Western FSU
Excessive early-week heat likely trimmed yield prospects for
reproductive summer crops, though rainy, cooler conditions by mid-week
prevented further yield losses.
A continuation of the brief but intense heat wave which
began on or about July 14 lingered into the early part of the week, with highs
approaching or topping 40°C in key corn and sunflower areas of Russia and
Ukraine through July 18.
Impacts varied considerably from region to region, largely
based on planting dates and the resultant crop development stage.
In northern Ukraine and Russia’s Central District, where
corn is typically planted in early to mid-May, the heat had little impact as
corn was still in the vegetative stages of development.
From southern Ukraine into Russia’s Southern district —
where corn is planted somewhat earlier (mean planting date is late April) —
corn was in the tassel and silk stages of development when the heat arrived; as
a result, corn in southern portions of the region likely suffered some loss of
yield potential.
However, widespread, locally heavy showers and thunderstorms
(10-80 mm) signalled the arrival of cooler weather, limiting the deleterious
impacts of the heat on reproductive corn (and to lesser extent sunflowers) to 6
days or less.
While potentially harmful for summer crops, the sunny, hot
weather enabled a rapid winter wheat harvest pace before the rainy weather
slowed fieldwork by mid-week.
Eastern FSU
Widespread rain and near-normal temperatures maintained
favorable prospects for spring wheat, while somewhat
cooler conditions in Uzbekistan eased stress on flowering
cotton.
With spring wheat in the heading to flowering stages
of development, a soaking rainfall (10-90 mm, locally
more) over northern Kazakhstan and adjacent portions of
central Russia maintained good to excellent yield prospects.
Showers were somewhat lighter (less than 10 mm) in the
southern Urals District, but soil moisture was in good
supply for flowering spring wheat.
Farther south, the return
of near-normal temperatures (daytime highs 35-40°C) in
Uzbekistan reduced stress caused by last week’s heat on
irrigated cotton, which continued to progress through the
flowering stage of development.