Several corn crop regions of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, were studied concerning soil water content during the growing season, related to the cycles of super earlier, earlier and late cultivars in several simulated sowing dates. It was considered the soil water content parameter (ARM) as a result of a ten day water balance model. It was calculated these probabilities of the ARM greater than 50 mm, during the year for all regions studied. These probabilities were related with the crop growth stages for the 3 cycles considered, specially during the flowering and grain filling. The best sowing dates for the three cultivars, were characterized by the high probabilities of attendance of water demand by rainfall, during critical growth stages, giving different potential yield by region. The North, Northwest, East and Northeast regions presented in the highest yield potentialities, for the normal sowing dates (October to December). For the late sowing dates ("safrinha"), the region of "Vale do Paranapanema" and Southwest region presented higher yield potential than the other regions.
water availability; corn sowing date; crop growth stage
