The objective of this study was to simulate sowing dates for cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) in Cruz das Almas, Recôncavo of Bahia, based on crop model CROPGRO-cowpea. The crop model CROPGRO was calibrated and evaluated based on field experiments data set. Two different scenarios were elaborated, attainable yield (automatic irrigation when required) and observed yield (rainfed) and for each scenario 12 simulations were made, one per month (begin January, 15 and end December, 15), considering 20 years of historic daily weather data set from the weather station at Embrapa CNPMF. The model simulated well the yield for Cruz das Almas, showing sensitivity for the climate variation inter and intra years, being July and June the best month for sowing cowpea due to lesser risk for yield loss.
modeling; Vigna unguiculata; DSSAT
