Winter crops include three cereals (rye, wheat, barley) and one oilseed – rapeseed.
In Lviv region, the projected area under crops for the 2024 harvest is 746 thousand hectares. Approximately 30-35% of these hectares are planted to winter crops.
The agrometeorological conditions for winter crops this year are mixed. A survey of the phytosanitary condition of crops showed that above-zero temperatures in February led to active vegetation (ed. – active period of plant life) of winter crops. In general, the plants are in the tillering phase and are in good condition.
In the same period last year, vegetation recovery was also observed, but the crops were dormant. This was reported by the Department of Agricultural Development of the UGA with reference to the Lviv Regional Centre for Hydrometeorology and Phytosanitary Safety of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection in Lviv region.
To the point: The area under winter crops is increasing in Lviv region: how farmers are adapting
“Monitoring the condition of crops allows farmers to react in a timely manner and apply the first nitrogen fertilisation in early spring and not be late with the timing of plant protection products to protect crops from pests and get high yields,” says Tetiana Hetman, director of the department.
According to the Phytosanitary Safety Department, early vegetation resumption promotes the accumulation of aboveground mass and secondary root systems, and plants that were damaged during the winter have more time to regenerate and recover. Such conditions have a positive effect on late-sown crops that have not yet matured or are not sufficiently matured.
According to the results of the analysis of winter wheat regrowth samples, the number of plants with good viability is 96.6%, with reduced viability – 1.7%, and plant death – 1.7%. Plants with sprouts over 0.3 cm long as a result of meristem growth are considered viable, while plants with a growth of less than 0.3 cm are considered weakened. During the second half of February, the meristem growth of winter wheat was 0.2-2.5 cm.
In the same period last year, the percentage of viable plants ranged from 84-90%, with reduced viability at 5-11% and dead plants at 3.5-6%.
This year, however, other factors may also affect the condition of winter crops: high humidity, waterlogged soil, and optimal temperatures that favour overwintering of infections of major winter crop diseases, which may lead to an increase in plant disease incidence, including powdery mildew, Septoria, and root rot.
Currently, 0.2% to 4% of plants are affected by diseases. The warm and precipitation-free weather forecast for late February and early March will help dry the soil and allow us to inspect crops and, depending on their condition, provide timely care.
As a reminder, according to the latest information from the Department of Agricultural Development, in the 2023/2024 season, Lviv region farmers increased the area under winter crops by 2.9%. In this way, producers are trying to optimise costs, as the yield of winter crops is 20-30% higher than that of spring crops. The largest increase in the area was recorded for winter barley (+8.2%) and rye (+3.1%), and winter wheat (+2.8%). The area under winter rapeseed increased by only 0.2%.