Inter-annual variability and trends of the frost-free season characteristics over Central and Southeast Europe in 1950-2019

Agriculture and forestry are two economic sectors most dependent on climate, climate change has a direct indirect impact biotic abiotic disturbances with strong implications. The air temperature is one of the major environmental factors affecting growth, development, yields crops. Despite undeniable global warming, damage to crops by frost freezing temperatures causes serious loss farmers in many parts world. frost-free season large influence plant phenology, implications for distribution natural vegetation types grown particular region. present study dedicated climatology over Central Southeast Europe second half previous first decades this century. characterized three indicators, namely date last spring frost, autumn length season. Additionally, middle as measure seasonal shift analysed. study, which performed thresholds -2.2 °C 0 °C, reveals non-negligible lengthening season, associated primarily an earlier rather than delayed frost.