Climatic risk factors of central hungarian grape growing regions

Abstract

Under global climate change we mean the observed increasing tendency of the yearly mean temperature together with the more and more frequently occurring extreme events (floods, frosts, droughts, heat waves). The border of the sites suitable for grapevine growing and the growing regions are defined mainly by climatic conditions. Quality wine production can be maintained between the isothermals of 10-16°C yearly mean temperature. Though Hungary is expected to remain amongst the regions with good quality grapevine growing conditions, according even to the most pessimistic forecasts, the expected frequency and the impact of extreme climatic events are rather serious warning signs. Continental climatic conditions in Carpathian basin can generate stress effects which can cause negative economic consequences through quality and quantity unsuitability. In this study some impactful climatic indicators are analysed which are of high importance in grapevine production. Historic data are compared with regional climate model predictions of RegCM 3.1 with A1B scenario, concerning to the Central Hungarian grape growing regions. © 2012, ALÖKI Kft., Budapest, Hungary.