The use of agroclimatic indexes based on water balance and air temperature means, allowed the characterization of areas with different aptitude for grape (Vitis vinifera L.) crop growth in Bahia State, Brazil. Thornthwaite and Mather (1955) water balance for 120 mm soil moisture capacity, of the regions of natural dispersion and of areas of commercial crop production was used to determine the annual hydric index of Thornthwaite (Ih) in the characterization of ideal hydric conditions of climate for the crop growth. Monthly climatic values of temperature and rainfall were used to obtain the water balance for the same soil moisture capacity for 408 locations of Bahia State. It was observed that the State has no thermal limitation for the grape growth, being higher contents of sugar obtained in the regions with higher mean summer temperatures. So, the zones of full aptitude were subdivided according to the highest monthly value of temperature (Tq) of each place. The combination of thermal and hydric zones resulted in four classes of agroclimatic aptitude.
Vitis vinifera L.; agroclimatic zoning; air temperature
