Abstract: The temporal and spatial variation of safe rice sowing date was investigated, based on daily average temperature data from 131 meteorological stations in six rice cultivation zones of Sichuan province from 1960 to 2011. The results showed that safe rice sowing date in south basin hilly cropping rice zone and southwest mountain cropping rice zone was from 17 to 19 March, and from 26 to 28 March in east basin hilly cropping rice zone and central basin hilly cropping rice zone, from 30 to 31 March in Peripheral basin hilly cropping rice zone and west basin plain cropping rice zone. The earliest rice planting date in six rice cultivation zones advanced under different safety reliability declining. The safety reliability decreased from 100% to 90% and advanced 11d to 14d. The main reason of different safe sowing date between southwest mountain cropping rice zone and peripheral basin hilly cropping rice zone was difference of latitudes and altitudes. So it suggested that rice production should be considered the spatial distribution of safe sowing date in different rice cultivation zones. In addition, safe sowing date was closed to temperature change, for example, the safe sowing date in six rice cultivation zones of Sichuan province delayed at early stage and advanced significantly from 1960 to 2011.

Key words: Sichuan province, Rice cultivation zones, Safe sowing date, GIS technology, Temporal and spatial variation