Hot July with danger of hail until the 20th in Western Bulgaria-Agro Plovdiv

2023-06-30 07:12:58

July will defend its reputation as the hottest month of the year with temperatures even lower than normal and more precipitation in the first half of the month. Precipitation will be mainly in Western Bulgaria. Rainfall from 0 to 10 liters per square meter is expected in the coming days on Sunday, July 2 in almost the entire country. The forecast was made this morning by climatologist Prof. Georgi Rachev before bTV.

During most of the days of the first and second ten days of July, the agro-meteorological conditions will continue to be determined by unstable weather, with frequent rains, which will hinder the most important event of the season – the harvesting of wheat and the timely treatment against diseases and pests of agricultural crops. This was reported by agrometeorologist Dukena Zholeva from NIMH. Excessive June rainfall in most of the country, with the exception of the southeastern regions, worsened the phytosanitary condition of vegetable crops and fruit trees, and in some places in the western regions was the cause of compromising the cherry harvest.

In the first and second ten days of July, an increased probability of intense, significant rainfall and hail is again predicted – another test for agricultural crops and risk of spoiling the ripened grain harvest. During this period, the vegetation of the well-supplied spring crops will take place at a moderate pace, with mid-day and night temperatures close to climatic norms. In maize, depending on the early maturity and, different phases will be observed: leaf formation, sweep, panicle flowering and tillering. With sunflowers in Polish areas, flowering, fertilization and seeding will occur.

During the third ten-day period, the development of agricultural crops will take place under the usual thermal conditions for the end of July. During this period, extremely high maximum temperatures are predicted, in places up to 38-39oC, which will adversely affect flowering and fertilization in vegetable crops and later hybrids of maize. In ten days, the early corn hybrids will enter the milk maturity phase. The beginning of the ripening phase will be observed in the case of sunflower, sown within the agrotechnical period in places in the Danube plain.

The predicted relatively dry and hot weather during the third ten days of July will limit the development of a number of fungal diseases, with the exception of powdery mildew on fruit trees, vegetable crops and vines. In fruit crops, the fight against the second generation of fruitworms should not be underestimated. Treatments against diseases and pests should be carried out during the cooler hours of the day, with preparations with an appropriate quarantine period according to the period of ripening of the crops.