Рус
Preparations for the 2027 agricultural season are continuing in Saratov Region. According to the latest published figures from the regional Ministry of Agriculture, the area sown with winter crops had reached 1,164,000 hectares as of 23 October. At the same time, specialists are monitoring seedling condition and assessing plant health in the fields.
The autumn sowing campaign took place amid changeable weather conditions. The original plan was to sow more than 1.155 million hectares of winter crops for next year’s harvest. More than 1 million hectares of bare fallow had been prepared in the region for field operations.
Providing farms with high-quality seed is an important part of preparations for the new agricultural season. According to the regional Ministry of Agriculture, Russian-bred varieties account for almost 100% of winter crop seed. Varieties bred in Saratov account for more than half of winter wheat seed and 98.5% of rye seed.
Winter Crop Condition in Autumn 2026
As of 3 November, specialists at the Saratov Region branch of the Russian Agricultural Centre (Rosselkhoztsentr), a federal state budgetary institution, reported signs of brown rust, powdery mildew and Septoria in winter grain crops.
This autumn’s weather conditions are contributing to the development of these diseases. The prolonged period of warm weather provides favourable temperatures for the spread of pathogens, while moisture on the leaves promotes plant infection.
Specialists also note an increase in the population of mouse-like rodents on agricultural land. They can damage young winter crop seedlings, requiring additional attention from agricultural producers.
The Russian Agricultural Centre recommends that farms step up plant health monitoring and take timely protective measures where necessary.
Preparing Winter Crops for Overwintering
At this stage, it is important to preserve the established seedlings and monitor their condition before sustained cold weather sets in. Plant development, the spread of diseases and weather conditions in the period before winter will influence the subsequent condition of winter crops.
A final assessment of the autumn sowing campaign and the condition of the winter crop area will require additional data from the regional Ministry of Agriculture and the results of crop surveys.