Spatial variability of meteorological observations and impacts on regional estimates of soybean grain productivity

Abstract

Brazil requires a fully representative weather network station; it is common to use data observed in locations distant from the region of interest. However, few studies have evaluated the efficiency and precision associated with the use of climate data, either estimated or interpolated, from stations far from the agricultural area of interest. Hence, this study aimed to demonstrate the impacts of spatial variability of the main meteorological elements on the regional estimate of soybean productivity. Regression analysis was used to compare data recorded at three weather stations located throughout Londrina, PR, Brazil. The water balance of the soybean crop was calculated at 10-day periods and grain productivity losses estimated using the Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZ) methodology. Temperatures at the three locations were similar, while the relative air humidity, and particularly, the rainfall data, were less correlated. A high degree of caution is recommended in the use and choice of a single weather station to represent a municipality or region, particularly in countries, such as Brazil, with multiple regions of agricultural and environmental importance. Models and crop season estimates that do not consider such a recommendation are vulnerable to errors in their forecasts. The volumetric and temporal variability in the spatial rainfall distribution resulted in soybean yield discrepancies, estimated at the municipal level. The consistency of the data series, the location of weather stations and their distance to the location of interest determine the ability of crop models to accurately estimate soybean production based on meteorological data, particularly the rainfall data. This study contributes to future regional research using climate data, and highlights the importance of a weather station network throughout Brazil, demonstrating the urgent need to increase the number of weather stations, particularly for recording rainfall data.