The Hughes subgroup (Q1892720)

The author gives a new common proof of the Hughes \(H_p\)-conjecture for \(p=3\) and for metabelian groups. Reviewer's remark: Another universal approach is possible based on the following theorem of the reviewer: If \(|G:H_p(G)|\geq p^k\), then the associated Lie ring \({\mathcal L}(G)\) of \(G\) satisfies all multilinear identities of degree \(\leq (k-1)(p-1)+1\) of the associated Lie ring of a free group of exponent \(p\) [Sib. Mat. Zh. 35, No. 1, 221- 227 (1994; Zbl 0835.20030)]. The associated Lie ring of a free group of exponent 3 (respectively, of a free metabelian group of exponent \(p\), of a free 2-generator group of exponent 5) is known to be a free 2-Engel Lie algebra of characteristic 3 (respectively, a free metabelian \((p-1)\)- Engel Lie algebra of characteristic \(p\), a free 2-generator 4-Engel Lie algebra of characteristic 5). Hence, taking \(k=2\), we obtain that the Hughes conjecture is valid for \(p=3\) (respectively, for metabelian \(p\)- groups, for 2-generator 5-groups), stating that \(|G:H_p(G)|\geq p^2\) implies that \(G\) is of exponent \(p\).