Lotus growth and development in artificial water bodies in the conditions of the Stavropol Upland

Relevance. The creation of a botanical collection of the lotus family made it possible to study the biology and adaptive features of a rare relict species of Nelumbo nucifera and its variety in the conditions of the Stavropol Upland.

Methods. The main phases of development (the beginning of growth, budding, flowering) were recorded. Statistical processing was carried out by the method of variance analysis according to G.N. Zaitsev.

Results. In 2010, Nelumbo nucifera seeds were purchased from the Volga River Delta and planted in a 100-liter container, which was located in a closed ground. From 2010 to 2014, the plant vegetated every year from the second decade of January to November, in November, vegetation was artificially stopped. With such agricultural techniques, the plant had no flowering and fruiting phases. In June 2014, rhizomes were planted and lotus seeds were sown in a pond made of butyl rubber film. In 2017, the first flowering was observed. During the study period, the plants did not reach natural indicators, on average, the diameter of the leaves is less by 18.5 ± 1.6 cm, the flowers are 2 ± 0.1 cm, the height is 1.0–1.5 m. The duration of flowering is 57 ± 4 days, which corresponds to the natural conditions of lotus growth from mid-July to early September. During the years of research, 495 seeds were obtained. Under the influence of abiotic factors, the nut-bearing lotus lives up to 8 years in the botanical garden. Nelumbo nucifera Betsy grows intensively, flowering occurred in the third year after sowing, leaf diameter 57 ± 3 cm, height above the water surface 78 ± 7 cm, flowering duration 73 ± 7 days, which is longer than that of the nut-bearing lotus, full-fledged seeds are formed.

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