Moisture Consumption in Soil During the Vegetation Period of Winter Wheat: Impact of Predecessors

A study conducted by the State Institution Institute of Grain Crops of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences revealed that before harvesting winter wheat, the amount of moisture available to plants in the top meter of soil decreased to levels of 29.6-38 mm. In years with abundant rainfall, such as in 2021, under rainy conditions during the spring-summer period, the reserves of agronomically valuable moisture in the top meter reached 142 mm under winter wheat sown on black fallow, 131 mm after peas, and 89 mm after sunflowers, as noted by the journal “The Ukrainian Farmer”.

This is reported by AgroReview

At the same time, under dry weather conditions, moisture loss due to evaporation increased, and its residual amount under similar conditions did not exceed 0-3 mm, 1-2 mm, and 0-7 mm in 2020 and 2022, respectively. Total moisture loss from the soil during the spring-summer period while growing winter wheat varied from 290 mm (black fallow) to 284 mm (sunflower).

Dependency of Water Consumption on Growing Conditions

The total water consumption of winter wheat is determined by the initial moisture reserves in the soil, the amount of precipitation, and the meteorological conditions during the vegetation period. Under normal conditions (except during dry periods), the majority of water consumption comes from precipitation that falls during the vegetation period. According to the conducted studies, total moisture consumption during the cultivation of winter wheat amounted to 336.2 mm when sown on black fallow, 326.2 mm after peas, and 315 mm after sunflowers.

Conclusions of the Study

These results indicate the importance of monitoring moisture consumption to optimize agronomic practices and select appropriate predecessors for winter wheat, which, in turn, can enhance the productivity and resilience of this crop to climate change.

“Water consumption of winter wheat is significantly influenced by predecessors.”