Remote sensing and GIS application in assessing the adaptability of some key crops in Dak Nong province

Abstract Remote sensing (RS) and Geographic information system (GIS) is widely applied in the world and gradually affirms its role in Vietnam in managing agricultural and forest resources. This application is highly effective, providing information timely for managers to make decisions and build development strategies. In this study, RS and GIS were integrated to assess suitability for key crop species in Dak Nong province including coffee, rubber, cashew, and durian based on their suitability to site conditions such as soil (soil type, soil texture, soil thickness), topography (elevation, slope) and climate (temperature, precipitation). Using the restrictive method and overlapping map layers of natural factors, classified into adaptive levels according to FAO (1976). Results show that most land areas in Dak Nong province have different levels of potential suitability for key crop species ranging from non-adaptive to lesst-adaptive and moderately adaptive. However, most suitable areas for key crops are only at low (accounting for a large proportion) and the average adaptation level. The findings from the study are the scientific information for managers to make decisions regarding the structure of major crops in the province.