Analysis and assessment of agroclimatic conditions of cultivation and yield of technical crops on the territory of Armenia

The necessary agroclimatic conditions for the growth and development of technical crops on the territory of the republic, the terms of the phenological phases, the prerequisites for the development of their cultivation space, the level of yield and crop yields have beenanalyzed and evaluated. As a source of information, the actual data of agrometeorological observations of the GEO «Center for Hydrometeorology and Monitoring» of the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia and the National Statistical Service are used. For the period 2012-2020, there is a tendency to reduce the acreage of technical crops. So that the Republic of Armenia is not only a country importing technical crops, but also an exporting country, apply modern high technologies of cultivation, expand irrigated areas, introduce new high-yielding varieties, pay special attention to more efficient use of microclimatic resources.


Introduction
The role and significance of the analysis and assessment of the agroclimatic conditions of agricultural crops from the point of view of the prospective development of agriculture, food and light industry is very important. They determine the role of heat supply and moisture supply of a given territory, growth and development of crops, conditions for their wintering, timing of field work, yield.
Agriculture is the most dependent on climate among the industrial sectors of the economy: it almost always suffers from weather changes, dangerous agrometeorological events and natural disasters. Food security risks are increasing as a result of expected climate change. Therefore, the strategic objective of the agriculture of the Republic of Armenia is to increase the food security of the republic, ensuring 75-80 % of its own production of basic food.
One of the issues with respect to climate change involves its influence on the distribution of future crop yields [6]. Projections of future climate change suggest that average crop yield will increase with warmer temperatures and a longer growing season which is only partially offset by forecast increases in the variability of temperature and rainfall. The projections would also depend on future technological developments, which have generated significant increases in yield over time despite changing annual weather conditions [5]. The estimation results indicate that changes in climate modify crop yield levels and variances in a cropspecific fashion. For sorghum, rainfall and temperature increases are found to increase yield level and variability. On the other hand, precipitation and temperature are individually found to have opposite effects on corn yield levels and variability [6].
The purpose of the work is to evaluate the necessary agroclimatic conditions for the growth of industrial crops on the territory of the republic, the timing of the phenological phases, the areas of their cultivation, the tendency of the development of the level of crop yield and yield.

Study areas, Data and Methods
To solve these problems in the work as a theoretical and informational basis were the relevant research studies [1,3,[8][9]. As a source material, the work used actual agrometeorological observations of the «Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center» SNCO of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Armenia, as well as data from the NSS of RA, agroclimatic reference books and yearbooks [2][3][4].  [7]. In the republic from industrial crops phenological observations are carried out tobacco. In tobacco: 3rd leaf, 5th leaf, 7th leaf, steam growth, the appearance of the first stepsons, the appearance of inflorescences, flowering, technical ripeness of the leaves of the lower tier, the timing of leaf collection, as well as damage to plants due to adverse and dangerous phenomena (frost, hail, diseases, pests, etc.) during the growing season, the likelihood of frost damage.

RPERS 2021
It should be noted that the number of those stations that conduct phenological observations of industrial crops has sharply decreased ( fig. 1). So, since 2000 phenological observations only of tobacco have been carried out in Urtsadzor.
Only industrial crops grown in the republic are discussed in the work. As a methodological basis used are: statistical analysis, correlation methods.

Results and discussion
According to the results of actual observations of the «Hydrometeorology and monitoring center» SNCO, table 1 shows the average sowing time and development phases of sugar beet, and table 2 -agroclimatic conditions of the sowingsprouting period at different sowing dates. According to table 1, phenological observations of sugar beet were carried out on the territory of the republic at the meteorological stations Spitak, Gyumri and Artik. Sowing is mainly carried out from the third decade of April to the first decade of May.
Tobacco is an annual plant. It is grown mainly for the purpose of obtaining raw materials for smoking. The growing season of a tobacco plant is divided into two periods: seedling -from sowing seeds to plants ready for seedling, and field -from seedlings to the final collection of leaves or seed ripening. The duration of the planting period is 35-50 days. The best temperature for germination of tobacco seeds is 25,0-28,0 ºC, and in the future -18,0-22,0 ºC. Tobacco is sensitive to late spring and early autumn frosts, it is damaged of temperatures from -1,0 to -3,0 ºC. The best period for transferring tobacco seedlings to the field is when the temperature in the soil reaches 10,0-12,0 ºC. Tobacco must be watered with grooves, 3-10 times, according to the needs of the culture [7].
Sugar beet (Bets Vulgaris L. v. saccharifera) -biennial plant. It has a wide range of consumption. When processed, sugar is obtained, which can be used as a final or as an average product. Currently about 40% of the sugar used in the world is obtained from sugar. In the process of sugar production, sugar beet kernels are obtained from sugar beet, which are a complete feed for animals. Sugar beet is also processed as a valuable juicy food. Sugar beet leaves are used as animal feed or mixed with soil to increase fertility [10]. In Armenia, the only large enterprise for the production of sugar was «Lus Astkh sugar», the Akhuryan sugar factory, after the operation of which (2010) in the republic there was a need to resume the production of sugar beet.
Sugar-beet -heat-loving, light-loving, moisture-loving, salt-tolerant and drought-tolerant technical crop. Sugar beet seedlings may be damaged due to frost in Gyumri, the probability of frost is 4-8% (table 2). In Artik and Spitak the probability of freezing of sugar beet seedlings is 0 %.

RPERS 2021
Unlike sugar beet, phenological observations of tobacco on the territory of the republic were organized at many meteorological stations. Planting of seedlings is mainly carried out from the first decade of May to the first decade of June, and the collection of leaves -from July-August (first collection of leaves) to September-October (last collection of leaves). With height, there is a delay in the average timing of development of tobacco phases (table 3). According to the data of the National Statistical Service, table 4 shows the area of cultivation, gross yield and trends in the development of growth in the yield of the currently cultivated main technical crops (tobacco, flax, sunflower) in the territory of Armenia for 2010-2020. It turns out that among technical crops, the largest sown area on the territory of the republic is occupied by sunflower. Information on the sown area, gross yield and yield of sunflower is contained for 2015-2020. The territories sown with industrial crops, including tobacco and flax, increased over the period 2005-2020 (Fig. 2a,  2b). Moreover, the sowing of tobacco for the period 2012-2020 decreased. In general, in recent years, there has been a tendency for a decrease in the area sown with industrial crops (tobacco, green, sunflower). Therefore, it is necessary to take appropriate measures and increase the sown area of industrial crops in the republic. Tobacco -a, c, flax -b, d.
On the other hand, for the period 2005-2020, there is a tendency to decrease the yield of tobacco and flax (Fig. 2c, 2d). Average crop yields increase at a decreasing rate with the quantity of inputs used, and decrease with the area planted to the crop. Climate variables have a major impact on mean yield with the length of the growing season being the primary determinant. Increases in the variability of temperature and precipitation decrease mean yield and increase its variance. Yield variance is poorly explained by both seasonal and monthly climate variable models [5].

Conclusions
So,  Agroclimatic conditions of the territory of the republic are favorable for the growth and development of technical crops.
 On the territory of the republic there is tendency to crease the acreage of tobacco and flax, decrease their yield for the period 2005-2020.
 On the territory of the republic, in general, for the period 2012-2020, there is a tendency to reduce the acreage of technical crops.
It is necessary:  So that the Republic of Armenia is not only a country importing technical crops, but also an exporting country.  Apply modern high technologies of cultivation, expand irrigated areas, introduce new high-yielding varieties.  Pay special attention to more efficient use of microclimatic resources.