For now, high temperatures do not threaten corn, soybeans and sunflowers. The crops of these plants are still green, although in some places the lower leaves are drying.
The tropical heat has already lasted for more than seven days, and according to meteorological reports, no significant temperature drop has been announced, except for a slight drop by a few degrees. Farmers and agronomists are worried about how the main agricultural crops will withstand these conditions. Farmers depend on the yield for their lives, especially after last year’s poor harvest caused by a supercell storm.
According to the data of the Republic Institute of Statistics, corn is the most widespread crop, sown on about 961,270 hectares. Thanks to the recent rains, it looks good at the moment, but Dr. Goran Bekavac from the Institute of Agriculture and Vegetables in Novi Sad expressed concern about how the corn will withstand the announced tropical heat.
Dr. Bekavac stated that they do not have enough experience to predict in advance the impact of such heat on corn, especially without significant cooling even at night. He added that he believes that early hybrids and early planting of corn will better withstand this heat wave. He also emphasized that the corn has already passed the threshing stage and is now in the grain filling stage, and instead of the African heat, the rain that fell before these high temperatures would suit it better, which is why it still looks good in the fields. Dr. Bekavac estimated that the corn would already be in danger if it weren’t for that rain.
Will the crops be saved?
Last year’s drought and supercell storm significantly reduced the yield of soybeans, which are particularly sensitive to a lack of moisture. Vojin Đukić from the Institute of Agriculture and Vegetables in Novi Sad warned that the influence of the tropical climate this year on this oilseed is not yet clear, but according to current weather forecasts, the situation is not promising.
Đukić pointed out that a dry climate with a tropical wave is a risk for early and late soybean varieties, where later varieties can have even lower yields than early ones. He also emphasized that tropical heat has a negative effect on soybeans in the stage of pod formation and grain filling. Đukić assessed that soybeans currently look good in the fields, but the high temperatures will not be able to last long and that rain is now necessary for its further development.
Unlike corn and soybeans, the sunflower can withstand longer periods of tropical heat without rain. This year it bloomed earlier than usual due to the warm weather that accelerated the vegetation. Early flowering just resulted in shorter plants than usual.
Đukić also emphasized that the last rain was favorable for sunflowers. He emphasized that it fell between 30 and 50 liters per square meter. And that helped to develop the crops in question. However, wilting and overheating of the lower leaves can already be observed in some plots.
Source: Farmer
Source: boljazemlja.com
