Crop Growing Periods and Irrigation Needs in Bahia State North Eastern Brazil

Abstract

Results of a climatological study of soil moisture in the state of Bahia, Brazil were reported in this study. The study was based on the estimation of daily values of available soil moisture content at 26 stations selected from different parts of the state. Thornthwaite’s water balance procedure was used for the estimation of soil moisture content. Markov chain probabilities of days with dry and wet soil were computed for each decade of the year. Soil moisture averages and probabilities were used to determine the optimum crop growing periods at the stations. The amounts of supplementary irrigation necessary to maintain the soil moisture above selected levels during the growing seasons were determined.

Keywords: Soil moisture, Markov chain probabilities, crop growing periods, irrigation needs