Abstract. Drought events are of great importance in most Mediterranean climate regions
because of the diverse and costly impacts they have in various economic
sectors and on the environment. The effects of this natural hazard on
rainfed crops are particularly evident. In this study the impacts of drought
on two representative rainfed crops in Spain (wheat and barley) were
assessed. As the agriculture sector is vulnerable to climate, it is
especially important to identify the most appropriate tools for monitoring
the impact of the weather on crops, and particularly the impact of drought.
Drought indices are the most effective tool for that purpose. Various
drought indices have been used to assess the influence of drought on crop
yields in Spain, including the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI),
the Palmer drought indices (Palmer
Drought Severity Index, PDSI; Palmer Z Index, Z Index; Palmer Hydrological Drought Index, PHDI; Palmer Modified Drought Index, PMDI), and the Standardized
Palmer Drought Index (SPDI). Two sets of crop yield data at different
spatial scales and temporal periods were used in the analysis. The results
showed that drought indices calculated at different timescales (SPI, SPEI)
most closely correlated with crop yield. The results also suggested that
different patterns of yield response to drought occurred depending on the
region, period of the year, and the drought timescale. The differing
responses across the country were related to season and the magnitude of
various climate variables.