Creation of soil-protective phytocenoses of essential oil plants in the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine

The purpose of the work was to study the adaptive properties and features of growth, development and formation of soil-protective phytocenoses of common lavender and medicinal hyssop in the conditions of the anthropogenically transformed ecosystem of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine. A high survival rate of essential oil plants was established – 89.7–92.5% and winter resistance 81.5–98.1%. During three years of vegetation, lavender plants formed bushes with a diameter of 62.4-89.6 cm. The highest yield of lavender plants was formed in the third year of vegetation, 5.29-5.84 t/ha at standard humidity. The highest yield of flower raw material of hyssop was formed in the third year of cultivation – 10.94–12.43 t/ha. The highest indicators of projective coverage of plants were formed in the third year of cultivation: in hyssop - 75.2-83.7%, in narrowleaved lavender - 62.5-58.4%, which allows the use of these essential oil plants for reclamation of anthropogenically transformed territories.