Periodicity and strength of the ENSO climatic signal and its consequences for sugarcane production in Queensland
By Kuhnel, I
The impact of anomalous climatic conditions known as El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on sugarcane production in Queensland is examined. The influence of the ENSO signal varies regionally, and Southern Oscillation (SO) is only of limited value for prediction of total sugarcane yields. However, the SO-index alone might be a useful indicator of sugarcane yields in the northern districts. The cane yield data displays three major periodicities at 2-3, 7 and 10 years. The first two periods can be linked with frequencies often associated with the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation and the ENSO itself.