SPECIFICS OF TANNIN CONTENT IN THE ABOVEGROUND VEGETATIVE ORGANS OF CALLISTEMON R. BR .GENUS REPRESENTATIVES

Callistemon, or scarlet bottlebrush, is a genus of evergreen shrubs, which, due to their decorative nature, are in demand among the city’s gardeners. Callistemones can be propagated both by seeds and semi-woody cuttings. However, in order to preserve the desired characteristics of a particular plant, it is necessary to use vegetative reproduction. During callistemon cutting, there was a problem associated with determining the term of cutting the stalks for rooting, as well as a problem with increasing the yield of rooted cuttings. To solve this issue, it is necessary to establish the species specificity and dynamics of phenolic components accumulation in vegetative aboveground organs with a subsequent assessment of phenol content. We have determined that the content of all phenolic components in the leaves is 2.6–3.3 times higher than in the shoots. At the same time, both species and varietal features are manifested. Analyses on tannin accumulation in the aboveground vegetative organs of representatives of the genus Callistemon R. Br. showed that in most species the tannin content in leaves is 1.3–1.7 times higher than in shoots. However, in the species C. pallidus and C. coccineus the amount of tannins in the shoots is 1.3–1.6 times higher, respectively. A distinctive feature of C. phoeniceus species is the maximum accumulation of tannins in both leaves and shoots. The amount of this phenolic group in the aboveground vegetative organs of callistemon practically does not change from May to August (being in the redistribution from 1 to 8 %, and only in the shoots of C. viminalis it reaches 12 %), which can serve as a species sign.