Skip to main content
European Commission logo print header
Content archived on 2022-12-23

OPERATIONAL APPLICATIONS OF METEOROLOGY TO AGRICULTURE, INCLUDING HORTICULTURE

Objective

The main objective of the Action is to achieve major economic benefits by a better understanding and simulation of combined biological, geophysical, and atmospheric processes in operational weather services. It is also expected to improve the protection of the environment by minimising the use of crop pesticides, nitrates, etc. The Action should also strength the link between farmers and agrometeorologists by developing tailor-made products, PC-based decision models, better adapted dissemination methods, and training.

Current status
At its first meeting the Managing Committee endorsed the three topics included in the Action: A1, agrometeorological modelling; A2, practical forecasting techniques for operational agrometeorological services; and A3, supporting techniques and activities. It further decided as follows:
During the preparative phase of the Action, a study contract has been awarded to carry out a survey on the activities of the countries in the field of operational applications of meteorology to agriculture including horticulture. This survey has been completed and published, after review by the Management Committee.
Intercomparison of models being one of the important item of A3, a questionnaire has be sent out to gather the available information on this subject.
Training of meteorologists in agrometeorology and of users (farmers) in meteorology has been considered essential. Training material available from World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has been assessed by a small group.
In collaboration with WMO the WMO lecture notes for Class II and III have been up dated by one of the Action participants and should be published in 1997.
Joint research projects have been prepared on: sprinkler irrigation, drought, and forest fires;
Specifications of an agrometeorological station are under review;
A study on representativity of data will be carried out;
Information on practical difficulties in accessing data will be gathered in view of possible action vis à vis data owners;
To evaluate the degree of satisfaction of end users, a questionnaire has been prepared, and should be distributed and the responses studied;
A joint research project on Pest and Disease and Phenology has been carried out between Finland, Norway, Belgium, Italy, Slovenia and Sweden. Perennial plants (apple and vine), and annual ones (potatoes, spring wheat and barley) have been studied. Results will be published in 1997.
The phenology, in Germany, of a set of plants has been prepared by workers in that country and will be published, under COST auspices, in 1997.
A subvention has been allotted to the Norwegian Crop Research Institute for co-ordinating research on Plant Pest and Decease, and Phenology.


Work planned
Studies and researches, as described above, will continue and some results published.

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

Data not available

Coordinator

CEC
EU contribution
No data
Address
Rue de la Loi, 200
1049 Brussels
Belgium

See on map

Total cost
No data

Participants (1)