- IUNG-PIB published the 8th drought report covering the period from June 1 to July 31, 2024.
- the average value of the Climatic Water Balance (KBW) for the country was negative, amounting to -66 mm.
- The water deficit in the current period has increased by 2 mm compared to the previous six-decade period.
The greatest water shortages from -160 to -209 mm were recorded in the Masovian and Podlasie Lowlands, Polesie and the Sandomierska Valley. In the south of the country and in western and north-western Poland, the water deficit was the smallest, ranging from -50 to -119 mm. In the rest of the country, water shortages for crops ranging from -120 to -159 mm were recorded.
Climatic Water Balance (KBW) in the 8th IUNG-PIB report, source: IUNG-PIB 
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10 voivodeships and 11 crops
Agricultural drought occurred in ten voivodeships:
- Mazowiecki,
- Łódzkie,
- Podlaski,
- Podkarpackie,
- Lubelski,
- Opolski,
- West Pomeranian Voivodeship,
- Greater Poland,
- Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship,
- Lower Silesia.
Drought occurred in eleven crops:
- corn for grain,
- Corn for silage,
- fruit bushes,
- legumes,
- ground vegetables,
- spring cereals,
- Tobacco,
- winter cereals,
- Strawberries,
- Hop,
- Potato.
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The borer is already damaging the cobs and shoots. Corn yield is at risk
Drought in corn will affect its yield
Where the least amount of water has fallen, this will certainly affect the yield of corn intended for both grain and silage. Drought in these crops was recorded in the 8th report in 275 communes (representing 11.1% of Polish communes). The largest share of communes with corn drought was recorded in the province. Masovian Voivodeship (108 communes) and Łódź Voivodeship (54 communes).
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Will drought reduce corn yield?
Water shortage during this period translates, firstly, into poor graining of the cobs and, in the longer term, into poor development of the thousand-grain mass. Corn also dries out faster without water, so its functions of collecting assimilates are also weakened. The consequence of disturbances in water management is often the appearance of knotweed smut on plantations, a disease that develops better when the plant is stressed during its flowering.
According to IUNG-PIB in the report, high atmospheric precipitation throughout Poland recorded from the sixth to the eighth six-decade period and with stagnation of evapotranspiration from the fifth to eighth report were the reason that the water deficit throughout the country was relatively small for the monitored crop plants.
The water situation was improved by rainfall, which began to occur regularly in many regions from the second decade of July. At that time, very heavy rainfall was recorded throughout the country, ranging from 30 to over 100 mm. Only in places in a relatively small area there was rainfall of less than 5 to 30 mm (the western part of the Szczecin Lowland and Kujawy, the southern edge of the Masovian Lowland and in the Sandomierska Valley). The third decade of this month was characterized by heavy rainfall ranging from 20 to 100 mm in north-western Poland and the Lublin Upland and Małopolska. However, a small amount was recorded in the rest of the country, ranging from 5 to 20 mm.
