Precipitation and temperature regimes specifities for maize growing in the eastern Croatia since 2000.

Maize is main field crop on arable lands in Croatia. According data of State Bureau of Statistics, maize in the 2010 growing season was grown on 296195 ha or 22% of utilized arable land of the country. In the period 2001-2010 mean yield of maize in Croatia was 6.33 t ha-1 (mean harvested area 303946 ha) with variation among the years from 4.2 t ha-1 (2003) to 8.0 t ha-1 (2008). Weather characteristics, especially precipitation and temperature regimes, are mainly the most responsible factors for these yield differences. In general, the higher and good distributed precipitations as well as lower air-temperatures during three summer months (June-August) are mainly in connection with high yields of maize. The growing season 2003 was the most unfavorable for maize growing among ten tested years because precipitation in June-August period was for 30% lower (Osijek) and for 48% lower compared to 30-year average. At the same period, air-temperature was for 3 oC (Osijek) and even 4.7 oC (Zagreb) higher. This phenomenon is main reason for considerable yield reduction (mean yield 4.2 t ha-1) in Croatia. In accordance with global climatic changes, frequency occurrence of „dry years“ (below 150 mm in June-August) has increasing trend.