Climatic Suitability Mapping of Whole-Crop Rye Cultivation in the Republic of Korea

This study was conducted to perform the suitability analysis of whole-crop rye (Secale cereale L.) based on the climatic information in the Republic of Korea to present useful information for producers and policy makers to determine the site-selection for the cultivation of the whole-crop rye. The criteria to analyze the climatic suitability of whole-crop rye was developed firstly. Then, the climatic suitability map for spatial analysis was developed through weighted overlaying the raster layers of climatic items in the evaluation criteria. Meanwhile, 16 geographically representative weather stations were selected to show examples of the calculation process of the climatic suitability score of a specific cultivation area. The results of the climatic suitability mapping indicated that the climatic conditions in most arable lands of the Republic of Korea such as the coastal, southern, western areas in the southern region of the Korean Peninsula and central areas in Jeju Island are suitable for the cultivation of whole-crop rye. The climatic suitability scores of the 16 weather stations were all in line with the results of the climatic suitability map.