LOCUST BULLETIN No. 75 FAO - Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP) 16 June 2021 Situation level: DANGER in Georgia (CIT) Situation level: CAUTION in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan (DMA); Kyrgyzstan (DMA and CIT) Situation level: CALM elsewhere or for the other locust pests General Situation during May 2021 Caucasus. DMA hopper development continued in Azerbaijan while fledging started by the end of May in Forecast for June 2021 Georgia. So far, CIT infestations have been reported only by Georgia, with a serious situation. During the month, Moroccan Locust (DMA) fledging, mating and control operations covered 19 216.5 ha in Azerbaijan and egg-laying started in southern parts of Central Asia, Georgia. where also swarm flights were reported, especially in Central Asia. DMA hopper development was in progress areas near state borders. DMA hopper development in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russian Federation. continued in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Fledging, mating and egg-laying was in progress in Russian Federation; in Georgia fledging already started Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. by the end of May. Italian Locust (CIT) hatching and CIT hopper development continued in all CA countries. LMI hopper development continued in Georgia and in hatching was recorded in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Central Asian (CA) countries. Migratory Locust (LMI) According to received reports, 646 296 ha were treated in hatching started in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and May, in all CA countries and Russian Federation, mostly Uzbekistan. A dangerous situation was reported for CIT against the DMA and CIT. in Georgia while situation was classified as caution for both DMA and CIT in most countries. During the Weather and Ecological Conditions in forecasted period, DMA breeding will continue and its May 2021 lifecycle will come to the end while CIT and LMI hopper development will continue in Azerbaijan, Russian In Caucasus, the weather conditions were generally Federation and northern regions of Kazakhstan. CIT close to multiannual norm. Natural vegetation started to dry fledging will occur in other regions of Kazakhstan, out. Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In total, more than In Azerbaijan, the weather was changeable with 665 000 hectares (ha) have been treated in CCA from temperatures generally close to the norm. Natural vegetation the beginning of the 2021 campaign to the end of May, cover was green with medium coverage in Djeyranchel. which is 11 percent higher compared to the same period Average monthly temperatures in the central-lowland zone in 2020. were 13-15ºC (9-12ºС at night, 16-19ºС at day, up to 22-26ºС in some days), which is close to the climatic norm. Rainfall in central-lowland was within the norm, amounting to 1 24-45 mm. In Ganja-Kazakh zone, average monthly temperatures were also close to the norm, 11-14ºС (8-10ºС at CCA LOCUST BULLETIN night, 17-22ºС at day, up to 21-25ºС in warmer days). N. 75 — MAY 2021 Precipitations were close to the monthly norm (19-48 mm). In Georgia, average monthly temperature ranged from 10ºС to 35ºС. Vegetation in most locust infested areas was still In Kyrgyzstan, in all oblasts, the temperature was higher green and dense however, in certain municipalities of Kvemo than the norm by 1°C while the precipitation was close to the Kartli, the vegetation started to dry earlier due to very hot norm. In the three southern oblasts (Osh, Batken and days in May. In June it is expected that locusts will start Jalal-Abad oblasts), average monthly temperature was moving to agricultural crops in many areas. 18-20 C in the valleys and 14-16°C in the foothills, which is In Central Asia, the weather was highly variable, with close to the annual norm. Due to heavy rains in the first temperatures and rainfall close to the annual norm. However, decade of May, floods occurred in these three oblasts. In in most oblasts of Kyrgyzstan, north-western part of Chuy oblast, average temperature varied from 11-13°C in the Uzbekistan and in Afghanistan, the monthly average foothills and 16-18°C in the valleys. Monthly precipitations temperature was higher than annual norm. Last decade of were close to the annual norm. Natural vegetation in the May also was warmer than usual in Turkmenistan and locust infested areas was of medium density, mainly Tajikistan. In most of the Federal Districts (FD) of the Russian consisting of drying ephemerals, with 3-6 cm of height. Federation, the temperature in May was close to or higher In the Russian Federation, the weather was variable but than the annual norm. generally favourable for locust development in all FD. In the In Afghanistan, the weather was mainly dry and hot with Central FD, the temperature during the first half of May was less rainfall compared to April. In Nangarhar, Kunduz, colder than usual with rains, which negatively affected locust Baghlan and Balkh provinces the air temperature reached development. However, during the second half of the month more than 40ºС during the third decade of May. Vegetation the weather was favourable for locust development. Average dried up, and numerous cases of locust movements to monthly temperature was 6.8°-16.3°C, reaching up to 31°C in agricultural crops were observed in most locust-infested the warmest days. Rainfall ranged from 50 to 65 mm. In the provinces except Ghor. South FD, the weather was warmer than usual, the average In Kazakhstan, the weather was highly variable. In the monthly temperature was 16-19°C, reaching up to 33°C. South, the weather was unstable, with both sunny and cloudy Precipitations fell close to the norm, ranging from 8.5 to days with some rains. The average daily temperature ranged 42 mm and reaching 50 mm in some oblasts. In North from 17.5 to 32°C with a maximum of 40°C and a minimum of Caucasus FD, average temperatures were 15-16°C, with 13°C (at night). Relative air humidity varied between 22 and maximum of 30°C and precipitation ranged from 30 to 50 mm. 56%. Monthly precipitation in these regions was 11.7 mm. In In Volga FD, the weather was warm, average temperatures the East, the weather was unstable with predominantly cloudy ranged from 16° to 19°C with maximum of 30°C, and rain and overcast days with some rains and fluctuations of air ranged from 10 to 30 mm. In the Ural FD, the weather was temperature. The average daily temperature ranged from warmer than the norm. Average temperatures ranged from 5.5 to 25°C with a maximum of 35°C and a minimum of -2°C. 16° to 18°C and rainfall ranged from 5 to 10 mm. In the Relative air humidity varied from 29.5 to 81%. Precipitations Siberian FD, the average temperatures ranged from 12° to (5.6 mm) fell in the form of rain. In the West, the weather was 14°C and rainfall ranged from 10 to 20 mm. In the Far East variable with sunny and cloudy days and some rains. The FD, average temperatures ranged from 7° to 10°C and rainfall average daily temperature ranged from 7.7°C to 24.3°C, with ranged from 40 to 60 mm. a maximum of 32.2°C and a minimum of 3.3°C. Relative air In Tajikistan, temperature and precipitation in the beginning humidity varied from 37 to 86%. Precipitations in the form of of May were close to the annual norm. However, heavy rains rain were up to 15.8 mm. In the North, the weather was during the second decade (11-14 May) resulted in floods and unstable with gusty winds and rains (up to 17 mm). The serious soil damages in seven districts of Khatlon region, two average daily temperature ranged from 8.3°C to 27°C, with a districts of republican subordination (DRS) and three districts maximum of 39°C and a minimum of -3°C. Relative air of Sughd region. Average monthly temperature ranged from humidity varied from 25 to 90%. 12°C at night to 27°C during the day, a maximum of 41ºC in 2 the southern districts of Khatlon during the third decade of CCA LOCUST BULLETIN May. Natural vegetation in DMA breeding areas, in the foothills of Khatlon, became totally dry by the end of month. N. 75 — MAY 2021 In Turkmenistan, during the first and second decades of May, the weather was warm and without precipitation. and continued their development in May. Average daily temperature was 30-35°C. During the third Forecast decade, the weather become hot and dry and temperature Based on the historical information, CIT hopper reached 40-43°C some days. Preparation for harvesting development will continue in limited areas and fledging is wheat crop has started. expected in late June. In Uzbekistan, the air temperature was higher by 1-2°C than the annual norm in western and north-western parts of Azerbaijan the country – in the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, Situation Khorezm and northern part of Navoi oblasts. Average DMA hopper development continued. Control operations temperature in these regions ranged from 8-13°C to 15-20°C against hopper bands were pursued in Tartar, Agstafa at nights and 25-30°C to 35-37°C during the days. In (Djeyranchel) and Samukh (Eldar steppe) districts as well as Tashkent, Syrdarya, Jizzakh, Samarkand, Bukhara and in Kudrin steppe. Treatments against DMA concerned southern part of Navoi oblasts, the temperature varied from 5 974.5 ha in May and 5 986.5 ha from the start of campaign. 10°C to 20°C at nights and from 22°C to 37°C at days.