In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that the atmospheric process,which had been called “global warming” by Wallace Broecker and which has long been referred to as this name, is actually much more complex than simply the rise in average temperatures. Various climatic fluctuations of different climatic elements, which are partly due to climatic variability and partly to climate change, have a complex impact on crop production, and therefore on growing conditions of maize as the most widely used forage crop. While the impact assessment of climate change focusing on the shift in average values is deepening all over the world, the complex and realistic interpretation of climate change coupled with climatic variability puts a great challenge on researchers in this field and on vine growers who need to gain this kind of knowledge in their tactical and strategic decisions.

Based on a review of the relevant Hungarian and international literature, we try to clarify the relationship between different forms of climatic fluctuations, we quantify the climatic conditions, referred to as eco- or agroclimatic indicators more often, that determine the maize production and analyze their evolution in the last one and a half century on Mosoni-Plain.

The longest climatological data series of the region, namely the series of temperature and precipitation data that has been observed and recorded in Mosonmagyaróvár since 1861 provide the basis for this, although we only use the data from 1871. Therefore, our studies presented here are limited to temperature and precipitation conditions of crop production, as such data are most accessible in our country, and these factors are generally considered to be the most decisive for the climate-plant relationship. Modification in the regional climatic conditions of maize production have been more pronounced in the last few decades, mainly in the case of temperature; before it was a continuous task for agriculture to adapt itself to climate variability. Generally,the positive changes are predominant, but these options have to be exploited. On the other hand, it may be a cause for concern that a significant change in the standard deviation of climatic elements usually meant an increase in the probability of extreme values, which is also very important to respond to.

However it should be emphasized that the aim of this work was to reveal the macroclimatic tendencies and not to forget that the meso- and microclimatic effects can change the results even if they do not fundamentally change the climatic conditions provided by the macroclimate. The results obtained, interpreted indirectly and cautiously,

may provide insight into the climatic processes taking place throughout Hungary.

Keywords: climate change, climatic variability, agroclimatic indicators, maize production