VARIATION OF THE MAIN AGRICULTURAL CROPS YIELD DUE TO DROUGHT IN ROMANIA AND DOBROGEA REGION IN THE PERIOD 2000-2019.

The research was focused on yields dynamics of the main agricultural crops: wheat, maize, barley, oats, sunflower and rape recorded in Romania and especially in Dobrogea region in =order to identify in what measure they were affected by climate change, mainly by drought in two decades: 2000-2009 and 2010-2019. For this purpose, there were calculated the negative deviations of yield in each year from the average of each decade, and also the differences between the average decade yield in Dobrogea region and at the country level. The results proved substantial negative deviations for almost all the crops compared to the decade averages, and a smaller production performance in Dobrogea region versus yield level in Romania. All these differences were caused by the change in climate factors: the increased air temperature, low of lack of precipitations, low or lack of water resource into the soil, which characterize the severe and strong droughts with which Romania, and mainly Dobrogea region were facing during the last 20 years. In order to reduce the economic, social and environmental impact of droughts, the authorities have to develop sustainable strategies in order to support agriculture with irrigation systems and other measures of protection (financial aid to cover losses, tax exemption, extending the terms of repayment of the debts etc), and farmers have to continue their efforts for adapting the technologies cultivating high production potential varieties and hybrids resistant to drought, diseases and pests, choosing the right moment and depth for sowing, fertilization level and plant protection. Only in this way, farmers could obtain a production performance able to cover costs and assure profitableness of their business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]