Agrometeorological forecast for March 2019

At the beginning of March, the agrometeorological conditions will be determined by weather that is warm for the season. During the first ten-day period, in most of the arable regions of the country, the forecast values of the mean daily temperatures will exceed the biological minimum required for the resumption of vegetation processes in winter cereal crops and rapeseed.

At the beginning of the second ten-day period, a decrease in temperatures is forecast, more significant in Northern Bulgaria and the high fields, which will limit and delay the development of agricultural crops. During this ten-day period, conditions for slow vegetation in winter cereal crops will be created mainly in the extreme southeastern and southern regions of the country.

At the end of the second and the beginning of the third ten-day period of March, an improvement in temperature conditions and activation of vegetation processes in autumn-sown crops and perennial plantations is expected. By the end of March, most of the late-developing wheat and barley stands that have overwintered in the 2–3 leaf stage will enter the tillering stage. In winter cereal crops that tillered in the autumn, an increase in the tillering coefficient will be observed. At the end of March, rapeseed that has overwintered in the rosette stage will form branches.

In March, the phases of bud swelling and bud burst will take place in fruit crops.

At the end of the month, in early-flowering species (almond, apricot, peach) the flower bud stage will be observed, and in some places, mainly in the southern regions, also the beginning of flowering. During the month, the forecast minimum temperatures, down to minus 8°C, will pose a risk to the most advanced fruit trees that have entered the bud formation and flowering stages. The expected precipitation in March, around the norm, will increase soil moisture reserves in the one-metre and deeper soil layers. At the end of February, in most of the arable regions, soil moisture reserves for winter cereal crops in the one-metre layer were above 90% of field capacity (FC). Exceptions were observed in places in the Danube Plain (Novachene agrometeorological station), in the extreme southern (Haskovo) and eastern regions (D. Chiflik), where the level of moisture reserves was lower – 85–86% of FC. During the month, more favourable conditions for carrying out pre-sowing tillage of areas intended for sowing with early and medium-early spring crops, and for performing plant protection spraying in orchards, will occur at the beginning of the month, in the second half of the second ten-day period, and in the middle of the third ten-day period. In mid-March begins the agrotechnical window (15–20.03) for sowing sunflower in Southern Bulgaria, and in the middle of the third ten-day period (25.03–5.04) – in the Danube Plain.

Source: NIMH