Sustainability of rice-cotton cropping systems in the Ilocos Region, Northern Philippines

Issue Date

8-2006

Abstract

The area planted to cotton had reached 35,284 hectares in crop year 1991-1992. Over the years, production not only declined but the total area was drastically reduced to only 4,166 ha by crop year 2001-2002 or a decade later. Many factors could have contributed to the decline. This study was conducted to evaluate the main factors affecting the sustainability of rice-cotton as a farming system using selected sustainability indicators, generate some reference values useful in the evaluation of the cropping system, and identify farming practices that contribute to sustainability. Of the 20 farms devoted to rice-cotton cropping in Luzon, only two farms were rated sustainable and the rest were unsustainable. Sustainable farms exhibited quality soil. These farms had thicker topsoil (25.00-53.33 cm), high levels of OM (2.05-3.62%) available P (30.33-92.33 ppm), exchangeable K (267-378.50 ppm), populations of earthworm (5.67-11.33), bacteria (1.13 x 10⁶ - 1.58 x 10⁶) and fungi (5.0 x 10⁴ - 4.72 - x 10⁵). These soil qualities were translated into high productivity such as systems yield (2.492-5.166t/ha), net farm income (P14,586-P64,942/ha) and return on investment (153-269%). Sustainable cotton farmers applied animal manures and practiced crop residue recycling and minimum tillage, and applied lesser amounts of inorganic fertilizers, which accounted for the superior soil quality and in turn explain their comparatively lower fertilizer input. Also, they employed cost-reducing techniques of pesticides application such as flower-to-flower spraying in cotton, which reduced pesticides by 15 to 40%. Farms rated sustainable were owned by farmers. Land ownership was identified as the dominant factor that motivated farmers to improve the quality of their soil and in adopting farm management that increased yield, reduced cost of production, thereby obtaining higher net income.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Journal of Crop Science

ISSN

0115-463x

Volume

31

Issue

2

Page

23-40

Document Type

Article

Frequency

tri-quarterly

Physical Description

tables, chart, picture

Language

English

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