Rainfall profiles and sisal productivity for Bahia mesoregions, Brazil

Abstract

Sisal is widely produced in the semi-arid region of Bahia State, Brazil, and an important source of economic income for rainfed agriculture. Thus, the objective of the study was to analyze and classify the historical series of rainfall in relation to its profiles and the trends related to rainfall and sisal production in two mesoregions and four meteorological stations. Pluviometric characterization and water balance were carried out; data were organized to fit Gumbel's model and classified by the Quantis technique; then, the trend was determined through the non-parametric test of Mann-Kendall. Average rainfalls between 565.1 and 687.3 mm were obtained, very dry years with rainfalls between 370.3 and 445.7 mm and very rainy years, between 748.3 and 962.5 mm, with a trend of reduction of productivity in years classified as dry and very dry and vice versa.