Due to predominantly below-normal temperatures, winter crops faced bad weather conditions for their growth and development in October.
In most of the country, the accumulated sum of effective degree-days was lower than in October 2015 when winter crops were also exposed to warmth shortages.
Winter crops stopped active growth one or two weeks ahead of the long-term average time. Due to soil drought in September and warmth shortages in October, significant part of winter cereals (rye, triticale) of later seeding dates failed to develop sufficiently (failed to achieve the stage of tillering).
Crops planted in the latter half of September were mostly at emergence and third-leaf stages. According to some weather stations, these plantings that failed to emerge were seeded late (in October), mostly in the south-east of the country. (UkrAgroConsult/Business World Magazine)