SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION, EVOLUTION AND STRUCTURE OF MAIZE AND SOYBEAN PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN STATE OF PARANÁ

The Brazilian state of Paraná is one of the leading producers of maize. However, expansion of soybean cropping has caused a drop in maize production and could have impacted production systems. The aim of the study was to verify the evolution and identify the structure, spatial dynamics and transformation of maize and soybean production systems in the state of Paraná. Municipal Agricultural Production data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) provided the basis for this study. The Location Quotient was analyzed to identify microregions specialized in the production of soybean and first and second crops of maize. Principal components and groups were analyzed in order to characterize the structure and dynamics of maize and soybean production systems in specialized microregions. The results show how maize and soybean production systems have been transformed; soybean is now cropped in areas previously occupied by first crop maize, and the area occupied by second crop maize has increased. This has led to the predominant use of the crop rotation system with first crop soybean followed by second crop maize.