<b>Expansion of citrus crops in Botucatu - SP, obtained by aerial photography</b>

Abstract

The expansion of the citrus crops in the State of São Paulo and particularly in Botucatu, associated to the progress of the techniques of environmental monitoring, as the remote sensing, were the decisive factors for the development of the present researches. The objective of this work was to evaluate the space-temporary alterations of the citrus crops in Botucatu-SP, in the period from 1962 to 2005, using geotechnology, such as: panchromatic aerial photographs of 1962, 1972 and 1977 and colored of 2000 and 2005, associated to the techniques of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System - GIS. The obtained results allowed to conclude that the expansion of the citrus crops of Botucatu-SP had an increment of 3,41% and an expansion of 65,27% in the period of five years (2000 to 2005); that means an increase of 12722,56 ha. The aerial photography associated to SIG was efficient in the determination of the expansion citrus crops in Botucatu-SP.