SPATIAL CORRELATION OF SOYBEAN PRODUCTIVITY, ENHANCED VEGETATION INDEX (EVI) AND AGROMETEOROLOGICAL VARIABLES

ABSTRACT The survey information from growing regions, the interaction with the vegetation index and climatic variables is of great importance in the search for soybean productivity increase. Paraná is the second largest soybean producer in Brazil and presents great spatial variability, both in periods of the crop cycle as in soil and climate. The objective of this study was to analyze the spatial correlation of soybean productivity, the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and agrometeorological variables (water balance, global radiation and average temperature) in the state of Paraná, on a decendial scale, using the Moran global autocorrelation index between the 2010/2011 and 2012/2013 crop years. Similarity was found in the average productivities in 2010/2011 and 2012/2013. In 2011/2012 the state average was 2.38 t ha−1 lower in 10.19% compared to the national average, caused by the water deficit in flowering and grain filling phases. As a consequence, spatial autocorrelation indicated a higher similarity in productivity among municipalities with a Moran index of 0.735. The use of vegetation indices and agrometeorological variables allowed the identification of different sowing periods between regions and great climatic variability, influencing the soybean productivity.