Rain relieves wheat crops in the South and Center-South of Brazil, points out EarthDaily Agro

The south of Brazil recorded high accumulated rainfall between July 7 and 16, with volumes reaching almost 200 millimeters. The index represents more than double the average for the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina. Regions of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul also benefited from significant rainfall. The return of rains brought relief to wheat and sugarcane crops, although it limited field operations, such as corn and sugarcane harvesting.

In the analysis obtained through sensing carried out by EarthDaily Agro, based on climate models (ECMWF and GFS), there is no forecast of continued rain for the Center-South of the country in the next 10 days, indicating the return of drought in practically the entire region. Brazil. The cold wave, which gained intensity in recent days, caused temperatures to remain 2°C to 7°C below normal in much of the South and Mato Grosso do Sul, with records of frost in Rio Grande do Sul. However, the impacts of the cold on crops were minimized by the late planting of wheat.

“The intense cold is expected to dissipate in the coming days, with temperatures rising again to 2°C to 7°C above normal in almost all of Brazil. After the recent rains, soil moisture, which was around 30% below average in the wheat zone, is now between 10% and 30% above average in most of the Center-South”, says Felippe Reis, research analyst. EarthDaily Agro culture.

Vegetation index (NDVI) values ​​in Rio Grande do Sul showed a strong decline since the beginning of the month, suggesting a late start to the wheat cycle. This drop can be attributed to possible reading errors due to cloud cover, but the prolongation of the NDVI drop requires close monitoring of crops.

Santa Catarina also recorded a sharp drop in vegetation rates, with a strong cold wave that resulted in frost. Uncertainty about the significant impacts of this event persists, mainly due to late planting.

In Paraná, the return of rain significantly increased soil moisture in the north of the state, but NDVI values ​​still did not show an improvement in the quality of wheat crops.

In São Paulo, there were no records of frost in the wheat zone, with the average minimum temperature above 9°C. The increase in soil moisture will be positive for wheat crops, providing more favorable conditions for plant development.