In Cherkasy Region, Farmers Choose Drought-Resistant Hybrids of Sunflower and Corn to Reduce Costs
The Cherkasy farm “BAIS-AGRO” is adapting to the growing challenges of climate, particularly frequent droughts and decreasing soil moisture levels. To address this, they are actively implementing drought-resistant hybrids of sunflower and corn, as well as reducing sowing rates to decrease plant density and, consequently, the moisture consumption by the plants.
This is reported by AgroReview
How Agricultural Production is Changing in the Context of Global Warming
The chief agronomist of the farm, Viktor Desiatnyk, noted in an interview with The Ukrainian Farmer: “I have been in agronomy for a long time – since 1985. During this time, agricultural production has changed significantly, and now the biggest changes are related to global warming: there is less moisture, winters are warmer, and summers are hot. Natural zones have shifted: Cherkasy is now transitioning from the Forest-Steppe zone to the Steppe zone. Every year, just before the sowing season, we worry about whether there will be enough soil moisture reserves. Therefore, we select hybrids of technical crops – sunflower, corn – that are more drought-resistant, and we reduce sowing rates to decrease the density of plants per square meter and, accordingly, the amount of moisture they need to consume.”
According to Viktor Desiatnyk, if a few years ago the sowing rate for late crops was 75-80 thousand seeds per hectare, now this rate has decreased to 60-65 thousand. Grain crops are sown at 4.5-5 million seeds per hectare, depending on the variety. Additionally, the depth of seed placement is determined by the level of soil moisture.
Optimization of Technologies in Response to Climate Change
Farmers strive to minimize the risks of soil drying out, so pre-sowing cultivation and sowing are carried out with minimal gaps to retain moisture. The level of nitrogen fertilization is also adjusted according to the moisture level: in dry conditions, rates are reduced to avoid excess nitrogen, which negatively affects plant development. Previously, we wrote that it is important to reduce sowing rates in new climatic conditions.