CHAPTER 1

Overview of Principles of Crop Production

At the end of this module the students are expected to:

1. Know important role of agricultural
2. Know the world food situation and centers of production;
3. Identify the major crops in the Philippines and their geographic distribution;
4. Define what is Crop Production; and
5. Identify the classification of crops.

I. INTODUCTION

For decades, agriculture has been associated with the production of essential food
crops. At present, agriculture above and beyond farming includes forestry, dairy, fruit
cultivation, poultry, beekeeping, mushroom, arbitrary, etc. Today, processing,
marketing, and distribution of crops and livestock products are all acknowledged as part
of current agriculture. Thus, agriculture could be referred to as the production,
processing, promotion, and distribution of agricultural products. Agriculture plays a
critical role in the entire life of a given economy. Agriculture is the backbone of the
economic system of a given country. In addition to providing food and raw material,
agriculture also provides employment opportunities to a very large percentage of the
population (https://agriculturegoods.com, Sept 2020)

A. Agricultural development
The development of agricultural about 12,000 years ago changed the way
humans lived. They switched from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to
permanent settlements and farming. Taking root around 12,000 years
ago, agriculture triggered such a change in society and the way in
which people lived that its development has been dubbed the
"Neolithic Revolution." Traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyles,
followed by humans since their evolution, were swept aside in favor
of permanent settlements and a reliable food supply. Out of
agriculture, cities and civilizations grew, and because crops and
animals could now be farmed to meet demand, the global population
rocketed from some five million people 10,000 years ago, to more than
seven billion today.

There was no single factor, or combination of factors, that led people

to take up farming in different parts of the world. In the Near East, for
example, it's thought that climatic changes at the end of the last ice
age brought seasonal conditions that favored annual plants like wild
cereals. Elsewhere, such as in East Asia, increased pressure on
natural food resources may have forced people to find homegrown
solutions. But whatever the reasons for its independent origins,
farming sowed the seeds for the modern age.

Plant Domestication

The wild progenitors of crops including wheat, barley and peas are
traced to the Near East region. Cereals were grown in Syria as long as
9,000 years ago, while figs were cultivated even
earlier; prehistoric seedless fruits discovered in the Jordan Valley
suggest fig trees were being planted some 11,300 years ago. Though
the transition from wild harvesting was gradual, the switch from
a nomadic to a settled way of life is marked by the appearance of
early Neolithic villages with homes equipped with grinding stones for
processing grain.

The origins of rice and millet farming date to around 6,000 B.C.E. The
world's oldest known rice paddy fields, discovered in eastern China in
2007, reveal evidence of ancient cultivation techniques such as flood
and fire control.

In Mexico, squash cultivation began around 10,000 years ago, but corn
(maize) had to wait for natural genetic mutations to be selected for in
its wild ancestor, teosinte. While maize-like plants derived from
teosinte appear to have been cultivated at least 9,000 years ago, the
first directly dated corn cob dates only to around 5,500 years ago.

Corn later reached North America, where cultivated sunflowers also

started to bloom some 5,000 years ago. This is also when potato
growing in the Andes region of South America began.

Farmed Animals

Cattle, goats, sheep and pigs all have their origins as farmed animals
in the so-called Fertile Crescent, a region covering eastern Turkey,
Iraq and southwestern Iran. This region kick started the Neolithic
Revolution. Dates for the domestication of these animals range from
between 13,000 to 10,000 years ago.

Genetic studies show that goats and other livestock accompanied

the westward spread of agriculture into Europe, helping to
revolutionize Stone Age society. While the extent to which farmers
themselves migrated west remains a subject of debate,
the dramatic impact of dairy farming on Europeans is clearly stamped
in their DNA. Prior to the arrival of domestic cattle in Europe,
prehistoric populations weren't able to stomach raw cow milk. But at
some point during the spread of farming into southeastern Europe, a
mutation occurred for lactose tolerance that increased in frequency
through natural selection thanks to the nourishing benefits of milk.
Judging from the prevalence of the milk-drinking gene in Europeans
today — as high as 90 percent in populations of northern countries
such as Sweden — the vast majority are descended from cow herders.
(National Geographic Society, 1996 – 2020)

B. Origin, domestication and history of some important crops

Agriculture has no single, simple origin. A wide variety of plants and animals have been
independently domesticated at different times and in numerous places. The first
agriculture appears to have developed at the closing of the last Pleistocene glacial
period, or Ice Age (about 11,700 years ago). At that time temperatures warmed, glaciers
melted, sea levels rose, and ecosystems throughout the world reorganized. The
changes were more dramatic in temperate regions than in the tropics.

Although global climate change played a role in the development of agriculture, it does
not account for the complex and diverse cultural responses that ensued, the specific
timing of the appearance of agricultural communities in different regions, or the specific
regional impact of climate change on local environments. By studying populations that
did not develop intensive agriculture or certain cultigens, such as wheat and rice,
archaeologists narrow the search for causes. For instance, Australian Aborigines and
many of the Native American peoples of western North America developed complex
methods to manage diverse sets of plants and animals, often including (but not limited
to) cultivation. These practices may be representative of activities common in some
parts of the world before 15,000 years ago.

Plant and animal management was and is a familiar concept within hunting and
gathering cultures, but it took on new dimensions as natural selection and mutation
produced phenotypes that were increasingly reliant upon people. Because some
resource management practices, such as intensively tending nondomesticated nut-
bearing trees, bridge the boundary between foraging and farming, archaeologists
investigating agricultural origins generally frame their work in terms of a continuum of
subsistence practices. (https://www.britannica.com/topic/agriculture/How-agriculture-
and-domestication-began)

C. World food situation and centers of production

The world food situation is currently being rapidly redefined by new driving forces.
Income growth, climate change, high energy prices, globalization, and urbanization are
transforming food consumption, production, and markets. The influence of the private
sector in the world food system, especially the leverage of food retailers, is also rapidly
increasing. Changes in food availability, rising commodity prices, and new producer-
consumer linkages have crucial implications for the livelihoods of poor and food-
insecure people. Analyzing and interpreting recent trends and emerging challenges in
the world food situation is essential in order to provide policymakers with the necessary
information to mobilize adequate responses at the local, national, regional, and
international levels. It is also critical for helping to appropriately adjust research agendas
in agriculture, nutrition, and health.
(https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/development-agriculture)
D. Philippine agriculture

The Philippines is still primarily an agricultural country despite the plan to make it an
industrialized economy by 2000. Most citizens still live in rural areas and support
themselves through agriculture. The country's agriculture sector is made up of 4 sub-
sectors: farming, fisheries, livestock, and forestry (the latter 2 sectors are very small),
which together employ 39.8 percent of the labor force and contribute 20 percent of
GDP.

The country's main agricultural crops are rice, corn, coconut, sugarcane, bananas,
pineapple, coffee, mangoes, tobacco, and abaca (a banana-like plant). Secondary
crops include peanut, cassava, camote (a type of rootcrop), garlic, onion, cabbage,
eggplant, calamansi (a variety of lemon), rubber, and cotton. The year 1998 was a bad
year for agriculture because of adverse weather conditions. Sector output shrank by 8.3
percent, but it posted growth the following year. Yet, hog farming and commercial
fishing posted declines in their gross revenues in 1999. The sector is burdened with low
productivity for most of its crops.

The Philippines exports its agricultural products around the world, including the United
States, Japan, Europe, and ASEAN countries (members of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations). Major export products are coconut oil and other coconut products, fruits
and vegetables, bananas, and prawns (a type of shrimp). Other exports include the
Cavendish banana, Cayenne pineapple, tuna, seaweed, and carrageenan. The value of
coconut-product exports amounted to US$989 million in 1995 but declined to US$569
million by 2000. Imported agricultural products include unmilled wheat and meslin,
oilcake and other soybean residues, malt and malt flour, urea, flour, meals and pellets
of fish, soybeans and whey.

One of the most pressing concerns of the agricultural sector is the rampant conversion
of agricultural land into golf courses, residential subdivisions, and industrial parks or
resorts. In 1993 the nation was losing irrigated rice lands at a rate of 2,300 hectares per
year. Small land-holders find it more profitable to sell their land to developers in
exchange for cash, especially since they lack capital for seeds, fertilizers, pesticides,
and wages for hiring workers to plant and harvest the crops. Another concern is farmers'
continued reliance on chemical-based fertilizers or pesticides that have destroyed soil
productivity over time. In recent years however, farmers have been slowly turning to
organic fertilizer, or at least to a combination of chemical and organic inputs.

Environmental damage is another major concern. Coral-reef destruction, pollution of

coastal and marine resources, mangrove forest destruction, and siltation (the clogging
of bodies of water with silt deposits) are significant problems.

The agriculture sector has not received adequate resources for the funding of critical
programs or projects, such as the construction of efficient irrigation systems. According
to the World Bank, the share of irrigated crop land in the Philippines averaged only
about 19.5 percent in the mid-1990s, compared with 37.5 percent for China, 24.8
percent for Thailand, and 30.8 percent for Vietnam. In the late 1990s, the government
attempted to modernize the agriculture sector with the Medium Term Agricultural
Development Plan and the Agricultural Fisheries Modernization Act.

The fisheries sector is divided into 3 sub-sectors: commercial, municipal, and

aquaculture (cultivation of the natural produce of bodies of water). In 1995, the
Philippines contributed 2.2 million tons, or 2 percent of total world catch, ranking it
twelfth among the top 80 fish-producing countries. In the same year, the country also
earned the distinction of being the fourth biggest producer of seaweed and ninth biggest
producer of world aquaculture products.

In 1999 the fisheries sector contributed P80.4 billion at current prices, or 16 percent of
gross value added in agriculture. Total production in 1999 reached 2.7 million tons.
Aquaculture contributed the most, with 949,000 tons, followed closely by commercial
fishing with 948,000 tons, and municipal fisheries with 910,000 tons. Domestic demand
for fish is substantial, with average yearly fish consumption at 36kg per person
compared to a 12kg figure for consumption of meat and other food products.
(https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Philippines-
AGRICULTURE.html)

E. Major Crops in the Philippines and their geographic distribution

(Major crops statistics of the Philippines, 2010-2014)

 PALAY

The country’s palay production increased

from 15.77 million in 2010 mt to 18.97
million mt in 2014. Production grew by an
average annual rate of 4.7 percent over
the last five (5) years. Total harvest area
expanded from 4.35 million hectares in
2010 to 4.74 million hectares in 2014. The
top producing provinces were Nueva
Ecija, Isabela, Pangasinan, Cagayan, and
Tarlac. In rainfed areas, Iloilo was the top
producing province. The other four (4) leading producers were
Pangasinan, Maguindanao, Capiz and Nueva Ecija.

 CORN

Corn production during the last five years increased from 6.38
million mt in 2010 to 7.77 million mt in 2014. Average annual
growth was 5.1 percent. Harvest area increased by 1.9 percent
from 2.56 million hectares in 2013 to 2.61 million hectares in
2014. Isabela was the leading province, Bukidnon and South
Cotabato followed. In 2014, white corn production was 2.26
million mt. Maguindanao posted the highest share 0.37 million mt. Lanao Del Sur and
Lanao Del Norte contributed 0.19 million mt and 0.17 million mt, respectively. In terms
of harvest area, Maguindanao had the largest at 143.26 thousand hectares. Yellow corn
production in 2014 reached 5.51 million mt or 5.0 percent higher than the 5.25 million mt
record in record in 2013. Isabela was the top producer with 1.16 million mt, total yellow
corn output. Bukidnon and South Cotabato ranked second and third. These top 3 (three)
provinces had a combined total hectarage of 529.15 thousand hectares representing
40.1 percent of the country’s area harvested to yellow corn.

 ABACA

From 2010 to 2014, production of abaca fibers grew by an

average of 0.6 percent annually. In 2014, production was
recorded at 68.05 thousand mt. Catanduanes remained the
top producing province in 2014 contributing 25.44 thousand mt
or 37.4 percent share to the country’s total abaca output. This
was followed by Northern Samar, Davao Oriental, Surigao del
Sur, and Davao del Sur with combined output of 18.54
thousand mt. In 2014, total area planted to abaca dropped to
134.77 thousand hectares from 138.37 thousand hectares in
2013 or by 2.6 percent. Catanduanes recorded the largest
area planted at 25.37 thousand hectares or 18.8 percent share
to the national total.

 COCONUT

Coconut production from 2010 to 2014 decreased at an

average annual rate of 1.3 percent. In 2014, production of
coconut at 14.70 million mt was 4.3 percent lower than the
2013 level of 15.35 million mt. The top five (5) coconut
producing provinces in 2014 were Quezon, Davao del Sur,
Zamboanga del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Maguindanao. In
2014, total area planted to coconut dropped to 3.50 million
hectares from 3.55 million hectares in 2013, or by 1.4
percent. Likewise, the number of bearing trees declined to
330.52 million in 2014 from 338.40 million in 2013.

 COFFEE

Production of dried coffee berries of all varieties from 2010

to 2014 dropped at an average annual rate of 5.4 percent.
During the same period, area planted and number of
bearing trees went down by 0.8 percent and 1.5 percent,
respectively. Sultan Kudarat topped all the coffee producing
provinces contributing 22.61 thousand mt or 30.0 percent of
the country’s total coffee production. This was followed by
Davao del Sur, Sulu, Bukidnon, and Cavite. Area planted to
coffee increased to 117.45 thousand hectares in 2014 from 116.46 thousand hectares
in 2013 or by 0.9 percent. This was attributed to the expansion programs of various
agencies such as the National Greening Program of the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (NGP-DENR). Sultan Kudarat, the top coffee producing
province also recorded the largest area planted at 19.73 thousand hectares and shared
16.8 percent to the national total. The major varieties of coffee produced were Robusta,
Arabica, Excelsa, and Liberica.

 RUBBER

During the period 2010-2014, rubber production, area

planted, and number of tappable trees grew at an average
annual rate of 3.5 percent, The top rubber producing
province of the country was North Cotabato, Zamboanga
Sibugay In 2014, total area planted to rubber reached
217.69 thousand hectares, 17.4 percent more than the
2013 level of 185.48 thousand hectares. Similarly,
number of tappable trees grew from 47.38 million to 52.46
million or by 10.7 percent. The province of Zamboanga
Sibugay had the largest area planted to rubber at 70.21
thousand hectares, contributing 32.3 percent to the
national total.

 SUGARCANE

From 2010 to 2014, total sugarcane production for all uses

grew at an average annual rate of 11.6 percent. Area
harvested expanded by 5.5 percent. In 2014, sugarcane
output improved by 1.8 percent to 25.03 million mt. There
were also expansions in harvest areas in Kalinga, Isabela,
Capiz, Cebu, and Leyte. Negros Occidental was the
biggest sugarcane producer in 2014 followed by Bukidnon,
Negros Oriental, Batangas, and Iloilo. Area harvested to
sugarcane was recorded at 432.03 thousand hectares, 1.2
percent lower than last year’s 437.07 thousand hectares.
Negros Occidental, the biggest sugarcane producer,
likewise, had the largest area harvested at 186.79
thousand hectares covering 43.2 percent of the country’s total area harvested to
sugarcane in 2014.

 TOBACCO

From 2010 to 2014, production of tobacco of all varieties

continuously increased from 40.53 thousand mt to 61.42
thousand mt. The top producing provinces were Ilocos Sur
and Isabela with a collective output of 35.81 thousand mt to
the national tobacco production. In 2014, area planted to
tobacco went up by 4.7 percent to 36.08 thousand hectares
from 34.45 thousand hectares in 2013. Ilocos Sur had the
largest area planted at 14.75 thousand hectares. This was followed by Isabela, Ilocos
Norte, and La Union.

 BANANA

Banana production in the country declined from 9.10

million mt in 2010 to 8.88 million mt in 2014 at an average
annual rate of 0.5 percent. In 2014, however, banana
production grew by 2.8 percent from the 2013 level of 8.65
million mt. The increment was attributed to the increase in
number of bearing hills from 280.07 million in 2013 to
283.69 million in 2014, mostly in Mindanao provinces.
Davao del Norte was the major producing province of
banana at 1.59 million mt to the country’s banana output.
Bukidnon and Compostela Valley were next with 13.5
percent and 8.7 percent shares, respectively. Davao del
Norte posted the biggest area at 36.15 thousand hectares,
Bukidnon had 20.79 thousand hectares and Compostela Valley, 18.96 thousand
hectares.

 CALAMANSI

Calamansi production in the country continuously

decreased over the last five years. From the 188.34
thousand mt output in 2010, it decreased to 160.74
thousand mt in 2014 at an average annual rate of 3.9
percent. In the same period, both area planted and
number of bearing trees had negative growths of 1.1
percent. The production in 2014 posted 160.74 thousand
mt which was lower by 2.0 percent from the 2013 level of
164.09 thousand mt. Oriental Mindoro remained the top
producer of calamansi at 82.66 thousand mt which shared
51.4 percent of the country’s total output in 2014. This
province registered the largest area at 5.90 thousand
hectares or 29.4 percent of the national total.

 MANGO

In 2010-2014, the country’s mango production grew an

average annual rate of 1.9 percent, from 825.68 thousand
mt in 2010 to 885.04 thousand mt in 2014. Pangasinan
was the top producer of mango at 212.37 thousand mt and
shared 24.0 percent of the total mango output of the
country in 2014. Other top producing provinces were
Zamboanga del Norte, Cebu, Davao del Sur and Batangas
with a combined share of 22.4 percent to the national total.
In terms of area planted, Davao del Sur was the largest
among provinces at 13.81 thousand hectares. This was
followed by Pangasinan and Zamboanga Norte with 13.73 thousand hectares and 11.84
thousand hectares, respectively. These provinces had a combined share of 20.90
percent of the country’s mango area.

 PINEAPPLE

The country’s pineapple production during 2010-2014 grew

annually at an average rate of 3.7 percent. Area planted
also grew by 1.3 percent during the period. In 2014, the
production at 2.51 million mt was 2.0 percent higher from
the 2013 level of 2.46 million mt. This was due to increase
in area harvested in South Cotabato and of corporate farms
in Bukidnon. Bukidnon and South Cotabato were the top
producers with 1.36 million mt and 769.29 thousand mt,
respectively. These two provinces had a combined share of
84.8 percent of the country’s pineapple production and 75.2
percent of the total pineapple area.

 CABBAGE

Cabbage production dropped from 128.96 thousand mt in

2010 to 127.99 thousand mt in 2014. Benguet, the top
producer of cabbage at 85.14 thousand mt in 2014
recorded a decline in output by 0.9 percent from the 2013
level of 85.87 thousand mt. Area harvested to cabbage
went down continuously from 8.56 thousand hectares in
2010 to 8.31 thousand hectares in 2014 at an annual
average rate of 0.7 percent. Benguet had the largest area
harvested at 4.29 thousand hectares in 2014 was 2.1
percent smaller than what was cultivated in 2013.

 SWEET POTATO

Sweet potato production went down from 541.26

thousand mt in 2010 to 519.86 thousand mt in 2014 at
an average annual rate of 1.0 percent. Leyte remained
the top producer of sweet potato at 49.24 thousand mt
output in 2014. This was followed by Camarines Sur
with 40.62 thousand mt and Albay with 33.58
thousand mt (Figure 45). Likewise, area harvested
continuously decreased from 109.44 thousand
hectares in 2010 to 88.97 thousand hectares in 2014
at an average annual rate of 5.0 percent. Camarines
Sur had the largest harvest area at 8.56 thousand
hectares in 2014. It was 6.2 percent smaller from the
previous year’s 8.59 thousand hectares (Figure 46).
 CASSAVA

In 2010 to 2014, cassava production increased from

2.10 million mt to 2.54 million mt at an annual average
rate of 4.9 percent. The country’s top cassava
producer in 2014 was Lanao del Sur at 518.10
thousand mt. Bukidnon was the second largest
producer with a share of 17.5 percent, followed by
Basilan with 10.2 percent share. Area harvested to
cassava decreased from 217.62 thousand hectares in
2010 to 216.78 thousand hectares in 2014 at an
annual average rate of 0.1 percent. Lanao del Sur had
the largest area harvested at 33.50 thousand hectares
or 15.5 percent of the country’s total cassava area.
This was followed by Sulu with 12.6 percent share and
Tawi-tawi with 8.7 percent.
 EGGPLANT

Eggplant production was increase from 211.88

thousand mt in 2012 to 225.58 thousand mt in 2014.
Pangasinan was the top producer of eggplant at 66.00
thousand mt in 2014 to the national total. The second
largest producer was Quezon with 30.02 thousand mt
output, followed by Iloilo with 12.08 thousand mt. Area
planted of eggplant fluctuated in a downward trend
from 21.42 thousand hectares in 2010 to 21.16
thousand hectares in 2014 at an average annual rate
of 0.3 percent. Pangasinan had the largest area of
3.79 thousand hectares to the total area planted to
eggplant in the country. Nueva Ecija ranked second
with 1.55 thousand hectares. Isabela was third with
1.04 thousand hectares.

 GARLIC

Production of garlic in 2010 was 9.56 thousand mt. It

continuously dropped to 8.81 thousand mt in 2012 at an
average annual rate of 4.0 percent. Production managed
to increase by 2.0 percent in 2013 and by 0.1 percent in
2014. Ilocos Norte contributed the bulk of production at
5.71 thousand mt in 2014 to the country’s total garlic
production. The second largest producer of garlic was
Occidental Mindoro with 1.69 thousand mt followed by
Nueva Ecija with 0.36 thousand mt production to the
national total. Area harvested to garlic likewise
continuously dropped from 3.04 thousand hectares in 2010 to 2.54 thousand hectares in
2013. Ilocos Norte shared 1.75 thousand hectares to the country’s total garlic area in
2014. Occidental Mindoro had the second largest area of 254 hectares followed by
Nueva Ecija with 133 hectares.

 MUNGBEAN

From 2014, mungbean production went up to 32.14

thousand mt annually. Isabela produced 6.48 thousand mt
of the country’s total output. Pangasinan was the second
largest producer with 6.05 thousand mt production. Ilocos
Norte came third at 4.99 thousand mt to the national total
production in 2014. Area harvested to mungbean in 2014
was 42.98 thousand hectares. Isabela had the largest
share to the country’s total mungbean area with 12.30
thousand hectares. This was followed by Ilocos Norte with
4.81 thousand hectares, and Pangasinan with 4.19
thousand hectares to the national total.
 ONION

Onion production in 2014 was 203.65 thousand mt. Nueva

Ecija was the highest producer of onion in 2014 at 142.28
thousand mt of the national output. Other highest
producers were Ilocos Norte with 20.30 thousand mt or
10.1 percent share, and Ilocos Sur with 15.06 thousand
mt or 7.4 percent share to the country’s production in
2014. Area harvested to onion grew at an average annual
rate of 1.1 percent with 15.17 thousand hectares in 2010
to 15.84 thousand hectares in 2014. Nueva Ecija, the
highest producer had the largest area harvested with a
share of 53.7 percent to the country’s onion area in 2014.
Ilocos Norte and Occidental Mindoro came next with 13.7
percent and 12.1 percent shares, respectively.

 PEANUT

Production of peanut in 2014 was 29.20 thousand mt an

average annual rate of 0.4 percent. Pangasinan was the
highest producer of peanut at 6.03 thousand mt to the
country’s total output. Other top peanut producers with
corresponding shares are: La Union, 2.72 thousand mt or
9.3 percent; and Lanao del Norte, 1.87 thousand mt or 6.4
percent. Peanut area harvested continuously decreased
from 27.12 thousand hectares in 2010 to 25.05 thousand
hectares in 2014 at an average annual rate of 2.0 percent.
Pangasinan, with share of 12.0 percent; La Union and
Iloilo, with shares of 8.0 percent and 7.9 percent,
respectively, to the national total, have the largest area
harvested of peanut in 2014.
  TOMATO

Tomato production in 2010 was 204.27 thousand mt. It

went down to 203.58 thousand mt in 2011 but managed to
increase continuously from 2012 to 2014 at an average
annual rate of 1.8 percent. In 2014, Bukidnon produced
39.39 thousand mt of the country’s total production. The
second highest producer of tomato during the period was
Ilocos Norte with 30.17 thousand mt production. This was
followed by Ilocos Sur with 23.14 thousand mt production
to the national total. In 2014, area planted of tomato was
16.74 thousand hectares. From the total area planted in
2014, 12.0 percent or 2.02 thousand hectares came from
Bukidnon. Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur
had a total area of 5.58 thousand hectares to the total
tomato area of the country.
COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME ENGLISH NAME
Palay Oryza Sativa Linn Palay/Paddy
Mais Zea mays L. Corn/Maize
Niyog Cocos nucifera L. Coconut
Tubo Saccharun officinarum L. Sugarcane
Saging Musa sapientum var. Banana
Pinya Ananas comosus L. Pineapple
Kape Coffea sp. Coffee
Mangga Mangifer indica L. Mango
Tabako Nicotiana tabacum Tobacco
Abaka Musa textiles Nee Abaca
Mani Archis hypogea Linn. Peanut
Mongo Vigna radiata L. Mungbean
Kamoteng kahoy Manihot esculenta Crantz. Cassava
Kamote Ipomoea batatas Lam Sweet Potato
Kamatis Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. Tomato
Bawang Allium sativum Linn. Garlic
Sibuyas Allium cepa Linn. Onion bulb
Repolyo Brassica oleracea L. (Capitata grp) Cabbage
Talong Solanum melongena Linn. Eggplant
Kalamansi Citrus madurensis Lour. Calamansi
Goma Hevea brasilliasis Mull. Ara Rubber

F. Meaning and Scope of Crop Science

Definition of terms

1. Plant – any organism belonging to the Kingdom Plantea typically lacking of active
locomotion or obvious nervous system or sensory organs and has photosynthetic ability.

2. Crop – domesticated/cultivated plants that are grown for profit. It usually connotes a
group or population of cultivated plants.
3. Science – systemically accumulated and tested knowledge.
- the ordered knowledge of natural phenomena and the rational study of the
relationship between the concept in which these phenomena are expressed.
- it is not set of facts but a way of giving unity and intelligibility to the facts of
nature may be controlled and new facts predicted.

Two groups of science practitioners

A. Theoretical, Academic or Basic Scientist – brings the saturated solution of
knowledge to the point of crystallization.
B. Applied scientist – brings the idea to a practical achievement.

4. Crop science – which is concerned with observation and classification of knowledge

concerning economically cultivated crops and the establishment of verifiable principles
regarding their growth and development for the purpose of deriving the optimum benefit
from them.

5. Crop production - the art and science of producing cultivated plants, aimed increasing
productivity and quality of the products in order to maximize monetary returns but at the
same time minimize, if not completely eliminate the negative effects on the environment.

Classification of Agricultural Crops

The importance of classification is to help in identification of related crop plants

used for various purposes such as food, feed and fiber and essential for ordinary
reference and avoiding confusion in identification. It is difficult to identify and refer to
them clearly without proper naming and classification. Classification helps to identify a
plant internationally as there are different common names of same plant species in
various region of the world.

1. Agronomy/Agronomic crops – from the Greek word “agros” meaning field and
“nomos” meaning to manage.
- are annual herbaceous plants that are grown on the farm under a system of
extensive or large scale culture.

2. Horticulture/Horticultural crops – from the Latin words “hotus” which means a garden
and “colere” to cultivate.
- are annual and perennial species which are grown under a system of
intensive culture w/c means usually required special Care.

Classification of Agronomic crops

A. Botanical Classification - They classified the crops is based upon the

morphological similarity of the plant.
  Grass Family / Gramineae
Characteristics:
 They are herbaceous ( small non woody )and some are woody
plants;
 The stem are made up of nodes and internodes and usually with
hollow cylindrical;
 The leaves are elongated and alternate w/ parallel-veined. They
have two parts the leaf sheath w/c envelops the stem, and the leaf
blade the expanded portion of the leaf;
 The roots are fibrous; and
 The small greenish flowers are collected in a compact or open
inflorescence, which is terminal on the stem, the flowers are usually
perfect.

 Legume Family / Leguminoseae

Characteristics:
 The leaves are compound and have stipules with netted veins;
 The flowers are papilionaceous or butterfly – like;
 The fruit is pod that contains one or several seeds; and
 The roots are taproots and has root nodules ( rhizobium bacteria)
has ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen in their bodies.

B. Agronomic Classification - They classified on the basis of use.

 Cereals or Grains crops - They are grasses grown for edible seeds. (Rice,
Corn, Wheat, Sorghum). The term cereals being applied either the grain or
to the plant itself. Grains as collective term for fruits of cereals.
 Legumes for seeds - They are leguminoseae grown for their dried seeds.
Peanut, Soybeans, Mung beans, Cowpeas)
 Forages crops - Refers to the vegetable matters fresh or preserved and
utilized as feed for animals. (Grasses and Legumes)
 Root crops - Are grown for their enlarged roots. (Turnips, Sweet potato,
Cassava, Yams)
 Fiber crops - This crop are grown for their fiber. (Cotton, Ramie, Flax)
 Tuber crops - Are grown for their short thickened under grown stem.
(Potato and Gabi)
 Sugar crops - They grown for their sweet juice. (Sugarcane, Sorghum,
Corn)
 Drug crops - They grown for their drug content/Medical values. (Tobacco,
Mint)
 Oil crops - They are grown for their seeds of which contain useful oils.
(Soybean, Peanut, Sunflower)
 Vegetable crops - They grown utilized chiefly as vegetable crops.
(Potatoes, Sweet potato, Turnips, Cassava)

C. Special purpose classification - They classified the crops according to their

purposes.
 Cover crops - are those seeded to provide a cover for the soil. Such a
crop turned under while still green would be a green manuring.
  Catch crops - are substitutes crops planted too late for regular crops or
after the crops had failed.
 Soiling crops - are crops cut and fed green directly to the animals.
(Grasses, Legumes)
 Silage crops - are those crops that preserved in succulent condition by
partial fermentation in tight receptacle.
 Companion crops - are crops sometimes called nurse crops in order to
secure a return from the land.
 Trap crops - this are crops planted to attract certain insect and parasite,
are plowed under or destroyed once they have served their purpose.

Classification of Horticultural crops

 Vegetable / Olericulture - these crops are plants having edible parts that are used
in culinary preparations either cooked or raw, as in salad recipes.
 Leafy Vegetables - any of various leafy plants or their leaves and stems
eaten as vegetables. (Pechay, Mustard, Lettuce)
 Cole crops or Crucifers - a term for vegetable plants in the Brassica genus
(broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower)
 Root and Bulb crops
Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans as
food. (carrot, raddish)
Bulb is structurally a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases
that function as food storage organs during dormancy. (onion,
garlic)
 Legumes or pulses - are legume crops grown for dry grain, and can be
used for both food and animal feed.( Dry beans and chickpeas)
 Solanaceous vegetables - generally refers to plants in the nightshade
family. (peppers, tomato eggplant)
 Cucurbits- any of various mostly climbing or trailing plants of the family
Cucurbitaceae. ( squash, pumpkin, cucumber, gourd)

 Fruits - the sweet and fleshy product of a tree or other plant that contains seed
and can be eaten as food.
 Tree Fruits - is a tree which bears fruit that is consumed or used by
humans and some animals. (Mango, Apple, guava)
 Nut Fruits - is a fruit composed of an inedible hard shell and a seed, which
is generally edible. (walnuts, pistachios, almonds, and coconuts, cashew
nut)
 Small Fruits - a low-growing plant (such as a shrub, bramble, or herb) that
produces table fruit also a fruit (such as the strawberry, raspberry, or
currant) produced on such a plant.

 Ornamentals - are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and
landscape design projects.
 Cut flowers -are flowers or flower buds (often with some stem and leaf)
that have been cut from the plant bearing it. It is usually removed from the
plant for decorative use. (Rose, anthurium, Carnations, Gerberas,
Chrysanthemums, Tulips, Gladioli, Lilies)
  Flowering pot plants - refer to plants that are planted and grown in
containers rather than in the ground. Potted plants are ideal for smaller
spaces or for more delicate flowers. (bougainvillea, anthurium)
 Foliage - are plants considered to have decorative, colourful and
interesting leaves. (caladium, canna, Artemisia)
 Landscaping plants - commonly called gardening, the art and craft of
growing plants with a goal of creating a beauty within the landscape.
 Turf grass – are grass grown for lawns, of a type that forms a dense even
turf if mown and maintained. (Bermuda, frog grass, carabao grass)

 Plantation Crops - is a large-scale estate meant for farming that specializes in

cash crops and required minor changes in structure of the product before
utilization.
 Oil crops - include both annual (usually called oilseeds) and perennial
plants whose seeds, fruits or mesocarp and nuts are valued mainly for the
edible or industrial oils that are extracted from them.( palm, soybean,
sunflower, flax, jatropha, coconut)
 Beverage crops - is the one that produces a potable beverage other than
water. It can also include crops that produce starch or sugar which can be
used for making a drink or a beverage. (coffee, tea, sugarcane, sugar
beet, coconut, lemon grass)
 Spice crops - a flavoring for food made from part of a plant, such as its
fruit, seeds, or root, usually dried and often made into a powder.( black
pepper, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon)
 Fiber crops - are field crop grown for their fibers, which are traditionally
used to make paper, cloth, or rope.( Flax, Jute, abaca, ramie)
 Medicinal crops – plants that possess therapeutic properties or exert
pharmacological effect on the human or animal body. (oregano, lagundi,
amplaya)
 Latex or Resin crops - is a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants
(angiosperms). It is a complex emulsion consisting of proteins, alkaloids,
starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins, and gums that coagulate on
exposure to air. (rubber tree)

GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1. Cite 3 major issues and concern of Philippine agriculture.

2. Enumerate at least 5 major crops in the Philippines.

3. Differentiate Agronomy to Horticultural crops.

4. Enumerate the classification of agronomic crops based on use.

5. Enumerate the Horticultural classification.

ANSWER TO GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1. Three major issues and concern of Philippine agriculture.

a) Rampant conversion of agricultural land.

b) Lack of capital for small land holder.
c) Continued reliance on chemical-based fertilizers or pesticides that destroy soil
productivity.

2. Five major crops in the Philippines

a) Rice
b) Corn
c) Coconut
d) Sugarcane
e) Banana

3. Agronomy to Horticultural crops

a) Agronomy/Agronomic crops - are annual herbaceous plants that are grown on

the farm under a system of extensive or large scale culture. while
b) Horticulture/Horticultural crops - are annual and perennial species which are
grown under a system of intensive culture w/c means usually required special
Care.

4. Classification of agronomic crops based on use

a) Cereals or Grains crops

b) Legumes for seeds
c) Forages crops
d) Root crops
e) Fiber crops
f) Tuber crops
g) Sugar crops
h) Drug crops
i) Oil crops
j) Vegetable crops

5. Horticultural classification
a) Vegetable crops
b) Fruit crops
c) Ornamental crops
d) Plantation crops

KEY POINTS

Agriculture has been associated with the production of essential food crops. At present,
agriculture above and beyond farming includes forestry, dairy, fruit cultivation, poultry,
beekeeping, mushroom, arbitrary, etc. Today, processing, marketing, and distribution of
crops and livestock products are all acknowledged as part of current agriculture.

Agriculture is the backbone of the economic system of a given country. In addition to

providing food and raw material, agriculture also provides employment opportunities to
a very large percentage of the population

Crop Science - concerned with observation and classification of knowledge concerning

economically cultivated crops and the establishment of verifiable principles regarding
their growth and development for the purpose of deriving the optimum benefit from
them.

Crop production - the art and science of producing cultivated plants, aimed increasing
productivity and quality of the products in order to maximize monetary returns but at the
same time minimize, if not completely eliminate the negative effects on the environment.

The importance of classification is to help in identification of related crop plants used for
various purposes such as food, feed and fiber and essential for ordinary reference and
avoiding confusion in identification.

ASSESSMENT:
In your own appreciative, enumerate some importance of Agriculture in our
daily life.

REFERENCES:
https://agriculturegoods.com, Sept 2020
National Geographic Society, 1996 – 2020
https://www.britannica.com/topic/agriculture/How-agriculture-and-domestication-began
https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Philippines-
AGRICULTURE.html
Major crops statistics of the Philippines, 2010-2014