CROP SUITABILITY EVALUATION OF CAVENDISH BANANA (Musa acuminata) IN BARANGAY TINAGACAN, GENERAL SANTO CITY USING GIS

The study aimed to generate a Crop Suitability of Cavendish Banana (Musa acuminata) Production Map in Barangay Tinagacan, General Santos City. The suitability evaluation was based on the following parameters: Soil texture, soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic matter, temperature, annual rainfall, relative humidity, elevation, and slope. Soil-related parameters were measured in every two-hectare grid of the barangay on Jan 2018 and climate-related factors were acquired from DOST-PAGASA. Crop suitability evaluation can be interpreted through the maps that were generated. Most of the areas are suitable for Cavendish Banana production. The areas in the barangay have a sufficient amount of nutrients that are being required for the production of Cavendish Banana namely nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It is then found out that organic matter content of the area is enough for the production. Other factors like temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, elevation and slope were determined and it is found to be suitable for Cavendish Banana production. The results that are generated from the AHP calculator are for the soil texture with a percentage of 20.14% for Soil pH,15.05% for Organic Matter, 10.86% for Nitrogen,3.91% for Phosphorus, 3.68% for Potassium, 3.68% for the Annual Rainfall,6.02% for Temperature,13.10% for Relative Humidity,7.82% for Elevation and 6.77% for the Slope 8.96%. It is recommended that soil testing should be conducted annually for some of the important parameters like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These parameters change and vary with time. For future similar studies, Temperature and relative humidity of the location should be checked during the conduct of the study for better and accurate results.