Fact Sheet 1. Site Characterization and Evaluation

Module 1- Site Characterization for Crop Production
Learning Content:
Introduction
The ultimate success of a crop production enterprise depends to a great

extent on proper location and site. The location and site dictate the cost of
production, operations, harvesting and transport, accessibility to inputs and
others.
Fact Sheet 1.1. Identifying Factors Affecting Selection of Location and

Site
In establishing a crop production enterprise, it very important to select a

suitable site as this will affect future decisions related to production cost, farm
operations, transportation; determine the suitable crops for that particular site;
and evaluating the socio-economic, biological and physical conditions existing in
the site.
Factors to be considered in the selection of site for crop production
A. Socio-economic factors
1. Peace and order
2. Manpower availability
3. Market availability
4. Farmer’s preference
5. Zoning and other regulations
6. Land tenure situation
B. Biological factors
1. Crops planted
2. Crop pests and diseases
C. Physical factors
1. Resources
a. Water supply- refers to both distribution and amount of water for
irrigation.
Deep-rooted horticultural crops such as fruit trees and plantation
crops, their water needs may be met by the uniform distribution
of rainfall and good water retention.
Propagated plants (nursery crops)- many of the vegetables and
the florist crops which are shallow-rooted, nearness to a good
water supply is the most important consideration
b. Facilities/Amenities-refer to the availability of structures ( ex.
Nursery), fertilizer and chemical supply , transport system for
agricultural products , cold storage, warehousing., mean of
communication. The nearness of the enterprise to these facilities
can promote success and reduce cost of production.
2. Soil requirements- The most important soil characteristics are:

a. Soil type. All soils that share a certain set of well-defined properties
form a distinctive soil type. (sandy, silt, clay, loam)
b. Drainage- the natural process by which water moves across
through and out of the soil as a result of the force of gravity.
c. Depth defines the root space and the volume of soil from where the
plants fulfil their water and nutrients demand. A good soil should
provide for excellent proliferation of the root system.
d. Fertility (organic matter and nutrient content)- A blackish and loose
soil is often indicative of high organic matter
e. pH- can be determined by soil analysis using a standard laboratory
procedure (power of hydrogen)-A measure of the acidity or
alkalinity of a solution, numerically equal to 7 for neutral solutions,
with increasing alkalinity and decreasing with increasing acidity.
The pH scale commonly in use ranges from 0 to 14.
3. Topography- refers to the flatness or steepness of the land and other

features of the ground. Knowledge on this helps determine the ease of
transporting farm implements and produce and also helps determine
surface drainage condition.
a. Highlands- mountain areas grown to crops.
b. Lowlands- those areas at a lower or near sea level.Uplands-
areas that do not need submergence in water for any length of
time to grow crops
4. Climatic requirements of the plants and climate of the area- The

relation of climate to crop production is very intimate and is almost the
ultimate determinant of what can be grown. For each plant species,
there is a combination of climatic conditions ideal for growth. The
problem is to find a location that has the climate that can match the
climatic requirements for the ideal growth of a crop, or to find a crop
that grow ideally in the climate of a given location.
Among the climatic requirements are temperature, rainfall, light,

wind and relative humidity.
Temperature range in Philippines at high elevation is 13.2-24.6 oC; at

low
elevation is 23.3- 31.5oC; for every 100m elevation, there is a
corresponding o.60C decrease in temperature; crops mature faster
in higher temperature.
Cardinal temperatures
1. Minimum temperature- temperate below which reaction velocity

becomes zero due to activation of enzymes
2. Optimum temperature- temperature at maximum reaction
velocity
3. Maximum temperature- temperature above which reaction
velocity becomes zero due to desaturation of enzymes.
Types of plants based on temperature requirement:
1. Cool season crops- cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower

2. Warm season crops- banana. Rice
3. Tropical crops- coconut
4. Sub-tropical crops- citrus
Rainfall average in the Philippines is 2553 mm; requires high relative
humidity, temperature below condensation point,
condensation nuclei, and sufficiently low pressure.
Light has some aspects important to plants:
a. Light intensity- expressed in foot candle or lux
b. Duration or daylength-expressed in hr/day
c. Wavelength expressed in Angstrom or nanometer or identified
by color; red and blue wavelength photosynthesis, far red and
red wavelength in photoperiodism.
Effect of light in plants:

a. Photoenergetic effect- on photosynthesis
b. Photocybernetic effect- on plant development
c. Photoperiodic effect- plant response as conditioned by
daylength
Types of plants based on light intensity requirements:

a. Heliophytes- sun-loving; light saturated at 5000 lux; banana,
chrysanthemum, corn, cotton, cowpea, cucurbits, eggplant,
papaya, peanut, sugarcane
b. Sciophytes- shade-loving; light saturated at 500 lux; begonia,
black pepper, coff ee, ferns, ginger, philodendron
Types of plants based on photoperiodic response

a. Day-neutral plant- plants that flower over a wide range of
daylength; banana, citrus, coconut, corn, tomato
b. Short-day plant- requires a dark period exceeding a critical
length to induce flowering; coffee, rice, sesame, soybean,
wingedbean
c. Long-day plant- inhibited from flowering when dark period
exceeds critical length; aster, castor oil, onion, radish
Wind- windspeed average in the Philippines is 7.2 km/hr; leaf tearing

in
banana and abaca at 30km/hr.
Relative humidity- average in the Philippines is 82%; increased

incidence
of pest and diseases with higher relative humidity; increased
incidence of wilting with lower relative humidity; high
evapotranspiration due to low relative humidity and high
temperature, low evapotranspiration due to high relative humidity
and high temperature.
Climatic data- Information on rainfall, temperature and wind

can be easily obtained from weather or auxiliary stations. Where
there is no such stations are established, much can be gained by
consideration of the natural vegetation. Information on weather
patterns can also be obtained from people who have lived and
grown crops in the area for many years.
Classification of Philippine Climate

Type I- Pronounced wet and dry seasons- dry from November to May ,
wet from June to October; Ilocos, Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Negros
Occidental
Type II- No dry season with pronounced maximum rain period –
maximum rain period is from November to January: Bicol, Samar,
Leyte, Surigao, Agusan, Davao
Type III- No very pronounced maximum rain period with short dry
season lasting from one to three months- dry from February to April;
Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Capiz, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Masbate, Mt.
Province
Type IV- No pronounced maximum rain period and no dry season-
rainfall is distributed throughout the year; Isabela, Bohol, Cotabato,
Lanao, Zamboanga, Bukidnon; most fruits are grown in a Type IV
climate where rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the Year.
References
AVRDC. 1990. Vegetable Production Training Manual. Asian Vegetable Research and
Development Center. Shanhua, Tainan
Bautista, O.K. 1994. Introduction to Tropical Horticulture ( Second Edition) SEAMEO and
UPLB, Los Baños, aguna
Crop Science Cluster,College of Agriculture . (2011). Crop Science 2 (Fundamentals of

Crop Science 2) Laboratory Manual. Los Banos.
Lantican, R.M. 2001. The Science and Practice of Crop Production. Los Banos, Laguna:
SEAMEO-SEARCA and UPLB

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Module 1- Site Characterization for Crop Production

The ultimate success of a crop production enterprise depends to a great

Fact Sheet 1.1. Identifying Factors Affecting Selection of Location and

In establishing a crop production enterprise, it very important to select a

Factors to be considered in the selection of site for crop production

2. Soil requirements- The most important soil characteristics are:

3. Topography- refers to the flatness or steepness of the land and other

4. Climatic requirements of the plants and climate of the area- The

Among the climatic requirements are temperature, rainfall, light,

Temperature range in Philippines at high elevation is 13.2-24.6 oC; at

1. Minimum temperature- temperate below which reaction velocity

Types of plants based on temperature requirement:

1. Cool season crops- cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower

Effect of light in plants:

Types of plants based on light intensity requirements:

Types of plants based on photoperiodic response

Wind- windspeed average in the Philippines is 7.2 km/hr; leaf tearing

Relative humidity- average in the Philippines is 82%; increased

Climatic data- Information on rainfall, temperature and wind

Classification of Philippine Climate

Crop Science Cluster,College of Agriculture . (2011). Crop Science 2 (Fundamentals of

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