Análise da qualidade das pastagens cultivadas do Cerrado goiano a partir de imagens MODIS índices de vegetação

Abstract

The State of Goiás is one of the greatest producers of cattle in the country, with about 21.3 millions of heads and average annual production of 600,000 tons of meat. Approximately 38.7% of the State is occupied by pasturelands. This arises a concern with the quality of the pastures, since several studies have shown that a large portion of them is already degraded and with low cattle occupation. This study, based on moderate spatial resolution remote sensing imagery (MODIS13Q1-EVI), as well as on spatial and census data, aimed at evaluating the quality of the pastures in Goias through the estimation of a net primary productivity proxy (NPP) for the 2001 – 2009 period. The main results and conclusions of our study were: a) the highest NPP values were found in the central, southern and extreme northeastern portions of Goiás; b) the highest NPP values were related to Argissolos, Cambissolos, Neossolos and Latossolos; and c) there are several municipalities (major cattle producers) which have the majority of their pastures severely impacted. Thus, the monitoring of pasture quality and the analysis of correlated factors (e.g. soils, infrastructure, cattle occupation) are of great importance, so that, through improved territorial governance and modernization of the meat production chain, a more effi cient and environmental sustainable cattle industry may be achieved.