The extreme heat scorched the vineyards

In Manisa, where the world-renowned seedless Sultana grapes are grown, temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius have adversely affected vineyards. Sunburns have been observed in some vineyards, prompting Aydoğan Okur, the President of the Saruhanlı Chamber of Agriculture, to advise farmers to avoid leaf removal and perform irrigation and inter-row cultivation tasks during nighttime.

The increased temperatures, exceeding seasonal norms, have negatively impacted both life and agriculture in Manisa. Compared to June of last year, incidents of grass, stubble, and forest fires have doubled due to the heat, further affecting agriculture. The rising temperatures have led to drying and occasional sunburns in grape vineyards, potentially impacting yields adversely. Aydoğan Okur cautioned against these sunburns and dryings, urging farmers to conduct irrigation and cultivation activities during late-night hours to mitigate soil heating caused by daytime activities.

Stressing that daytime operations exacerbate soil heating, Okur emphasized, 'As global temperatures rise, our country is also experiencing their effects. Vineyards are delicate plants, starting with leaf drying and eventually affecting the fruit due to sunburns. This harms grape production. We urge our farmers to conduct their tasks, including irrigation and cultivation efforts, during late-night hours. Daytime operations contribute to increased soil heating and steam formation, which pose challenges for vineyards. Farmers should conduct their work at night.'

Regarding leaf removal from vineyards during specific periods, Okur advised farmers to refrain from this practice this year, stating, 'It's crucial not to remove leaves from vineyards. Exposure to temperatures reaching up to 45 degrees Celsius affects grapes, causing drying and product loss. Farmers should avoid leaf removal and leave them on the vines. They should also refrain from trimming the shoots. In the past, nights used to be cooler when days were hot, but this pattern has changed. Plants experience stress when both day and night temperatures are high, leading to sunburns and potential product loss. We hope for divine assistance as this year appears to be challenging.'

During this period, focusing more on irrigation and leaf removal operations in Manisa's seedless Sultana grape vineyards, the harvest season is anticipated to commence on August 15th.