Danger from the common vole

At the beginning of April, in some of the field areas of the country, precipitation between 10-20 l/m2 fell (Karnobat – 10 l/m2, Lovech – 11 l/m2, Kazanlak – 12 l/m2, Kyustendil – 12 l/m2, Vratsa – 14 l/m2, Sofia – 17 l/m2, Shumen – 18 l/m2, Dobrich – 20 l/m2, Ruse – 21 l/m2), which improved soil moisture and the conditions for the development of agricultural crops.

Until mid-month, the vegetation processes in winter cereal crops and the initial stages of development of the spring crops sown so far will take place at mean daily temperatures around and above the norm. In wheat and barley, the tillering stage will be observed on a mass scale. In certain areas of the Danubian Plain, a transition from tillering to stem elongation will occur, and in some places in Southern Bulgaria (agro-stations Lyubimets and Haskovo) the beginning of the stem elongation stage will proceed.

The area under autumn-sown crops in Dobrich region is about 1,325,000 decares. Of these, almost 1,200,000 decares are sown with wheat, 56,000 decares with barley and almost 72,000 decares with oilseed rape. Despite the precipitation during autumn and winter, the amount of soil moisture is insufficient. More rainfall is expected so that both the cereal crops and the new maize and sunflower harvest can develop better.

The low temperatures in February and March hindered the development of most diseases in the crops. However, in the northeastern areas of Dobrich region, the common vole is being observed. Up to 2 colonies per decare of this pest have been recorded in fields with maize as a preceding crop.

Regularly inspect crops for common vole

In oilseed rape, the formation of branches will proceed. In fruit species, the stages of bud burst, bud formation and flowering will be observed.

In grapevine, sap flow and bud swelling will proceed. At the beginning of the second half of the period, in some of the field areas, negative minimum temperatures are forecast and there is a risk of possible damage to fruit trees that have entered the flowering stage.

In the regions of Eastern and Central Bulgaria, where precipitation of agronomic significance is forecast, conditions will limit the possibilities for carrying out seasonal activities – soil cultivation and sowing of spring crops, as well as pre-flowering treatments in perennial crops.