ADEFLOR G. GARCIA, PhD.Professor V1, Soil Science Department, College of Agriculture

University of Southern Mindanao

Kabacan, North Cotabato, Philippines 9407

adeflor_garcia@yahoo.com

North Cotabato Province,

Region 12, Philippines (>637,110 ha)

Maguindanao Province,

ARMM, Philippines(463,154 ha)

LUZON

VISAYAS

MINDANAO

Administrative Map

of the Philippines

INTRODUCTION

The oil palm grows best in areas

with at least 1,800 mm of rainfall

particularly 10 degrees south and

north of the equator and this

includes the Philippines. This is

suited best in Mindanao and parts of

Bohol, Leyte and Palawan islands.

The province of Maguindanao

and North Cotabato, Philippines

is one of the country’s top

producing areas of palm oil.

Oil Palm Area, Philippines. : (@ 2011)

LOCATION Provinces

AREA (ha) as of 2011

(PPDCI)

MIMAROPA Palawan4,600 (8.4%)

CENTRAL VISAYAS Bohol 6,506 (11.88%)

WESTERN

MINDANAO

320 (0.58%)

NORTHERN

MINDANAO

Bukidnon, Lanao del

Norte, Mis. Or. 1,820 (3.32%)

DAVAO REGION ComVal 1,960 (3.58%)

SOCSKSARGEN North Cot, Sarangani,

South Cot, S. Kudarat 18,200 (33.24%)

CARAGA

Agusan Norte, Agusan

Sur, Surigao Sur 18,102 (33.06%)

ARMM Basilan, Maguindanao 3,240 (5.92%)

TOTAL 54,748

METHODOLOGY

The following were the materials used in the conduct of

this study;

o Soil Survey Report of Cotabato Province (1963)

o Soil Survey Data from 2008-2012 by the university

o Soils Map published by DA- BAR-2001

o Global positioning system and GIS station

Suitability Classification

Land suitability was determined by

comparing crop requirement with

that of the land characteristics and

qualities present in a given type of

land.

Typical Landscape Position of an

Area in Carmen , Cotabato

The criteria used for the suitability

classification was CSR/FAO (1983) .

For temperature

24-28˚C is highly suitable (S1),

<20˚C to 32˚C rated as not suitable (N) to moderatelysuitable (S2)

Dry months in water availability

just only 0-1mm comprises highly suitable (S1) rating

0.1-2mm is moderately suitable (S2)

to >3mm and has the rating of not suitable (S3).

Average of annual temperature

<1500mm is not suitable (N)

to >6000mm highly suitable (S2).

Crop Standard for Oil Palm (FAO, 1976, CSR?FAO 1983) and Evaluation of Land Characteristics

(ACT, 2011).

Land Suitability Class Definitions

Class S1 – Highly suitable – are soils having no

significant limitations.

Class S2 – Moderately suitable – are soils /land having

limitations which an aggregate are moderately severe

for sustained application of a given use, the limitation

will reduce productivity

Class S3 – Marginally suitable – soils/land having

limitations which have the aggregates are severe for

sustained application of a given use.

Class N - Not suitable has no class subdivision

recognized.

Highly suitable areas

These are the areas where oil palm

could be raised with no significant

limitations and benefits can be

maximized at very manageable input

levels.

Kidapawan series,

376 masl

21 cm

33 cm

67 cm

92 cm

125 cm

Moderately suitable

areas.

These are areas where

oil palm could be raised

with limitations that

require higher inputs but

still the benefits could be

attractive but not as

lucrative as on highly

suitable areas..

Kabacan series includes a

very small portion towards

Pagalungan

Very dark

brown

(10YR2/2),

clay loam

Dark yellowish

brown

(10YR4/4),

silty clay

Dark yellowish

brown

(10YR3/4),

silty clay

Dark yellowish

brown (10YR

4/4) ; clay

58 cm

93 cm

112 cm

26 cm

Moderately suitable areas

The uncorrectable limiting land qualities

found were soil depth and the drainage.

These land qualities can not be corrected

at low cost. Establishment of drainage

canal could be very expensive. Increasing

soil depth is another costly improvement

Marginally suitable areas are lands

having limitations which reduce

productivity or benefits, or increase

required inputs, that this expenditure

will only be marginally justified.

Soil Series Suitability

Rating

Limitations Possible

Interventions

S1 Highly suitable

Adtuyon series S1 <500 /Nutrient

availability

Sound Fertilizer

management

Kidapawan Series S1 Only if <500 masl Clones suitable in higher

elevation

La Castellana Series S1 Only if <500 masl Clones suitable in higher

elevation

Langkong Series S1 Only if <500 masl Clones suitable in higher

elevation

Miscellaneous land

types (Kidapawan, La

Castellana, Macolod)

S1 Only if <700 masl Clones suitable in higher

elevation

Parang Series S1 Nutrient balance Sound fertilizer management

Tacloban S1 Nutrient balance Sound fertilizer management

San Manuel series if

well drained

S1 Shallow water

table

Sound fertilizer management

Banga sandy loam S1 Nutrient and

water retention

Fertilizer mgt/irrigation

Buayan Clay loam S1 Nutrient

availability

Fertilizer management

Dalican clay loam S1 Nutrient availability

Fertilizer management

Glan clay loam S1 Nutrient

availability

Fertilizer management

Parang clay loam S1 Nutrient

availability

Fertilizer management

Libi loam S1 Nutrient

availability

Fertilizer management

Matulas fine sandy

loam

S1 Nutrient

availability

Fertilizer management

New Iloilo fine sandy loam

S1 Nutrient availability

Fertilizer management

Soil Series Suitability

Rating

Limitations Possible Interventions

S 2 - Moderately suitable

Aroman S2 Rooting depth

(>130 cm)

High fertilizer requirement

Banga Series S2

Dadiangas loamy sand S2 Water and nutrient

retention

Cultural practices/irrigation

Dadiangas sandy loam S2 Water and nutrient

retention

Cultural practices/irrigation

Balut S2 Massive horizon deep holing to break hard

pans

Kabacan series

Kabacan series if well

drained

S2 Shallow water table Sound fertilizer management

Kudarangan S2 Massive horizon at

34 cm

Deep holing to break hard

pans

Soil Series Suitability

Rating

Limitations Possible Interventions

S3 - Marginally suitable

Macolod S3 Massive horizon Deep holing to break hard

pans

Aroman series if 80

-129 cm depth

S3 rooting depth High fertilizer requirement

irrigation

Sinolon sandy loam S3 Water and nutrient

retention

Fertilizer

management/irrigation

Malalag series S3 Rooting depth High inputs

San Manuel series if

poorly drained

S3 Flooding /shallow

water table

Drainag canals

Soil Series Suitability

Rating

Limitations Possible Interventions

Not Suitable

Aroman series if <80

cm depth

N Rooting depth High inputs/ irrigation

San Manuel series

(pH >6.5

N Soil pH

Tamontaka series if

well drained

N Flooding/shallow

water table

Drainage canals

Tamontaka Series if

poorly drained

N Flooding/drainage Drainage canals

Soil Series Suitability

Rating

Limitations Possible Interventions

Quilada N Rooting depth(<80

cm)

High input requirement

(fertilizer & irrigation)

Faraon N Rooting depth(<80

cm)/pH

Lutayan sandy

loam

N Shallow water

table/flooding

Drainage canals

Malandag fine

sandy loam

N Rooting depth

Soil Series Suitability

Rating

Limitations Possible Interventions

Shallow rooting depth of Quiladaand Faraon Series

Moderateley shallow rootingdepth of Aroman series.

Root limiting layers of Kudarangan, Balut, and Macolod .

High ground water and poordrainage of Kabacan andTamontaka series.

Flooding and occassional highground water of San Manuel series

Elevation beyond 600-700 masl.

Summary Conclusions and Recommendations

PROBLEMS:

VERY FEW SOIL TECHNOLOGIST

WORKING ON SOIL SURVEY AND

CLASSIFICATION

GIS BASED MAPS ARE NOT YET

HARMONIZED IN THE COUNTRY.

N P K

Mg Ca Mo Mn B Cu ZnS Fe

C H O Cl

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

AND

MABUHAY!!