December 9 2002, 18:38 APK-Inform

Winter crops will stand out the cold - a scientist

Head of Laboratory at the Institute of Grain Management (Dnepropetrovsk), Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Ivan Pabot, speaking about effects on winter crops of extremely cold and snowless weather, settled in Ukraine at the beginning of December, has said the situation should not be dramatised. He said the strong frosts, currently experienced in the country, would not produce much of negative effect on plantings of winter wheat and rye. High frost-resistance potential of zoned in Ukraine varieties of wheat and rye allows them withstanding soil temperatures of up to 18 to 23 degrees below zero at the depth of stooling knot, depending on a series of factors - terms of sowing, autumn fertilisation of crops, duration of sunlight exposure before completion of autumn vegetation, duration of effects of subzero temperatures. According to the Institute's research data, even with absence of snow cover, for winter wheat to start freezing out the average daily air temperature must keep at no less than 22 to 27 degrees below zero during several days, which is not the case now.