AGROCLIMATIC RISK ZONING OF PASSION FRUIT (Passiflora edulis Sims) IN THE HYDROGRAPHIC BASIN OF PARANÁ RIVER III, BRAZIL

Abstract

Brazil is the largest producer and consumer of passion fruit in the world. Fruticulture is a prominent segment of Brazilian agriculture. Despite recent technological and scientific advances, the climate is among the most important variable in crops productions. In this context, agroclimatic zoning should be one of the first information to consider before starting the cultivation of a particular crop. The purpose of this paper was to perform agroclimatic risk zoning for passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) in the basin of Parana river 3, located in Parana state, South of Brazil. For this we used meteorological data from 43 stations with historical series between from 1976 to 2019. The analysis of agroclimatic risk was based on the species requirements, such as rainfall, annual water deficit, annual average temperature, sunshine and the risk of frost. The occurrence of frost was the most limiting factor for production in the region. This meteorological factor restricted planting in the central-eastern portion of the basin. In other areas, the risk is present, however the suitability for the passion fruit planting was guaranteed.