---------------------------+-------------+--------------|--------
| MEAN ANNUAL | AVERAGE |
ECOLOGICAL ZONES (1,2) | TEMPERATURE | ANNUAL | SYMBOL
| (Deg.C) | RAINFALL |
---------------------------+-------------+--------------|--------
Tropical Desert Shrub | 24 or more | 125 - 250 | Tx
Tropical Thorn Steppe | 24 or more | 250 - 500 | Tt
Tropical Very Dry Forest | 24 or more | 500 - 1000 | Tv
Tropical Dry Forest | 24 or more | 1000 - 2000 | Td
Tropical Moist Forest | 24 or more | 2000 - 4000 | Tm
Tropical Wet Forest | 24 or more | 4000 - 8000 | Tw
Tropical Rain Forest | 24 or more | 8000 or more | Tr
Subtropical Desert Scrub | 18 - 24 | 125 - 250 | Sx
Subtropical Thorn Woodland | 18 - 24 | 250 - 500 | St
Subtropical Dry Forest | 18 - 24 | 500 - 1000 | Sd
Subtropical Moist Forest | 18 - 24 | 1000 - 2000 | Sm
Subtropical Wet Forest | 18 - 24 | 2000 - 4000 | Sw
Subtropical Rain Forest | 18 - 24 | 4000 or more | Sr
Warm Temperate Desert Bush | 12 - 18 | 125 - 250 | Wx
Warm Temperate Woodland | 12 - 18 | 250 - 500 | Wt
Warm Temperate Dry Forest | 12 - 18 | 500 - 1000 | Wd
Warm Temperate Moist Forest| 12 - 18 | 1000 - 2000 | Wm
Warm Temperate Wet Forest | 12 - 18 | 2000 - 4000 | Ww
Warm Temperate Rain Forest | 12 - 18 | 4000 or more | Wr
---------------------------+-------------+--------------|--------
NOTE: In the Appendix you will see life zone symbols of more than two letters. For example, okra grows in life zones Wdm and Txm. The capital letters refer to tropical, subtropical or warm temperate climates. The small letters are for types of vegetation as determined by the life zones. Using the chart below you can see that okra will grow in warm temperate dry forests, warm temperate moist forests, tropical dessert scrub and tropical moist forest climates.
C = Cool temperate d = dry forest
T = Tropical m = moist forest
S = Subtropical r = rain forest
W = Warm temperate t = thorn steppe (if tropical) or woodland (if
B = Boreal warm temperate)
v = very dry forest
w = wet forest
x = desert scrub (if tropical or subtropical)
or bush (if temperate)
(1) According to Holdridge (Holdridge, L. R., 1966, The Life Zone System, Adansonia 6(2): 199-. See also: Holdridge, L. R., 1947, Determination of World Plant Formations From Simple Climaic Data, Science, 105 (2727):267-368.
<2) Original vegetation may no longer be present.
-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------------------------------
CROP | RAINFALL | TEMPERATURE | OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------------------------------
Aramanth | Short | Hot | Dry weather required during
| | | maturation
Arrowroot | Long | Hot |
Bean | Short | Intermediate | Dry weather required during
(common) | | | maturation
Cantaloupe | Long | Cool to | Not usually grown in the tropics
| | intermediate |
Carrot | Intermediate | Cool |
Cassava | Short to | Hot |
| intermediate | |
Chayote | Long | Intermediate | Needs trellis
Chickpea | Short | Cool |
Corn | Intermediate | Intermediate | Dry weather required during
| | to hot | maturation
Cowpea | Short | Hot | Dry weather required during
| | | maturation
Cucumber | Intermediate | Intermediate |
Eggplant | Intermediate | Hot |
| to long | |
Lablab | Short to long| Intermediate | Most varieties bloom or produce
bean | | to hot | during short days
Mung bean | Short | Intermediate | Most varieties bloom or produce
| | | during short days
Okra | Intermediate | Hot | Produces best in long days
Onion | Intermediate | Cool to |
| | intermediate |
Peanut | Short to | Hot | Dry weather required during
| intermediate | | maturation
Pearl | Short | Hot | Dry weather required during
millet | | | maturation
Pepper | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| | to hot |
Pigeon pea | Short | Hot | Dry weather required during
| | | maturation. Most varieties bloom
| | | or produce during short day
Potato | Short to | Cool to |
| intermediate | intermediate |
Pumpkin | Intermediate | Hot |
| to long | |
Rice | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| | to hot |
Scarlet | Intermediate | Cool |
runner bean| | |
Sorghum | Short to | Hot | Dry weather required during
| intermediate | | maturation
Soybean | Short to | Hot | Most varieties bloom or produce
| intermediate | | during short day
Sweet corn | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| to long | |
Sweet | Long | Hot |
potato | | |
Tomato | Short | Intermediate | Dry weather required during
| | | maturation
Watermelon | Intermediate | Hot |
Winged | Long | Hot | Most varieties bloom or produce
bean | | | during short day
Yam | Long | Hot | Suitable for monsoon climate, with
| | | rains during long days
Yardlong | Intermediate | Hot | Needs trellis
bean | | |
-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------------------------------
-------------+--------------+--------------+---------------------------------
CROP | RAINFALL | TEMPERATURE | OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
-------------+--------------+--------------+---------------------------------
Avocado | Short to | Intermediate |
| intermediate | to hot |
Banana | Long | Hot |
Black pepper | Long | Hot | Needs trellis
Breadfruit | Intermediate | Hot |
| to long | |
Cacao | Intermediate | Hot | Needs shade
| to long | |
Cashew | Short | Hot | Needs dry weather during
| | | flowering
Cherimoya | Intermediate | Cool |
Coconut | Intermediate | Hot |
| to long | |
Coffee | Intermediate | Intermediate | Needs shade
| to long | |
Fig | Short | Intermediate |
Guava | Intermediate | Hot |
Macadamia nut| Intermediate | Intermediate |
Mamey sapote | Intermediate | Hot |
| to long | |
Mango | Intermediate | Hot | Needs dry weather during
| | | flowering
Mangosteen | Long | Hot |
Moringa | Short | Hot |
Oil Palm | Intermediate | Hot |
| to long | |
Papaya | Short to | Hot | Needs trellis
| intermediate | |
Peach palm | Intermediate | Intermediate |
(pejibaye) | to long | |
Passion | Intermediate | Intermediate |
fruit | | to hot |
Pineapple | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| | to hot |
Plantain | Long | Hot |
Soursop | Short to long| Hot |
Sugar cane | Long | Hot |
White sapote | Intermediate | Cool to |
| | intermediate |
-------------+--------------+--------------+--------------------------------
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+----------------
GRAINS | LEGUMES | VEGETABLES | FRUITS | OTHER
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+----------------
HOT HUMID TROPICS (LONG RAINY SEASON, NO COOL WEATHER)
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+----------------
Paddy rice | Winged bean | Arrowroot | Banana & | Black Pepper
| | Dasheen & | plantain | Cacao
| | tannier | Breadfruit | Oil palm
| | Pumpkin | Jackfruit | Sugar cane
| | Sweet potato | Peach palm | Other spices
| | Taro | |
| | Yam (Asian) | |
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+----------------
TROPICAL MONSOON (STRONGLY ALTERNATING WET AND DRY SEASONS)
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+----------------
Corn | Cowpea | Arrowroot | Avocado | Cacao
Paddy rice | Peanut | Dasheens | Banana & | Coconut
Sorghum | Pigeon pea | Eggplant | plantain | Coffee
Upland rice| Soybean | Okra | Breadfruit | Oil palm
| Winged bean | Pepper | Cacao | Sugar cane
| Yardlong bean| Pumpkin | Citrus |
| | Sweet corn | Guava |
| | Sweet potato | Jackfruit |
| | Tomato | Macadamia nut |
| | Yams | Mamey sapote |
| | | Mango |
| | | Mangosteen |
| | | Papaya |
| | | Passion fruit |
| | | Pineapple |
| | | Soursop |
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+----------------
DRY TROPICS (A LONG, HOT DRY SEASON WITH A SHORT OR IRREGULAR RAINY SEASON)
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+----------------
Amaranth | Cowpea | Cantaloupe | Avocado | Sisal
Corn | Lablab bean | Cassava | Breadfruit | Cotton
Millet | Mung bean | Cucumber | Citrus |
Sorghum | Peanut | Eggplant | Guava |
Upland rice| Pigeon pea | Okra | Mamey sapote |
| Soybean | Onion | Mango |
| Yardlong bean| Pepper | Papaya |
| | Pumpkin | Passion fruit |
| | Sweet corn | Sugar apple |
| | Sweet potato | Tamarind |
| | Tomato | |
| | Watermelon | |
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+---------------
BEACH CLIMATE (DRYISH, INTERMITTENT RAINS)
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+---------------
Corn | Cowpea | Cassava | Avocado | Coconut
Sorghum | Lablab bean | Eggplant | Cashew | Oil palm
| Peanut | Okra | Guava |
| Pigeon pea | Pepper | Mamey sapote |
| Soybean | Pumpkin | Mango |
| | Sweet potato | Papaya |
| | | Passion fruit |
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+---------------
HIGHLAND CLIMATE, WET AND COOL
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+---------------
Corn | Chickpea | Beet | Avocado | Coffee
| Scarlet | Carrot | Papaya |
| runner bean | Chayote | Passion fruit |
| | Cool season | (purple) |
| | veg's (esp. | Persimmon |
| | crucifers) | (Japanese) |
| | Leeks | |
| | Lettuce | |
| | Onions | |
| | Sweet potato | |
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+---------------
HIGHLAND CLIMATE, DRY AND COOL
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+---------------
Amaranth | Chickpea | Beet | Avocado |
Millet | Common bean | Carrot | Fig |
Quinoa | | Cool season | Papaya |
Sorghum | | veg's (esp. | Persimmon |
| | crucifers) | (Japanese) |
| | Leeks | White sapote |
| | Lettuce | |
| | Onions | |
| | Potato | |
| | Tomato | |
-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+---------------
In principle, it should be possible to characterize soil and climate so that areas that are similar, even though widely scattered, could use the same technology. In practice this has proved very difficult. As the number of factors increases sufficiently to carefully characterize sites, those that are similar become smaller and smaller in number. Researchers often refer to "site-specific technology." This simply means that any particular technology is specifically suited only to the site for which it was designed. This is true whether the technology is cultural techniques or pest control methods.
Two very large projects were specifically designed to overcome the problems of site-specific technology. In one of these the technology was to be developed at specific sites and demonstrated to be useful at similar sites. This project was unable to fulfill its objectives. In a second project years of experimentation at distant locations finally came through with a mathematical model to predict the yield of a crop at one location based on its performance at other locations. All test locations had to be thoroughly characterized. This has been done with only one crop, corn (maize). The technique is too cumbersome to be of practical value, and the old-fashioned technique of a varietal trial is still the best method of determining the value of a particular crop or technology.
There are no final answers to the questions, "What crop should I grow?" and "How should the crop be grown?" Superficially, agriculture is simply crops, climate, and land. But in reality each is extremely complex, requiring knowledge, experience, and judgment. On the other hand, the crop production potentialities are revealed by trial and error. There is no substitute for hard work and a sharp eye.
Some logical questions follow "What crop can I grow?" The answers may require considerably more study. What are appropriate varieties? Where can seed be obtained, and how can it be maintained? What are the appropriate seasons for planting? How can it best be fertilized? What insects, other pests, and diseases may occur, and how can they be controlled? When and how is the crop to be harvested? How can it be stored, processed and utilized? Will people accept it? Will it be economical in terms of energy, time, and money? Part of ECHO's work is to give you perspectives on these issues to equip you to answer such questions.
Return to Selecting the Right Crop
Advance to Appendix (Species A - G)
Advance to Appendix (Species H - Z)