Frost in Ukraine did not reach winter crop kill threshold

Winter crops across Ukraine remained in a state of winter dormancy during the first ten days of January this year, according to the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center in its decadal report.

Agrometeorologists reported no hazardous conditions threatening the overwintering of winter crops and fruit trees. Minimum soil temperatures at the depth of the tillering node (3 cm) for winter crops and perennial grasses dropped to minus 3–9°C. In Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Chernivtsi, and Zakarpattia regions, temperatures fell only to minus 1–2°C, which is well above the critical frost-kill threshold.

Scientists noted that the calculated critical frost-kill temperatures were as follows: winter wheat at the emergence stage — minus 12–13°C; at the three-leaf stage — minus 13–14°C; at the tillering stage — minus 14–16°C; winter rye — minus 15–17°C; and winter barley and rapeseed — minus 11–12°C.

They also added that due to temperature fluctuations and precipitation, mainly in the form of rain, a compact ice crust up to 5 mm thick formed on some fields in Odesa region, covering 80–100% of the field area.

Tags: Ukraine, crop condition