Impacts of the NAO on crop production

Meteorological conditions can influence the main biological processes responsible of plant growth and development affecting vegetative growing, setting and ripening of different plant organs, onset and duration of phenological stages and the final production, exerting a strong impact on agricultural activities. In particular, the study of the variability of timing and length of the plants growing season is gaining importance because plant phenology is a sensitive indicator of climate change and has large impacts on terrestrial ecosystems through changes in productivity and in the annual carbon and water cycles. Equally important are also indirect effects, affecting field operations such as fertilizations, pruning, crop protection, finally determining the yield.