The climates of the two experimental seasons (2003 and 2004) were characterized by 1642 and 1814 mm of rainfall, of which approximately 70% was received between the periods October–February of each season. The mean daily temperature of both seasons was 29.8 ± 2.41 ◦C, with a humidity of 88.7% ± 3.1%, and a mean daily evaporation rate of 3.01 mm ± 0.22 per day. Thus the crops had sufficient rainfall for establishment and early growth and supplementary irrigation was not provided. Furthermore, the climatic
parameters were within the norms of the seasons without much variation.