Answered by: Експерт по земеделие

In short: Mostoften, flexible sowing according to moisture, conservation treatments and rootless farming, precise disease forecasting and cooperation are applied.
Southern Dobrudzha is thedriest region of Bulgaria and production is mostly irrigable.
Therefore, good practices are aimed at preserving moisture and moreprudent use of fertilizers and detergents.
Flexible sowing norm.
ET "Agro-Svetlozar Dichevski" (Varna) has switched from fixed to flexible sowing norms according to soil moisture, with drought-resistant varieties.
The result is a morestable drought yield and less seed costs.
Rootless farming and minimal cultivation.
The technology has developed in Bulgaria since 2000, mainly in Dobrudzha: first in small areas, then with the gradual exclusion of ploughing.
Fewer passes in the field.
Bomar Trade combines operations in one pass, which protects the structure and moisture of the soil.
Disease prognosis.
"Agromate" (Yambol) uses a weather station and a disease model to spray at the right moment.
This reduces the use of pesticides by up to 30%.
Cooperation.
Motor 93 Insurance Company (Babuk) shows how sharing equipment gives access to technology without much investment.
The Help Center can connect you to these farms for hands-on experience.
Material: Good Practices 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8; Training Module 1 and 2; Report "Innovative Approaches in Agriculture".

First check whether the water soaks in or runs off the surface. Crusting and compacted layers can stop it getting in. Inspect the soil with a spade and see how deep the roots go.

Evenly spread crop residues protect the surface and limit evaporation, and fewer unnecessary passes also help. In the long term, soil structure and organic matter are what matter. If there is a compacted layer, choose the solution based on its depth — extra tillage without a known cause may only increase costs.

Source: FAO (conservation agriculture). Material: Brochure 1, section 7.

They can, if they are left to grow too long. While alive, they use water; once terminated, their residues protect the soil. So the choice of species and the timing of termination are decisive: when soil moisture is low, aim for earlier termination, matched to the main crop.

Do not chase maximum green biomass at any cost. Start with a small trial and watch the moisture and the emergence of the next crop. A cover crop should solve a specific problem without creating a bigger one. Under the conservation tillage intervention, cover is mandatory (section A).

Source: University of Minnesota Extension (crop news).

The choice of tillage, fertilisation and crop starts with the soil. There are three main groups in the region:

The main risks are water and wind erosion on open land and salinisation in low-lying areas. Loss of organic matter makes crops even more sensitive to drought.

Soil type is only the start — specific rates are set with a soil analysis of your field.

Material: Training Module 1, section 1.1; Training Module 2, section 4; Brochure 1, section 7.

Example schemes from Prof. Dr Emil Penchev's materials:

1. Five-field: wheat → sunflower → barley → peas → maize.
2. With legumes: legumes → wheat → barley → row crop or sunflower → back to legumes.

Legumes (peas, chickpeas) fix nitrogen and reduce the need for mineral fertilisers for the next crop. A real example is good practice 3 ("ADIL ISPA", Yarebitsa, Silistra region).

Material: Brochure 1, sections 5 and 10; Prof. Penchev's presentation "Crop Breeding, Diversification and Rotation Strategies" (Albena, 2026).

Material: Brochure 1, section 10.

In a drought it is worth reconsidering the rate: a thinner stand gives each plant more moisture and nutrients and improves root development. Good practice 5 (Agro – Svetlozar Dichevski sole trader, Varna) does this, which also cuts seed costs.

Material: Brochure 1, section 11.

The recommendation is to grow 2–3 varieties of one crop: that way one bad year or disease does not hit the whole output.

Material: Brochure 1, section 12.

Choose an additional crop based on your soil, moisture, machinery and ability to sell it. A legume (peas, chickpeas) often has a place, but the specific choice must suit the conditions on your farm.

Before sowing, sort out the buyer, harvesting, storage and the main production risks. Start on a limited area and assess the effect on the next crop — diversification is judged across the whole rotation, not just by the income from one harvest.

Material: Good practice 3 (legumes in the crop rotation).

It helps manage the risk, but it does not remove drought. Different crops have different growth periods, roots and needs, so the farm does not depend entirely on one sensitive period.

Rotation can break the cycle of some pests and diseases, but it must take their host plants into account — just changing the crop is not always enough. For example, Septoria and Fusarium need a 2–4-year rotation with crops that are not attacked (section E).

Source: FAO. Material: Brochure 2.

Use results from local trials (e.g. Dobrudzha Agricultural Institute) and your own observations over more than one season. Look for stable performance under different conditions, not just the highest yield in a favourable year.

Timing and density depend on the crop, variety, moisture and soil condition. Earlier sowing or a thinner stand is not a universal answer to drought. Where suitable, split part of your area between varieties or hybrids with different maturity — that way not all crops reach their most sensitive stage at the same time in bad weather.

Material: Brochure 1, sections 11–12.