In Tatarstan, the ice crust on some fields of winter crops caused concern among farmers

Specialists of the Rosselkhozcenter branch in the Republic of Tatarstan randomly examined winter crops to determine the general condition of the fields. Phytomonitoring was carried out in the second week of December in the regions of Predkamye, Western Zakamye, South-Eastern Zakamye, Eastern Transkamye and Predvolzhye on a total area of ​​11 thousand hectares.

As stated in the monitoring report, on December 6 and 7, frosty anticyclonic weather with clearings and no significant precipitation was established in the republic. In the northern regions, in some places the temperature dropped to -16 ... -21 ° С. The maximum daytime temperatures were -4…-9 °С, in the east up to -12 °С.

Since December 8, weather conditions have worsened. Precipitation fell in the form of snow, sleet and freezing rain, in places with a blizzard, strong wind gusts up to 15–17 m/s. The minimum air temperature at night is -1...-6 °С, the maximum air temperature during the day is +1...-4 °С.

According to the results of the survey of crops, the temperature of the soil at the depth of the tillering node of winter crops was above the critical temperature leading to their freezing.

As the specialists of the branch noted, the critical drop in temperature leading to freezing of winter crops (based on the minimum soil temperature at the depth of the tillering node for two to three days) after passing through the first phase of hardening -12 ... -14 ° C, after passing through the second phase of hardening -16 …-18 °С.

“Winter wheat at the level of the tillering node can withstand up to -16 °С, winter triticale up to -17 °С, winter rye up to -18 °С,” explained Lyubov Zanina, deputy head of the Rosselkhozcenter branch in the Republic of Tatarstan.

According to her, this week (that is, starting from December 6) in some regions of the republic, after freezing rain, a loose ice crust formed on some fields of winter crops, which caused concern among farmers. “The formed loose ice crust does not pose a danger to plants. The ice crust causes the death of plants, provided that a layer of ice on the soil surface - a ground ice crust - 2 cm or more thick, lies for 4 decades or more during the wintering period of winter crops,” said Lyubov Zanina.

According to the specialists of the branch, it is possible to destroy a hard ice crust by rolling with ringed rollers, but this must be done carefully. Rolling is very effective on a hanging bark, and with a ground bark, the leaves will suffer, but the tillering nodes will survive and the plants will begin to receive oxygen.

To melt the ice on the field, you need to scatter manure, humus, peat, black soil, superphosphate over its surface.

“As of December 9, the state of winter crops is assessed as good and satisfactory. The content of sugars in winter crops is 24–43%, which corresponds to the norm,” said Lyubov Zanina.

Branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Rosselkhoztsentr" in the Republic of Tatarstan.

Tel.: (843) 277-88-80.