Significant moisture stress is now becoming a challenge in crops across Europe, according to the European Commission
This reflects the continuing spell of hot, dry weather being experienced in a number of countries.
A full crop update is contained in the latest JRC MARS bulletin, recently published by Brussels for the month of May.
It confirms that crop conditions across Europe remain generally favourable, with winter crops developing well overall.
Spring sowing campaigns are nearing completion in many regions, but cool and wet conditions have delayed field operations and early crop development in south-eastern Europe and Turkey.
Late frost events may have affected rapeseed locally in parts of central and eastern Europe.
Rainfall
Meanwhile, insufficient rainfall in April across central, eastern and northern Europe slowed down biomass accumulation.
However, recent and upcoming cooler and wetter weather in central and south-eastern Europe may replenish soil moisture and improve crop development.
As a consequence, yield forecasts have been slightly reduced this month to account for these limiting conditions. But they remain largely in line with or above the five-year average.
Rainfall deficits have persisted in several regions, leading to declining soil moisture levels, though recent rainfall helped to improve conditions in some areas.
Soil moisture
Concerns remain in areas where soil moisture deficits have accumulated since early spring.
In western France, persistent dry and warm weather progressively reduced soil moisture until abundant rainfall in May restored it, sustaining crop growth.
Where northern and central Italy are concerned, above-average temperatures combined with limited precipitation to deplete top soil moisture levels.
Specifically in the north of the country, early irrigation was required to support the germination and early development of summer crops.
Meanwhile across eastern Poland and southern Sweden, prolonged dry conditions have increasingly depleted soil moisture reserves. Additional rainfall will be needed as winter crops enter their reproductive stages.
Western Ukraine has also seen persistent rainfall deficits following several months of below average precipitation, which has continued to worsen soil moisture conditions.
In contrast, late frost events may have affected rapeseed in central and eastern Europe.
Cold spells in late April and early May brought minimum temperatures locally below -5°C and affected crops during sensitive development stages.
Frost events that occurred during rapeseed flowering reduced flower numbers and fertility.
As a consequence, yield expectations for rapeseed and winter crops have dropped below the five-year average in several regions, although some recovery remains possible.