REGIONS WITH CLIMATIC POTENTIAL FOR GUA VA CROP IN THE STATES OF ZACATECAS ANO AGUASCALIENTES

Abstract

In 1992, a study was carried out in order to determine the areas with agroclimatic aptitude to produce guava (Psidium guajava L.) in the states of Zacatecas and Aguascalientes, where the most important mexican producing zone is located. Methodology involved the application of agroclimatic indexes, derived from temperature data and related  with the crop phenology. To determine the areas with agroclimatic potential, thermal requirements of the crop were compared to the thermal capacity (TC) of the frost-free period (FFP) from the region. In order to map these areas, the annual average temperature was used as a zonation variable, which showed a closed relationship (r²= 0.95) with CT of FFP. Results indicated an agroclimatic aptitude in 11 municipalities of Zacatecas and one municipality of Aguascalientes, summing 240,000 ha as a total potential area.