, when only 1.4 million tonnes were exported. As for peas, chickpeas and beans, their production in Ukraine reflected fluctuating trends. Pea production peaked in 2018 at 755 thousand tonnes, chickpea production reached its highest level in 2021 (93.4 thousand tonnes), and beans in 2020 (65 thousand tonnes). In the period from 2021 to 2023, prices for legumes in Ukraine showed steady growth, with chickpeas at 21.6 thousand UAH/t, beans at 33-35 thousand UAH/t, and peas at 8.1 thousand UAH/t. The price dynamics of soybeans also showed an increase to the level of 17.2-17.4 thousand UAH/t. The strategic directions identified in the study point to the need to invest in research, technological progress and infrastructure to ensure sustainability in legume production

Research on the development of sustainable and productive methods of corn cultivation is becoming relevant due to the growing demand for food resources and the need to optimise agrotechnical processes. The study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of maize cultivation under different tillage methods. A field experiment was conducted to achieve this goal, phenological observations of corn plant development was made, and grain quality was studied. The results of the maize yield analysis show that ploughing to a depth of 30 cm produces the highest maize yield of 91.6 c/ha while disking to a depth of 15 cm results in the lowest yield of 80.6 c/ha. The study proved that the method of tillage affects grain quality indicators, in particular, the content of crude fibre, starch, protein and crude fat. Thus, when ploughing to a depth of 30 cm, the starch content in the grain was 70.9%, crude fibre – 2.12%, protein – 10.2%, and crude fat – 4.225%. The correlation and regression analysis showed that the coefficient of determination (R2) for tillage is about 0.9, which means that the model accurately describes the available data, and for grain quality indicators, R2 is in the range of 0.66-0.99, which also indicates a strong relationship between the factors under study. The practical significance of the research results is that they can serve as a basis for optimising the agronomic processes of maize cultivation to increase yields and improve grain quality

Agroecological substantiation of cereal crops cultivation technologies becomes especially relevant in conditions of insufficient moisture, as it requires sustainable and efficient agro-production systems that ensure high yields and preserve natural resources. The aim of the study is to determine the impact of nitrogen fertilisation on the growth and development of winter wheat in an arid climate. To achieve this goal, a field study was conducted at the fields of the Educational and Research Centre of Mykolaiv National Agrarian University to study mineral nutrition and the impact of different nitrogen rates on the structure and quality of winter wheat grain yield. The study found that increasing nitrogen fertiliser rates has a positive impact on crop growth and yield. The application of higher nitrogen rates, in particular N60 and N80 in spring fertilisation, increases plant height by 3.8 and 4.6 cm, respectively, compared to N30. In addition, a double increase in nitrogen fertiliser rates resulted in a 3.5% increase in the number of productive stems and a 13.6% increase in the weight of 1,000 seeds. Mineral fertilisers also had a significant impact on winter wheat yields, with Р30К30+N60 and Р30К30+N80 yielding 51.8 and 49.3 c/ha, respectively. The results of laboratory studies confirmed that nitrogen fertilizers in an increased amount lead to a decrease in the starch content in winter wheat grains, while simultaneously increasing the protein content. Correlation analysis showed a tendency to increase the yield of winter wheat with higher application of nitrogen fertilizers, however, in order to avoid deterioration of the quality of crop products, it is important to follow the recommendations. The practical significance of the obtained results lies in optimizing the cultivation of grain crops, as well as increasing their yield in conditions of limited water resources and the threat of drought

The introduction of new crops to agrophytocenoses, to which Crocus sativus belongs, should be preceded by research into their ecological safety and place in crop rotation. When harvesting raw materials for obtaining saffron, up to 90% of by-products remain, which during decomposition can have a negative effect on the soil and indirectly on the plants that are grown after saffron. Therefore, the aim of the research was to study the allelopathic activity of water-soluble and volatile secretions of Crocus sativus flowers in the agroclimatic conditions of the Northern Black Sea region. The research was conducted in 2021 according to the generally accepted methodology, freshly picked flowers were used, from which individual elements were extracted, and flowers of different stages of flowering. The following research methods were used: field, laboratory, computational and statistical. The results of the research established that the water-soluble secretions of Crocus sativus flowers and their parts stimulate the energy of germination and inhibit the growth of one-day seedlings of Lactuca sativum. Water-soluble secretions of Crocus sativus flowers have a negative allelopathic effect. The index of allelopathic activity under the action of water-soluble secretions of flowers ranges from -0.26 for a flower with all parts to -0.01 for petals. The highest stimulating effect of volatile secretions on the growth of Lactuca sativum roots and the allelopathic activity index value is characteristic of the flower that has just bloomed and the stamens, and the lowest - for the pistils. The allelopathic activity of the volatile secretions of Crocus sativus flower parts is set at the level of 6.4 (pistil) and 28.8% (stamens). Substances that inhibit the germination of Lactuca sativum roots are found mainly in the stamens. It was determined that the volatile secretions of Crocus sativus flower parts reduce the energy of seed germination of the test plant. The practical value of the research is that the results of the research can be used when determining the place of the crop in crop rotation and the duration of its cultivation in one field

The autumn growth and development of plants depend on a complex of external factors: the average daily air temperature, the amount of precipitation, the humidity of the seed layer of the soil, nutrients, light, etc. If winter wheat is sown at a later date, there are risks that the plants will enter the winter not well developed. It is possible to accelerate the passage of interphase periods with the help of irrigation, which is a necessary agrotechnical measure in the Southern Steppe of Ukraine. The purpose of the research is to establish the influence of varietal characteristics, irrigation and weather conditions on the duration of interphase periods of winter wheat in the autumn period on an international scale. Experimental research was carried out during 2020-2021 on southern chernozem, on the basis of the Educational Scientific and Practical Center of the Mykolaiv NAU with two varieties of winter wheat. Field, laboratory and comparative calculation methods were used during the research. The establishment and conduct of experiments were carried out according to the methodology of the research case. Soil moisture was determined by the thermogravimetric method, and phenophases were determined simultaneously throughout the experiment. It was determined that irrigation for 1-2 days reduces the duration of the interphase period of BBCH 00-09; for 3 days – BBCH 10-12; for 11 days – BBCH 13-19; for 5-7 days – BBCH 20-22. In natural conditions (without irrigation), the duration of the interphase periods (from BBCH 00-09 to 20-22) of the growth and development of plants of the studied varieties of winter wheat in 2020 was 93-96 days, which is 23-25 days more than in 2021. In plants of the Ovid variety under conditions of natural moisture (without irrigation), the interphase periods came 1-3 days later than in the Duma Odeska variety, while under irrigation conditions there was no significant difference. The obtained scientific results of the research will contribute to the wider implementation of irrigation, which will ensure the rapid and full growth and development of winter wheat plants in the autumn period, which will further contribute to increasing the yield and gross harvest of grain