SEMINAR "OVERWINTERING OF WINTER CEREALS IN THE KHARKIVSKA OBLAST IN 2025"

On February 19, 2025, the Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry of the Yuriev Plant Production Institute of NAAS hosted a scientific and practical seminar "Overwintering of Winter Cereals in the Kharkivska Oblast in 2025". The chairman was the Acting Director of the Institute Leonov O.Yu. The seminar was attended by the Head of the Department of Agro-Industrial Development of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Fedyshyna O.S., researchers of the Laboratory of Wheat Breeding, the Department of Plant Breeding and Variety Investigations, the Laboratory of Seed Production and Science, the Laboratory of Triticale Breeding and Genetics, the Laboratory of Winter Rye Breeding and Genetics, the Laboratory of Immunity, Biotechnology and Quality, and the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources.

        

The Chief Researcher of the Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, N.I. Riabchun, presented a report. In this report, she summarized data on the weather factors of the autumn-winter period and their impact on the overwintering of winter crops. She noted that the pre-sowing and sowing periods of winter cereals, which are supposed to harvest in 2025, were extremely harsh in the Kharkivska Oblast, both due to the military aggression of the Russian Federation and the dry weather in the summer and autumn of 2024. Due to high air temperatures and a persistent deficit of precipitation; according data of to Kharkiv Regional Center for Hydrometeorology, the total amount of precipitation in the Oblast was only 15–44% of the multi-year average, except for the southwestern regions of the Oblast. The moisture content in the winter wheat-seeded soil and autumn-plowed fields was very low, regardless of predecessors; hence, soil droughts were noted in a large proportion of the Oblast. Later, favorable temperature and precipitation in November ensured a weak vegetation of winter crops during the winter months. Hardening of winter crop plants was generally worse than in statistically average winters in the northeastern region of Ukraine. The critical freezing temperature of winter wheat cultivars recommended for cultivation in the Oblast was -15.5 ¾ -16.0°C; for less freezing-tolerant foreign cultivars, it was -4.0 ¾ -15.0°C. For winter barley and winter durum wheat, it was -11.5 ¾ -12.5°C; for winter rye and triticale ¾ from -16.5°C to -18.0°C.

This is also evidenced by significantly lower levels of soluble carbohydrates in the tillering nodes of winter crops at the beginning of February 2025: from 17.0% to 29.1% per dry matter, depending on genetic characteristics of the crops and cultivars. However, the minimum soil temperature at the depth of winter crop tillering nodes (3 cm) was -2 ¾ -6°C, which was significantly higher than the critical freezing temperature.

To evaluate the viability of crops and determine the content of soluble carbohydrates, the fields in the Oblast were surveyed by predecessors, cultivars and stages of development. Currently, the regrowth of plant samples indicates that the viability of winter crops is quite high, amounting to 89-95% of live shoots; however, the final result of overwintering will depend on genetic characteristics of the cultivars and subsequent weather conditions in the late winter - early spring.

Nevertheless, under any conditions, winter crop fields should be fertilized, especially initial nitrogen fertilization so that secondary roots could intensively grow and the photosynthetic apparatus of plants could normally develop.

The Head of the Department of Agroindustrial Development of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Fedyshyna O.S., provided information on the areas sown with winter crops: in total in the Oblast, 355,600 hectares were sown with winter cereals supposed to be harvested in 2025; of them, 349,400 hectares were sown with winter wheat, which is 8.6% more than for the 2024 harvest; 1,500 hectares were sown with winter rye; 1,300 hectares – with winter triticale; and 3,400 hectares – with winter barley.

The Leading researcher of the Department of Plant Production and Variety Investigations, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Hutianskyi R.A., emphasized the need for timely fertilization of winter crops with nitrogen fertilizers, in particular on soil that started to thaw, so that secondary roots could intensively grow and the photosynthetic apparatus of plants could normally develop. The Leading researcher of this department, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Kuzmenko N.V., expressed concern about favorable conditions for overwintering of pests and pathogens and emphasized the need to monitor their development for the timely application of plant protectants.

The Deputy Director, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Ohurtsov Yu.Ye., emphasized the need for thorough preparation for spring field work, in particular sowing certified seeds that meet the requirements of DSTU 2240-93. Sowing top-quality seeds ensures high germination energy and germination rate of seeds, good growth, plant development during the growing period and, as a result, high yields of top-quality seeds of field crops.

The Head of the Laboratory of Wheat Breeding, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Leonov O.Yu., emphasized the importance of selecting for cultivation winter wheat cultivars adapted to the climate of our region, in particular those created at the  Yuriev Plant Production of NAAS: ‘Zdobna’, ‘Pryvitna’, ‘Prynada’, ‘Vyhadka’, ‘Metelytsia Kharkivska’, ‘Haiok’, and new cultivars (‘Pronia’, ‘Maliovanka’, ‘Melashka’, ‘Malusha’, ‘Mizynka’, and ‘Hazda’).

The Head of the Laboratory of Winter Rye Breeding and Genetics, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Yehorov D.K. characterized new winter rye cultivars and hybrids bred at the Yuriev Plant Production Institute, emphasized their high adaptability and yield capacity. He drew attention to the need to carry out technological operations aimed at prevention of moisture loss in the arable soil layer, eradication of weeds and optimization of nitrogen fertilization of winter crops, since these parameters remain main limiting factors for plant performance.

The Head of the Laboratory of Triticale Breeding and Genetics, Chernobai S.V., once again drew farmers’ attention to triticale, as this crop, due to its characteristics, requires lower doses of mineral fertilizers, shows high winter hardiness, and resistance to pathogens and pests, and modern triticale cultivars bred at the Yuriev Plant production Institute of NAA are characterized by good grain quality indicators. He proposed new winter triticale cultivars ‘Lukashevskyi’, ‘Yelan’, ‘Oleksandra’, ‘Yaroslava’, ‘Leontii’, ‘Pavlodarskyi’, ‘Tryfon’, and ‘Pidzymok Kharkivskyi’ as well as winter durum wheat cultivars ‘Shulyndinka’ and ‘Pryazovska’ for cultivation on farms in the Kharkivska Oblast.

The Head of the Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Doctor of Biological Sciences Kolupaev Yu.E., reported on the importance of promising biochemical studies of mechanisms of tolerance of winter cereals and responses of genotypes to harmful abiotic factors, not only in winter but also during spring-summer vegetation, in particular to high temperatures and droughts. He paid special attention to the development of methods and selection of markers of tolerance of cultivars and lines to dehydration, which is especially important when breeding new, highly adaptable winter cereal cultivars.

The Head of the Laboratory of Immunity, Biotechnology and Quality, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences Usova Z.V., drew attention to the issues of grain quality of the forthcoming yields of winter crops. She emphasized the need to take complex spring measures on fertilizing and protecting crops against pests and pathogens to ensure sufficient quality of grain.

The following researchers participated in the discussion: Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Kolomatska V.P., Candidate of Agricultural Sciences Chernobab O.V., Candidates of Biological Sciences Riabchun V.K., Suvorova K.Yu., and Pozdniakov V.V. and researcher Antsyferova O.V.

Based on the results of the inspection of plants regrown in vegetation boxes and information on the content of sugars in the tillering nodes in the middle of overwintering, the seminar participants concluded that currently the condition of the winter cereals was mostly satisfactory; however, since the plants are weakened because of autumn sowing and development under dry conditions as well as because of favorable settings for overwintering pests and pathogens, attention should be paid to timely application of nitrogen fertilizers in the spring and monitoring of the spread of pests and diseases. It is recommended to grow cultivars that are adapted to the regional conditions on farms of the Oblast and enlarge fields of winter rye, triticale, and durum wheat in order to harvest consistently high yields.