PRODUCTIVITY OF MAIZE, AND OCCURRENCE OF ENSO PRECIPITATION IN THE REGION OF THE MIDDLE PARANAPANEMA, SP, BRAZIL

The aim of this study was to verify the relationship between the occurrence of ENSO phenomena (ElNi o/ La Ni a), rain and yield variability in the Middle Paranapanema Region, SP, Brazil. The yield data were obtainedfrom the Agricultural Economy Institute (IEA) and the meteorological data from the Department of Ecophysiology andBiophysics of the Campinas Agronomic Institute (IAC). Data from 30 years (1976 to 2007) of summer maize yield,ten-day rainfall and the occurrence of ENSO phenomena were used/considered. The technological trend of the seriesin the region was disposed of in accordance with the model of Cunha et al. (2001). A strong correlation between yieldand rain was observed. However we did not find a relationship between rainfall and the occurrence of ENSO in theMiddle Paranapanema Region.