Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1982
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1982
04 Jun 2025
 | 04 Jun 2025

Warmer growing seasons improve cereal yields in Northern Europe only with increasing precipitation

Faranak Tootoonchi, Göran Bergkvist, and Giulia Vico

Abstract. Crop yields depend on climatic conditions such as precipitation and temperature and their timing before and during the growing season. At high latitudes, climate change could lengthen the growing season and provide more suitable temperatures, but also expose crops to more frequent damaging conditions. We quantified the response of regionally-averaged 1965–2020 winter and spring cereal yields in Sweden to a wide set of descriptors of climatic conditions. With statistical models, we explored the role of both short-term and average conditions over physiologically relevant developmental stages, as well as of a proxy of water availability during the period prior to the main growing season. Temperature and precipitation or dry spell lengths for the entire growing season explained 75–85 % of yield variability, performing better than short-term potentially damaging conditions. Low precipitation or extended dry spells combined with high temperatures and, conversely, high precipitation sums with cool temperatures decreased yields for all crops. Our findings suggest that under climate change crop yields will be reduced in Sweden, unless warming is accompanied by increase in precipitation during the main growing season. With unaltered or reduced growing season precipitation, benefiting from warmer temperatures caused by climate change will require adaptation measures.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this paper. While Copernicus Publications makes every effort to include appropriate place names, the final responsibility lies with the authors. Views expressed in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

17 Apr 2026
Warmer growing seasons improve cereal yields in Northern Europe only with increasing precipitation
Faranak Tootoonchi, Göran Bergkvist, and Giulia Vico
Biogeosciences, 23, 2583–2599, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2583-2026,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2583-2026, 2026
Short summary
Faranak Tootoonchi, Göran Bergkvist, and Giulia Vico

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1982', Anonymous Referee #1, 16 Aug 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Faranak Tootoonchi, 19 Sep 2025
  • CC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1982', Martin Skoglund, 24 Oct 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on CC1', Faranak Tootoonchi, 03 Dec 2025
      • CC2: 'Reply on AC2', Martin Skoglund, 04 Dec 2025
        • CC3: 'Reply on CC2', Martin Skoglund, 04 Dec 2025
          • AC3: 'Reply on CC3', Faranak Tootoonchi, 13 Jan 2026
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1982', Anonymous Referee #2, 29 Dec 2025
    • AC4: 'Reply on RC2', Faranak Tootoonchi, 13 Jan 2026

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1982', Anonymous Referee #1, 16 Aug 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Faranak Tootoonchi, 19 Sep 2025
  • CC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1982', Martin Skoglund, 24 Oct 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on CC1', Faranak Tootoonchi, 03 Dec 2025
      • CC2: 'Reply on AC2', Martin Skoglund, 04 Dec 2025
        • CC3: 'Reply on CC2', Martin Skoglund, 04 Dec 2025
          • AC3: 'Reply on CC3', Faranak Tootoonchi, 13 Jan 2026
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1982', Anonymous Referee #2, 29 Dec 2025
    • AC4: 'Reply on RC2', Faranak Tootoonchi, 13 Jan 2026

Peer review completion

AR – Author's response | RR – Referee report | ED – Editor decision | EF – Editorial file upload
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (28 Jan 2026) by Anja Rammig
AR by Faranak Tootoonchi on behalf of the Authors (16 Mar 2026)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (24 Mar 2026) by Anja Rammig
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (28 Mar 2026)
ED: Publish as is (30 Mar 2026) by Anja Rammig
AR by Faranak Tootoonchi on behalf of the Authors (01 Apr 2026)  Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

17 Apr 2026
Warmer growing seasons improve cereal yields in Northern Europe only with increasing precipitation
Faranak Tootoonchi, Göran Bergkvist, and Giulia Vico
Biogeosciences, 23, 2583–2599, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2583-2026,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2583-2026, 2026
Short summary
Faranak Tootoonchi, Göran Bergkvist, and Giulia Vico
Faranak Tootoonchi, Göran Bergkvist, and Giulia Vico

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Short summary
In Northern Europe, current temperatures limit the time available for soil preparation and crop growth. Warming may extend the growing season and improve growing conditions, but higher temperatures also increase evapotranspiration and raises the risk of water stress. We evaluated the role of various climatic conditions on crop yield fluctuations in Sweden over 1965–2020 and found that unless Sweden receives more rain in the growing season, crop yields will likely decrease with warming climates.
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