Irrigation provides an important degree of stability for the food production if the irrigation planning is well prepared. With the climatic phenomenon La Niña associated with higher occurrences of drought in Southern Brazil, this study aimed to examine the irrigation water requeriment of maize (Zea mays L.) in Santa Catarina State, during La Niña events. Daily data from seven meteorological stations were used to determine the irrigation water requeriment (crop evapotranspiration - effective precipitation) during the cycle and phenological phase of higher crop water requeriment and net irrigation for the maize cycle for three sowing dates, using the software CROPWAT 8.0 for neutral and La Niña years, observed from 1978 to 2011. During La Niña years, the irrigation water requeriment of maize, decrease as the sowings are delayed. The west is the region of the State where the irrigation requeriment is higher, the opposite occurring in the Major Vieira municipality.
yield; interanual climatic variability; Zea mays L
