Ukraine. Ice crust may pose potential threat to winter crops

UkrAgroConsult

Cold, cloudy weather was observed on December 1-10. Due to a cold spell on December 1-19 with no snow cover in the fields, the soil freeze depth locally reached 20 cm and soil temperature at the depth of winter grains’ tillering node dropped to -6.8ºC. The conditions on December 1-10 were fair for wintering of grain crops.

Plants of winter grains are in dormant condition, UkrAgroConsult reports.

Precipitation in the form of snow, sleet, rain (1-5 mm). The south saw no precipitation.

Weather forecast for December 14-20:

• Precipitation (5-15 mm) in the form of snow, sleet, rain is expected in the northern and central regions. The west will receive 2-5 mm. No precipitation in the south and the east;
• Air temperature will be at +3 … +5°C in the west, 0 … +2°C in the north, -1 … +1°C in the central and eastern regions, and +1 … +3°C in the south.

So-called icy rain fell in northern and eastern Ukraine in recent days. The fields became covered with ice crust posing potential threat to winter crops. This crust prevents plant respiration and, when persisting for a long time, makes crop loss more likely.

According to weather forecasts, freezing air temperatures will prevail in the near term, keeping the crust from destruction. If the forecasts come true and the crust remains intact for longer than four weeks, this may entail large-scale loss of crops.

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UkrAgroConsult

Tags: Ukraine, winter crops, ice crust