The species composition of weed seeds and fruits in regulated articles from the central districts of Stavropol Krai

Abstract

Wide trade relations with foreign countries, provision of food security of the country on grain resources, increased volume of transportation of agricultural cargoes constantly create a possibility of introduction and spread of dangerous weed seeds. Timely detection of seeds and fruits of weed plants in regulated articles is of great importance.
In 2023 regulated articles of Stavropol Krai (Alexandrovsky and Novoselitsky districts), supplied to Armenia and Belarus and transported within Russia, consisted of 7 types of food and technical grains – wheat, barley, corn, peas, flax, sunflower, rapeseed, as well as seed production. Specialists of the accredited testing laboratory of the Pyatigorsk branch of FGBU “VNIIKR” analyzed 436 samples during the year. Herbological examination of products was conducted in order to identify infestation with seeds of absent or limitedly present on the territory of the Russian Federation quarantine weed plants, as well as widespread non-quarantine species. Species composition of weed seeds in regulated articles is not distinguished by great diversity, consists of 14 species of weed seeds, the most part of which belongs to annual spring weeds with seed reproduction, and also to perennial suckering weeds. Thus, perennial suckering weeds Convolvulus arvensis L. and Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. have been identified. During the study period, 29 cases of occurrence of the quarantine object were detected – Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. – in commercial sunflower. The highest number of detections of non-quarantine weed seeds was observed in samples of food peas, flax, sunflower and wheat.