This year, the beginning of April has been unusually warm. Snow is melting quickly, and the soil is drying out. This has farmers wondering whether to sow earlier. However, scientists recommend adhering to the optimal sowing dates determined for each region.
According to KarSKhOS, by the start of the sowing campaign in Central Kazakhstan, soil moisture from fallow preceding crops is expected to be 125-130 mm, and from stubble preceding crops, 90-100 mm.
The following optimal sowing dates are recommended for Central Kazakhstan: May 15-20 for mid-season spring wheat varieties, May 15-25 for early and mid-season varieties, May 20-25 for durum wheat, May 25-28 for spring barley, and May 28-30 for oats.
To avoid damage to wheat from possible early autumn frosts and to obtain high-quality grain, scientists recommend completing sowing by May 25.
"Grain seeds should be planted only in moist soil to a depth of 6-8 cm, with at least 2-3 cm of moist soil above them. The seed placement depth can be adjusted within 1-2 cm of the recommended depth, depending on weather conditions and the moisture content of the upper soil horizon." "If the seed layer is moist, the seed placement depth can be reduced to achieve earlier, uniform germination, which increases crop resistance to weeds," the Karabalyk Agricultural Society's recommendation states.
At the same time, the Karabalyk Agricultural Society reminds that the necessary conditions for uniform seed germination are warmth, water, and oxygen in the soil. For most crops, the minimum germination temperature is +10 to +15°C, with an optimum of +15 to +30°C. Therefore, in the Kostanay region, based on long-term observations, sowing can begin as early as the first ten days of May.
However, the summer maximum is very difficult to calculate given the region's extreme continental climate. In 70-80% of cases, it occurs in July, but it can also occur in late June or early August.
"If we take a mid-season variety with a 90-day growing season as a basis, the end of booting and the beginning of heading occurs on the 45th-50th day of the growing season. Therefore, the earliest sowing date is May 10th. Based on many years of research, optimal dates have been established between May 15th and 25th. When sowing during this period, there's a higher probability of the ear formation phase coinciding with the summer precipitation peak," note specialists from the Karabalyk Agricultural Farming Society.
The Zarechnoye Agricultural Farming Society, in turn, recommends sowing wheat in Northern Kazakhstan from the second half of May, so that plant growth and development during the critical moisture phase occurs in the third ten days of June and the first ten days of July.
Of course, many farmers rely on their own considerations and often begin sowing earlier than the recommended dates to maximize the use of spring moisture. In some seasons, this calculation works, and they actually achieve a higher yield. However, there is always a risk that early crops will be hit by a June drought, which will, on the contrary, lead to a reduction in yield.