Snow cover has a significant effect on the conditions for overwintering of winter crops and is of great importance as a source of spring moisture. The influence of snow cover on the state of the winter wedge is ambiguous. First of all, it has a protective effect on wintering crops, which is explained by its poor thermal conductivity. Snow conducts heat about 10 times weaker than soil. Thanks to this, the snow cover thus protects crops from the harmful effects of low temperatures, from sharp fluctuations in air temperature, affects the temperature, humidity and depth of soil freezing, protects the soil from deep freezing.
The depth of freezing and soil temperature significantly depend not only on the height of the snow cover, but also on its density. When the snow cover is compacted, the soil cools faster.
In early January of this year, high negative temperatures (from -10 to -21 C°) were noted in the territory of the Petrovsky district, while there was no snow cover on the fields, which did not have a very favorable effect on the winter wedge: part of the leaf surface died off, as a result of which crops acquired a yellow-gray color.
To determine the viability of the growing point of plants, monoliths were selected by specialists from the regional department of the branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Rosselkhozcenter” in the Stavropol Territory. No crop deaths were found.
The monolithic method is recognized as the most reliable among the traditional methods for diagnosing a winter wedge, but it is very laborious. The selection of monoliths is usually carried out at least twice a month, and also after each significant drop in temperature.
When assessing the viability of crops, it is necessary to take into account such indicators as the percentage of surviving plants and stems, the intensity of regrowth of leaves and roots. By counting the number of surviving plants, and knowing the area of the monolith, it is possible to calculate the density of plants and stems per hectare.
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