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.