Dutch Crop tour Week 24
Reels are running at full speed, is there a shortage of precipitation?
The wet month of May is only a few weeks behind us, but the reels are now working overtime. Due to the high temperatures, a lot of moisture evaporates. Crops are particularly affected in the center and south of the Netherlands. Is there another rainfall shortage?
Young crops that have just been sown or planted in particular crave moisture. The potatoes are also provided with an artificial rain shower. This is important, since the tuber setting is in full swing and moisture is essential for good development.
Precipitation deficiency
With the high temperatures and crop growth, a lot of moisture evaporates. The precipitation deficit is therefore increasing rapidly throughout the Netherlands. The precipitation deficit is highest in the south, with peaks of 150 millimeters in Zeeland and North Brabant. The north does not exceed a precipitation deficit of 90 millimeters and is mainly between a deficit of 30 and 60 millimeters.
The precipitation deficit is calculated from the difference between the potential evaporation and the amount of precipitation.
Precipitation deficit 2021 proportional to long-term average
If we look at the average precipitation deficit in 2021 on 15 June, with a deficit of 73 millimeters we are exactly on the long-term average since the precipitation deficit has been recorded. With the predicted precipitation from next weekend, we see that we are even going below the long-term average. In comparison, the red line is the record year of 1976.
Irrigation rack of 16 and 25 millimeters in potatoes
At the Crop Tour plots, the first growers started irrigating last weekend. "It's starting to get dry and stay that way. I want the tuber setting to continue and not to stand still. That costs your yield," says Kees Trouw, potato grower at the Gewastour plot in Hellevoetsluis. The potatoes are provided with about 16 millimeters.
The reel has already visited the Gewastour plot in Mill en Sint Hubert (North Brabant). The plot received a pull of 25 millimeters. "On such soil, 15 millimeters is immediately gone. If it becomes 30 degrees or higher during the week and the crop extracts 5 millimeters per day, then even with 25 millimeters you only have enough for a few days," says grower Daan Janssen .
Seed onions are not forgotten
The first seed onions of the Gewastour were also irrigated last Tuesday. The plot in Ysselsteyn (Limburg) is way ahead of the other seed onions and was hungry for water. "The seed onions have been irrigated with 20 millimeters and are very grateful for it," reports onion grower Martijn Derikx. A few other onion growers of the Gewastour have also considered sprinkling, but with the expected rain showers for the coming weekend, they are waiting for the showers.
Jesse Torringa
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