KAZALCI OKOLJA

Key message
Neutral

Annual growing season has lengthed throughout most of central and southern Spain, central Italy, Atlantic coast, British Isles, Denmark and Central Europe (also in Slovenia). Projections of the growing season point out further increase all over the Europe, mainly because of an earlier start in the spring growing season and its subsequent end in autumn. Lengthening of the annual growing season will northward expansion of warm-season crops.


Indicator shows average annual growing season length in Slovenia (1961-1990 and 1991–2013), changes in average annual growing season length in Ljubljana (1961-2011) and changes of the average annual growing season length of agricultural crops in Europe (1975-2010). As changing air temperature significantly affect the duration of the growing season indicator presents important data set for monitoring climate change in Slovenia.

The length of the annual growing season is the period between the day when the average daily air temperature in spring exceeds the temperature threshold of 5°C and the day when it drops below this value in autumn.

The air temperature of 5°C is generally recognised as the lowest temperature threshold for plant vegetation. The length of annual growing season is defined by the temperature threshold of 5°C and the temperature threshold so determined is used as one of the conditions for the classification of agro-ecological zones.


Charts

Figure PP06-1: Annual average growing season length in Slovenia, 1961-1990 and 1991-2013
Sources:

Archive of Meteorological Data, Slovenian Environment Agency, 2014

Show data
Ljubljana Novo mesto Bilje Slap pri Vipavi Murska Sobota Maribor Rateče
1961-1990 number of days 243 238 278 276 237 243 187
1991-2013 number of days 248 244 278 279 240 246 193
Figure PP06-2: Changes in average annual growing season length in Ljubljana, 1961-2013
Sources:

Archive of Meteorological Data, Slovenian Environment Agency,2014

Show data
1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970
growing season number of days 279 227 249 256 243 226 268 243 235 234
1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980
growing season number of days 247 270 216 226 265 239 278 255 246 222
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
growing season number of days 246 222 237 235 210 243 224 228 252 260
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
growing season number of days 237 284 222 275 231 246 249 230 261 284
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
growing season number of days 246 280 237 269 249 273 266 239 285 253
2011 2012 2013
growing season number of days 247 276 241
Figure PP06-3: Changes the average annual growing season length of agricultural crops, Europe, 1975-2010
Sources:

Goals

- To estimate the effect of climate changes on plant development.
- Preparation of adaptation procedures for the newly arising climatic conditions and mitigation of possible adverse effects.