Skip to main content
EU Science Hub
News article22 October 2018

Dry weather favourable for harvesting but seriously affected rapeseed sowing and emergence

Dry conditions in large parts of Europe presented farmers with the dilemma to wait with the sowing of winter rapeseed, or sow into the dry soil leading to very uneven emergence.
Dry conditions in large parts of Europe presented farmers with the dilemma to wait with the sowing of winter rapeseed, or sow into the dry soil leading to very uneven emergence. © Rémi Lecerf (JRC)

The JRC 'MARS Crop monitoring in Europe' Bulletin for October 2018 has just been published.

According to the October issue of the JRC MARS Crop monitoring in Europe Bulletin, which was published today, warmer- and substantially drier-than-usual weather conditions in large parts of Europe provided favourable conditions for the ripening and harvesting of summer crops. However, the same conditions hampered the sowing and emergence of winter crops.

Sowing and emergence are most affected in central and eastern Germany, western Poland, and northern parts of the Czech Republic, where drought conditions persist. The situation is also delicate in many other parts of western, central, and south-eastern Europe, which have a significant precipitation deficit. Rapeseed, for which the sowing window is closed, is most affected.

The sowing of winter cereals is ongoing; in dry areas farmers can still wait for sufficient rain to finish sowing or – if need be – resow the fields.

Pasture conditions have further recovered in the UK, Ireland, Denmark, and Sweden but remain poor in most of Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Rice crops in southern Europe have performed well this season, thanks to favourable weather conditions and adequate water supply.

Extreme weather events (MARS Bulletin, October 2018)
Winter crops

Further information

MARS bulletins - crop monitoring in Europe

Related Content

JRC MARS Bulletin

Details

Publication date
22 October 2018