At the beginning of July, the agrometeorological conditions will undergo a positive change

The widespread, substantial precipitation that fell during the last days of June, exceeding 50-60 l/m² in many places in Southern Bulgaria (Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Sliven, Karnobat), led to an increase in soil moisture reserves in the 0-50 cm and 0-100 cm layers. In most of the field regions they reached levels above 80-85% of the field capacity (FC). In some southern regions, the intensive rainfall flooded agricultural land and caused damage – lodging of the ripe wheat crops.

During the next period, an increase in temperatures and an improvement in the conditions for the vegetation of spring crops are forecast. During the period, in maize, depending on its earliness, different stages will be observed – leaf formation, tasselling, flowering of the tassel and silking. In sunflower, in the higher fields, inflorescence formation will occur, while in the crops in the field regions the flowering stage will take place. In beans and soybeans, pod formation will be observed, and in cotton – the budding stage.

In the second half of the period, no precipitation is expected in the field regions, which will provide an opportunity for carrying out urgent plant protection spraying. The wet weather at the end of June created conditions for the development of a number of fungal diseases: late blight on tomatoes; downy mildew on cucumbers; scab and late brown rot in fruit trees, which will necessitate the use of systemic fungicides.

By the middle of the first ten-day period of July, in many parts of the country the high moisture content in the upper soil layers will hinder the harvesting of the ripe grain crop.

Source: NIMH