Practices of Crop Production (Chapter 4) (1)

CropSci 1202: Practices of Crop Production and Management

Page 1: Course Information

• Name of Student:

• Course/Year/Section:

• Home Address:

• Contact Details:

• Instructor Name: Ericjhon P. Hinayon

• Instructor Contact Details:

Page 2: Chapter 4 - Site Selection and Characterization

• Introduction to Site Selection:

  • First stage in yearly production is planning or conducting a feasibility study.

  • Analyze location and agricultural businesses.

  • Assess physical, biological, and socioeconomic conditions.

  • Select crop species and types adapted to the conditions.

  • Consider technical inputs needed for cultivation.

  • Optimizing land use may include diversified agriculture like livestock and agroforestry species.

Bio-physical Features of Land

• Crops adapt to specific climatic, soil, and biological conditions:

  • Submerged Conditions:

    • Suitable for paddy fields (e.g. Taro, Rice).

    • Plants such as taro and rice thrive in waterlogged conditions.

    • Techniques like ‘sorjan’ for planting upland crops alongside submerged rice.

Page 3: Climate Adaptation

• Uniform Rainfall and Humid Conditions:

  • Ideal for perennial crops like abaca, mango, and mangosteen in Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, and Bicol.

• Cool Temperatures:

  • Promotes cultivation of certain vegetables and fruits in the highlands (e.g. potato, cabbage, strawberry).

• Coastal Areas:

  • Crops such as coconut and cashew can withstand saline conditions.

  • Other species: nipa palm for sap production.

Page 4: Partial Shade and Soil Conditions

• Partial Shade:

  • Suitable for crops needing shade (e.g. ginger, cacao, coffee).

  • Benefits: conserves water, improves soil quality, supports biodiversity.

• Low pH Soil:

  • Areas with acid tolerance: rubber, pineapple, cassava.

  • Development of crops that adapt to acidic conditions for improved agricultural production.

Page 5: Acidic Soil Regions

• Regions known for acidic soil include:

  • Bukidnon, Bicol, Caraga, Davao, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zamboanga, Eastern Visayas.

• Crops: Pineapple, cassava, sweet potato, among others.

Page 6: Soil Characteristics

• Light-Textured Soil:

  • Good for water drainage; suited for root crops and asparagus.

• Poor and Stony Soils:

  • Adaptable crops: Cashew, forage legumes, Arenga pinnata.

• Drought Areas:

  • Drought-tolerant crops: sorghum, cashew, sweet potato.

• Photoperiod Sensitivity:

  • Some crops like soybeans and certain rice varieties only flower with specific day lengths.

Page 7: Problem Soils and Cropping Systems

• Problem Soils:

  • High salinity or nutrient deficiencies can challenge agriculture.

  • Varieties of rice developed to adapt to these conditions.

Types of Cropping System

• Monoculture:

  • Growing a single crop species (e.g. rice, corn).

  • Advantages: Simplifies operations, high yields.

  • Disadvantages: Vulnerable to pests, reduces biodiversity.

Page 8: Cropping Techniques

• Multiple Cropping:

  • Growing two or more crops in a single season.

  • Advantages: Increased productivity, better soil health.

  • Disadvantages: Complexity in management.

• Intercropping:

  • Growing different crops on the same land.

  • Advantages: Higher yields, improved resource use.

  • Disadvantages: Management challenges.

Page 9: Advanced Cropping Systems

• Multistory Cropping:

  • Growing crops of varied heights (e.g. coconut with banana).

  • Advantages: Maximizes land use, enhances biodiversity.

  • Disadvantages: Involves complex management.

• Crop Rotation:

  • Successive planting of different crops.

  • Advantages: Improves soil fertility and reduces pest pressure.

  • Disadvantages: Requires planning and may affect short-term profits.

Page 10: Additional Practices

• Relay Cropping:

  • Overlap of crop growth stages.

  • Advantages: Efficient resource use, increased total yields.

  • Disadvantages: Timing and management complexities.

• Sequential Cropping:

  • Planting different crops in a sequence within the same year.

  • Advantages: Maximizes land use, improves resource efficiency.

Page 11: Ratooning and Site Selection

• Ratooning:

  • Allowing plants to regrow from roots (e.g. sugarcane).

  • Advantages: Reduced planting costs, shorter growth cycles.

Location and Site Selection

• Distinction between "location" (broader area) and "site" (localized area).

Page 12: Factors to Consider in Site Selection

1. Climate: Monitor rainfall, wind patterns, typhoons.

2. Physical Factors: Soil fertility, drainage, depth.

3. Biological Factors: Existing cropping patterns and pest prevalence.

4. Socio-economic Factors: Labor skills, market accessibility, consumer preferences.

Page 13: Case Studies for Crop Production

• Examples of successful site selections made based on individual or corporate decisions.

  • Selected areas for crop production, such as bananas and corn in Davao and Bukidnon.

Page 14: Crop Selection Decision-Making

• Importance of assessing profitability to make informed crop selections.

• Recommendations to utilize experimental plantings for better understanding.

Page 15: Practical Management Insights

• Importance of anticipating equipment failures and operational challenges, illustrated with a soybean farming example.