Soil Productivity Capability Classification (SPCC) for identification of alternative land use and management systems

The soils in the study sites, the alluvial plain and sloping to undulating hills of Maapag soil series in Valencia, Bukidnon [Philippines] were classified under the soil orders Entisols and Inceptisols. Entisols occupies 5,612 ha or 62.05%, which well all alluvial broad plains. These were further classified at the sub-group level as Typic Epiaquents. The Inceptisols covered 3,432 ha or 39.95%. These were further classified into: Typic Tropaquepts, Typic Dystropepts and Typic Eutropepts. The lowland Entisols and Inceptisols, Typic Epiaquents and Typic Tropaquepts in the alluvial plains, with slopes of 0-3% and no flooding, were found to be highly suitable for rice production. They had an overall Soil Productivity Ratings (SPR) of 86.8% and 91.7%, and were classified as Class 1 for rice. This means that limitations in terms of the SPSS soil evaluation criteria were negligible, and therefore they were considered highly productive soils for rice. However, for land uses or production systems other than rice, such as upland crops, orchard and pasture, these soils were classified as moderately productive or Class 2, with SPRs ranging from 72.2% to 80.6%. The upland Inceptisols, Typic Dystropepts, of allevial origin, with slope of 0-3% and no flooding were evaluated to be Class 2, that is, moderately productive for upland crop production systems. Its overall SPR was 75%. The upland Inceptisols, Typic Eutropepts, with slopes of 3-8% and slightly eroded, were classified as Class 1 for upland crops, orchard, and pasture production systems. It has an overall SPR of 86.1%. The upland Inceptisols, Typic Eutropepts, with undulating slopes of 8-18% and moderately eroded, were not suitable from any agricultural production systems