International Field Day-2018 in the village Sozonovka

The International Field Day-2018 took place on September 6th at the Kirovohrad state agricultural experimental station of NAAN. Climate change, which is increasingly felt every year, makes agrarians shifting away from the crop-growing technologies and seek for new methods. This particular issue was devoted to this Field Day. The main purpose of the event was to tell manufacturers about peculiarities of main crops cultivation in the conditions of the sharp continental climate that was developed in recent years in the central and southern regions of Ukraine.

The event took place on the demonstration trail of experimental station near the village Sozonovka, Kirovohrad Oblast. Besides the scientists and workers of homeland breeding centers, representatives of foreign companies, such as Limagrain, RAGT, Pioneer, Nuseed and others were present.

"Today we are holding International Field Day. There are 12 participating companies, among which there are foreign companies we cooperate with, conduct researches and tests for them. The best of the best is represented on this demonstration trail. Of course, our homeland hybrids of corn are represented by the Selective Genetic Institute, the Crop Research Institute, the Institute of Grain Crops, the Institute of Irrigated Agriculture and, of course, our hybrids are also demonstrated. On this Field Day, one of our tasks is to tell the present farmers how to join the seed campaign within a matter of the climate that has developed over the last years", told the director of the research station of NAAN Ihor Semeniaka to the representatives of farmerscan.com.

The director also shared his observations concerning the productivity of corn and sunflower, which they had already begun to yield:

"Our scientists have conducted a research of the biological yields of sunflower and corn in the southern regions; at the moment we are gradually beginning to explore our region. The forecasts are very disappointing. In most regions there was a drought, and the corn was fire-fang. Only where precipitation fell locally and technology was provided – the yield rate was above the average. In a number of farms in Znamianka, Oleksandriia and Oleksandrivka Raion, the yield rate is below the average because of the hard drought. Now, unfortunately, people are harvesting corn, and the indicators are not pleasant. Our scientists determined the economic yield with expectancy record from 3 to 6 t/ha. But sunflower, even in difficult arid conditions, has a normal yield of two or even three tons. According to our researches, the correlation of sunflower yields depends on precipitation during the vegetation period; therefore, the correlation is practically absent. The productivity is more likely to be affected by plant protection products, breed assortment, growth technology. "

The event was attended by about a hundred manufacturers, heads of farms and experts in the agricultural branch. Agrarians came to learn the results of the researches and to choose breeds and hybrids that will meet the growth conditions of the particular region. Just for this purpose arrived a delegation from the Bobrynetskyi Raion, which is led by Petro Panibratets, head of the agro-industrial development department of the Bobrynetskyi Raion:

"We came with farmers from the Raion to visit the event. We also go to Odessa to the Selective Genetic Institute and farming enterprise "Bor". People express interest, then discuss with each other, what they like and where there are better products. We try to go to that region, where there is similar climatic zone. We do not go to Cherkasy, ​​Chernihiv Oblast, because it is another climatic zone. We go to Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odessa Oblast".

The head of the agrarin business department also spoke about the alternative crops that are grown in Bobrynetskyi Raion:

"This winter we tried to sow winter pea. On the area of 20 hectares, the yield of winter pea was 2.5 times higher than the yield of spring pea. In April began the heat wave. It was hot and the precipitation fell on average 1.2 mm. At that time the winter pea was already formed, and the spring pea was fire-fang. But if the market for wheat, corn, soybeans and sunflower is stable and you can plan something, then it's difficult to count on crops such as sorghum, millet, buckwheat, peas in the business plan. There are chance circumstances: you can win or lose. Plus, you need to sow in the region, where this crop yields. For example, in July the amount of precipitation was 120 mm, our guys sowed buckwheat. The buckwheat sprouted and started to blossom, but in August, the heat wave began, and the buckwheat was fire-fang".

After the field demonstration, the participants of the event were invited to an excursion to the factory "Elvorti" for the presentation of a modern updating of the machinery manufacture.