Unstable and cool weather for the season

At the end of May and the beginning of June, the agrometeorological conditions will be determined by unstable and cool weather for the season. Significant precipitation is forecast in many parts of the country, improving moisture reserves in the upper soil layers and the conditions for the vegetation of spring crops. The expected precipitation at the end of May and the beginning of June will prove to be too late for part of the wheat stands in some areas of Eastern Bulgaria (Provadia, Shabla, D. Chiflik, Karnobat), where the stages of heading, flowering, fertilization and grain formation occurred under a deepening soil moisture deficit. In some eastern regions, the prematurely yellowed wheat stands, with poorly grained ears, will not be harvested.

During the following period, in the high fields, the winter cereal crops will be in the grain filling stage. In the lowland regions, wheat will be in the milk ripeness stage. Barley will be in the milk ripeness stage and, at the end of the period, will begin the transition to wax ripeness. Rapeseed will be in the ripening stage. During the period, maize and sunflower will be in the leaf formation stage. In sunflower sown within the agrotechnical time frame, the formation of the inflorescence will be observed.

The forecast cool weather with frequent precipitation during the period will create conditions for an increase in the infection pressure from some fungal pathogens – downy mildew in vineyards and vegetable crops, late brown rot in later cherry cultivars, scab in pome fruit species, etc. At the beginning of June, control of one of the most dangerous pests in orchards – the codling moth – should not be underestimated. Conditions for carrying out plant protection spraying will be present in the middle of the first ten-day period of June.

Source: NIMH