Avaliação da sustentabilidade hídrica da cultura canavieira através do uso de indicadores extraídos de modelos espaciais Water sustainability assessment for sugarcane based on spatial indicators RESUMO

National audience; This article aimed to assess the sugarcane expansion process in four microregionsconsidered sugarcane expansion hotspots in the State of Goiás, Brazil, from the use ofindicators proposed by the Indicators System of Sugarcane Water Sustainability Assessment- SISH-Cana (Ferraz, 2012) Thus, it became possible to perform an analytical andcomparative evaluation of the sugarcane expansion process occurred in 2005/2006 to2010201 period, in the following microregions of South of the State of Goiás, Brazil:Sudoeste de Goiás, Vale do Rio dos Bois, Quirinópolis and Meia Ponte, adopted as territorialunits of analysis. The results of the indicators suggest that the proportions of sugarcaneoccupation in microregions studied are still relatively small in relation to the total areas oftheir territories. They also suggest that the sugar-alcohol sector has expanded mainly on themost appropriate areas, precisely those with slope gradients lower than 12 and with soilswith preferential agricultural suitability, where it becomes possible to develop sugarcaneactivity with high technological level. They have also shown that sugarcane expansionprocess is occurring primarily on areas traditionally occupied with agriculture, but alsopointed out the trend of gradual pastures replacement, while the native vegetation removalis relatively small. In relation to the balance between demand and water availability, theresults demonstrated the sugarcane culture still has a high possibility to develop in themicroregions considered.