Perennial field crops.

Abstract

Abstract In Canada, perennial forage crops and rangelands are grown on over 34 million ha, which represent more than 50% of all agricultural land. The productivity of perennial crops depends on climatic conditions. For perennial crops, however, both summer and winter climatic conditions are the determining factors. Yield is mainly dependent on the conditions prevailing during the growing period, while long-term persistence depends largely on the severity of winter conditions. This chapter focuses on current and future climatic conditions of eastern Canada, but conclusions could be applied to countries where the winter is characterized by freezing temperatures and snow cover.