Winter 2017/18? - Hardly any minimum temperatures below zero in the next 14 days! According to climate data from the European Commission's agrometeorological institute (MARS), the weather so far has encouraged lush growth of winter cereal crops. The few days with regionally limited temperatures below 0 degrees have not been enough to make the cereal plants winter-proof in large parts of Europe. Plants achieve their winter hardiness by converting the starch in the plant cells into glucose when temperatures drop. This lowers the freezing point of the cell sap. Similar to radiator frost protection, ice does not form. To a certain extent, this can prevent the cells from bursting. However, this process takes a certain amount of time. As things stand, winter hardiness in winter wheat is virtually non-existent in large parts of Western Europe. Only in the south-eastern parts are there moderate beginnings. Should a sudden cold spell occur without protective snow cover, severe wintering damage is to be expected. According to the weather forecasts available so far, however, a warm front is expected to deliver minimum temperatures above the zero degree line until after Christmas. This front will reach as far as Poland and the Baltic states, but will not extend beyond the higher mountainous regions in the south and south-east. In the further perspective, the weather situation is expected to prevail until the turn of the year, although the accuracy of the forecast will decrease significantly. Based on current knowledge, the winter hardiness of cereal crops is not expected to improve for the time being. The risk of a potential wintering remains high. However, the winter period will continue for a few more months, during which the weather conditions can still change considerably.
