The beginning of the second ten-day period of September was very warm, dry and sunny. At the end of the ten-day period it became much colder due to the invasion of Arctic air in Ukraine. The first autumn frosts on the soil were observed.
There was little rainfall in Ukraine during the first and second ten-day periods of September. With the exception of local heavy rains in some areas of the south-eastern, western and in some places of the southern regions, the amount of precipitation during this period did not mostly exceed 10-20% of the norm. As of 20th September soil drought in the tilth-top soil covered up to 80-90% of the area.
The conditions for germination of grain and formation of seedlings of winter crops on the already sown areas, including winter rapeseed, were extremely negative due to lack of moisture and intensified not only by a prolonged lack of effective rainfall, but also by low relative humidity and dry winds. The most unfavorable conditions were observed in the Cherkasy, Vinnytsya, Poltava and adjacent areas of other regions, where in some places the rainfall deficit lasts 6-8 months, and the amount of precipitation since the beginning of the year is 50-60% of the norm. Providing moisture to crops for seedlings and the optimal temperature conditions of autumn vegetation for the full development of plants are decisive factors for the successful wintering of winter crops.
As of 20th September the reserves of productive moisture in the tilth-top soil under winter crops and in areas designated for their sowing were unsatisfactory (less than 10 mm). In the Mykolayiv, many areas of Odessa, Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Poltava, certain areas of Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhya regions, the tilth-top soil was completely dry. Only in some areas of the western, Kirovograd, Dnipropetrovsk Zaporizhzhya, Luhansk, Donetsk and Kherson regions, the reserves of productive moisture were estimated as insufficient (11-20 mm). In small areas of the Lviv and in places of Rivne and Chernivtsi regions, moisture supply was sufficient (21-27 mm).
Sowing of winter rape continued; seedlings and formations of the first leaf were noted on previously sown areas. The condition of the plants was mostly good. On separate crops of the Kherson region, the formation of soil crust and damage to plants by agricultural pests were noted. Harvesting of corn and sunflower continued.