Warm and dry autumn awaits us in October

At the beginning of autumn, after the prolonged drought, the agrometeorological conditions underwent a positive change. The rainfall, in many parts of the country exceeding 20–30 l/m² (Vratsa, Knezha, Oryahovo, Sofia, Dragoman, Kyustendil, Blagoevgrad, Sandanski, Kazanlak, Kardzhali, Elhovo, Razgrad, Burgas), increased the moisture content in the upper soil layers, which is of great importance for the proper implementation of seasonal soil tillage. Exceptions exist in parts of the Thracian Lowland and in the eastern regions, where the rainfall at the end of September was of no economic significance.

In October, the agrometeorological conditions will be determined by temperatures above the climatic norms and precipitation below the monthly norm.

During the first ten-day period, significant precipitation is not forecast and in most of the field areas the conditions will allow the performance of pre-sowing tillage and the sowing of autumn crops. This year the drought has hindered the sowing of winter rapeseed and a large part of the planned areas will be sown in October – after the agrotechnical deadlines. The probability is increased that the later-sown stands will not be able to form a rosette (7–8 leaves) by the end of their autumn vegetation, a phase in which rapeseed successfully overwinters.

October is the optimal period for sowing winter cereal crops. In the first half of the month is the agrotechnical term for sowing wheat in Northern Bulgaria, in the second half – for Southern Bulgaria, and in the third ten-day period – for the areas along the Black Sea coast.

During the first ten-day period, the forecast seasonally high temperatures, with maximum values up to 25–30°C, will accelerate the ripening of late wine grape varieties and will provide conditions for obtaining additional production from vegetable crops of the late field production.

After the unseasonably warm weather in the second half of October, a gradual normalization of the thermal conditions is expected. The forecast precipitation during the second and the first half of the third ten-day period will be of great importance for the normal course of the initial phases of vegetation of the sown autumn crops. At the end of October, depending on the sowing dates, the following phases will be observed in wheat: emergence, third leaf and beginning of tillering in the earliest sown stands, sown at the beginning of October.

The forecast above-normal temperatures during the month will create conditions for an increase in the population of certain pests – the common vole. In October, the autumn crops must be monitored and, when the vole population exceeds the economic injury threshold (2 active colonies per decare), control with authorized rodenticides (Phostoxin pellets) is necessary – poisonous baits that are placed at the entrances of the colonies.

On most days of the month, the conditions will be suitable for harvesting the fruit crop. In apple and pear orchards affected by scab, to reduce the inoculum it is advisable, at the beginning of leaf fall, after harvesting the fruit, to carry out treatment with a 5% urea solution.

For stone fruit species, after mass leaf fall, spraying with a 2% Bordeaux mixture is recommended against the causal agents of shot hole disease, early brown rot, peach leaf curl, etc.

Source: NIMH