В late March and early April – temperatures above the climatic norms activate the vegetation processes in winter cereal crops and perennial plantations

Above-normal temperatures during the second half of March activated the vegetation processes in winter cereal crops and perennial plantations. In certain locations in the southern regions of the country (Sandanski, Plovdiv, Pazardzhik, Haskovo, Lyubimets), part of the wheat and barley stands entered the stem elongation stage earlier than the usual time frame.

During the next seven-day period, the development of agricultural crops will proceed at temperatures above the climatic norms. During the period, in wheat in the field areas a transition from tillering to stem elongation will be observed, and stem elongation stage in the stands in the Danube Plain and in the southern regions.

In stone fruit species, flowering will progress without the risk of critical minimum temperatures. In pome fruit species, the flower bud stage will predominate. During this stage, treatments must be carried out against economically important diseases – apple and pear scab, and apple powdery mildew.

In vines, the stages of bud swelling and bud break (Bazovets, Pleven, Sliven) will occur, during which treatments are carried out against the disease excoriose.

More suitable conditions for conducting plant protection spraying will be present during the first half of the period.

By the middle of the first ten-day period of April, significant precipitation is not expected, and the conditions will allow soil cultivation and sowing of medium-early spring crops. The following period coincides with the agrotechnical time frame for sunflower sowing in the Danube Plain.

Source: NIMH