The drought in the southern regions of Ukraine is intensifying due to uneven rainfall

From May to July, precipitation in Ukraine was very unevenly distributed: in the southern regions, it was below normal, while in the northern and western regions, a sufficient amount of rain contributed to the formation of a good harvest of early and late crops.

Heavy rains in Sumy, Poltava, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and western regions replenished soil moisture reserves in the last decade of July. In these regions, soybean, sunflower, and corn crops have recorded optimal soil moisture - 80-100 mm or more of productive moisture, the Ukrhydrometeorological Center reports in another review.

In the western and northern regions, a sufficient amount of heat and soil moisture contributed to the formation of the harvest of late crops: the growth of baskets and the flowering of sunflowers, the flowering of corn, and the formation of soybeans. At the same time, in the southern regions during July, the amount of precipitation was only 25-50% of the norm, and in some areas of Odesa, Kherson region, and Mykolaiv region - only 7-15% of the norm, which adversely, and in some places critically affected the formation of the harvest of late crops. In most of these regions, the reserves of productive moisture in the meter layer of the soil are almost or completely exhausted, so the air-soil drought continues there. It suppresses plants and leads to premature ripening of agricultural crops, which reduces yield. In the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions, the technical ripeness of sunflower was recorded 2-3 weeks earlier than the norm. Crops are adversely affected by droughts caused by winds and dry air.

In Transcarpathia, the weather does not favor the vegetation of late crops. Lack of rainfall and high temperatures throughout the summer led to wilting of plants, premature yellowing of leaves and reduced yield potential.

In the absence of precipitation in the southern and central regions, the forecasts for the sunflower and corn harvest may decrease again.

Much of Europe has been under heat this week, adding to the stress on late crops, particularly maize and sugar beet. In the coming days, a cold front will reduce temperatures in the north, but already next week, the heat will return there.

In the US, there were heavy rains that lowered temperatures and improved moisture reserves in soybean, corn and spring wheat crops.

In the prairies of Canada, rains continue, which, against the background of low temperatures, contribute to the filling of wheat and canola.

In southern Argentina, the main wheat-growing areas, rain is not expected until next week, but it is unlikely to improve the condition of the crops, so the forecast for wheat production is lowered.