Exceptionally warm autumn raises concerns in the south of Europe

Warm autumn mostly favourable for winter crops

In most regions, the exceptionally warm temperatures, combined with adequate topsoil moisture conditions, favoured emergence and early establishment of winter crops and allowed late-sown crops to catch up in development. Negative effects of the temperature surplus - such as lack of build-up of frost tolerance, increased pest and disease pressure, and shorter vernalisation - are not yet alarming.

 

Dry weather in the south raises concerns

In large parts of southern Europe the warm anomalies are accompanied by a persistent deficit in precipitation. In southern Spain and in central and northern Italy, this is prolonging the summer drought and winter cereal sowings are delayed or occurring under unusual irrigation practices. In eastern Romania and Bulgaria, sowing was also delayed and low precipitation since September has led to poor emergence and underdeveloped stands. Drought conditions in the Maghreb region raise serious concerns for the coming sowing campaign. Other distinct rainfall deficits, so far without substantial impacts on winter cereals, are observed in southern France, north-eastern Germany, eastern Poland, Lithuania, Slovenia, Croatia, and western Türkiye.

Distinctly above-average rainfall in Ireland did not seriously hamper the sowing campaign.

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