Severe heat can reduce the yield of late crops in Ukraine by 20-30% – Hydrometeorological Center

The unfavorable weather conditions that have been established in the central, eastern and southern regions of Ukraine and will continue for some time may reduce the harvest of late crops by 20-30%, the Hydrometeorological Center reports in its report “Update on Adverse Agrometeorological Conditions in July 2024 and their Impact on the Harvest of Late Crops in Ukraine”.

Starting from the end of June, air drought began to spread across Ukraine, which in many regions was combined with soil drought and as of July 15 covered large areas with about 30-50% of late crops.

“Against the backdrop of abnormally high average daily temperatures and rapid accumulation of effective heat, the amount of which has been significantly higher than long-term averages since the beginning of the growing season, there is a reduction in the interphase periods of soybean, sunflower and corn development, which can lead to premature drying of plants,” meteorologists say.

The most vulnerable to high temperatures is corn, which requires a lot of moisture during the flowering period. Decreased soil moisture reserves and heat stress in some fields have led to wilting, stunted growth, yellowing and drying of leaves and stems, and in some places the plants have dried out completely.

“The heat causes pollen sterilization, poor pollination of plants, and the formation of through-grains in the cobs, which reduces the final yield,” the report says.

Dry and hot weather will also have a negative impact on sunflower crops, as it will lead to the formation of small seeds and decrease in yield.

According to meteorologists, after July 18-20, short-term rains and thunderstorms will be observed in the western regions, which will reduce temperatures to 25-28°C.

Tags: Ukraine, grain, crop forecast