Rainfalls in Ukraine partially replenished soil moisture

Downpours were seen all over Ukraine during most of the May 11-20 period. Kharkiv region received largely 22-25 mm of precipitation, or 140-180% of normal for this time. Its rates reached 31-34 mm in some northern and northwestern areas (225-240% of normal). At the same time, at most 7-11 mm was registered in the east and south of the region during the reviewed ten days (45-70% of normal).

Dnipropetrovsk region saw precipitation occurrences during 4-6 days. These were downpours with very uneven distribution over the area. On average, the region received a total 11-30 mm of precipitation over the ten days (75-200% of normal), but this value reached 31-51 mm (205-340% of normal) in its north and west. Winter wheat sown after various predecessors had 75-83 mm of productive moisture supply in the one-meter soil layer on May 21-23. This was mostly somewhat below the multi-year average of 89-96 mm.

At the same time, the growing conditions in Kherson region were poor for both winter and early spring crops throughout April and in early May. Soil drought, which began in mid-April, expands and deepens because of a lack of productive precipitation and high daytime air temperatures. In winter wheat fields, productive soil moisture content in the one-meter layer is now at zero in central and some western parts of the region. This content is scarce in the east (23 mm), poor in southwestern and some western areas (32-34 mm), and satisfactory in the rest of the region (41-76 mm).

According to the Arable Farming Institute, winter wheat is at the end of heading and the beginning of flowering. Its plant height is 80-90 cm. Winter wheat plants have set 18-20 spikes per ear. Corn is at the stage of five leaves. Its plants are 10-15 cm tall, being somewhat taller in the south (14-25 cm).

 

IC UAC