Climate resilience on-farm action planner (cereals): Drier spring/summers and low rainfall

Here are some of the impacts of drier spring/summers and low rainfall and the actions you can take using our Climate resilience on-farm action planner for cereals and oilseeds.

Summers are expected to be drier as well as hotter on average. UK Climate Projections (UKCP) predicts a decrease in soil moisture during summers in the future, consistent with the reduction in summer rainfall.

Summers are expected to be ~10% drier than the 1981–2000 average by mid-century.

This affects water and nutrient availability and impacts crop yield and quality.

• Have a soil management plan, maintain good soil health and soil organic matter where possible to maintain soil moisture
• Follow guidance, for example our Nutrient Management Guide, to consider whether late nitrogen applications should be considered

Crops may be less tolerance to pests and pathogens. Some pests tend to thrive better in less rainfall, e.g. CSFB beetle, aphids. 

• Consider new disease-resistant crop varieties
• Apply integrated pest management, e.g. biological, cultivation and rotational controls
• Sowing earlier and harvesting later can help to compensate for lower yields due to drought
• Earlier maturing varieties may be better suited to avoid the peak heat of summer, especially if the heatwave occurs after critical crop development stages
• Maintain good soil health and soil organic matter where possible

• Calculate the need for water supply, e.g. by conducting a water audit, help determine daily water requirements and identify future potential areas at risk and water efficiency savings
• Consider installing rainwater harvesting on your farm buildings or a winter storage reservoir and treatment system

• Ensure a mains water supply is available as back-up
• Reduce high-volume traffic

• Reduced drying costs
• Earlier harvests
• Opportunity for enhanced N-use efficiency crops, cover crops and companion legumes in the rotation
• Opportunity for new crop species to become viable in the UK in some regions, e.g. sunflowers, soya, chickpeas, lentils, grain maize, durum wheat
• Intercropping opportunities, e.g. species mixtures such as cereal/legume, or cultivar mixtures