Unfavorable conditions for seasonal agrotechnical activities at the beginning of November

At the beginning of November, agrometeorological conditions will be determined by unstable weather and temperatures below the seasonal norm. During the period, the development of autumn-sown crops will proceed at a slowed pace.

For winter cereal crops sown at the beginning of October, the third leaf stage will be observed. For wheat and barley sown in mid-October, the emergence stage will prevail. For rapeseed sown within the agrotechnical time frame, leaf formation will proceed – the formation of the 3rd–4th leaf.

The significant precipitation during the past period, which in many places in the plains of the country exceeded the monthly norms for October, has oversaturated the upper and deeper soil layers. In parts of Southern Bulgaria, soil moisture reserves in the one-metre layer have reached levels close to field capacity and full field moisture capacity. In some southeastern regions, part of the sown autumn crops are flooded, which will increase the risk of development of certain fungal pathogens causing rot (black root rot) in emerged winter cereal crops.

The expected precipitation during the next period will maintain unfavourable conditions for carrying out seasonal agrotechnical activities. Delays are expected in the completion of wheat sowing. At the end of October, the agrotechnical deadlines for sowing winter cereal crops also expire in the southern regions of the country. There is a high probability that crops sown late, in November, will not manage to enter the tillering stage by the end of their autumn vegetation, a stage in which plants successfully overwinter.

Source: NIMH-BAS