Determination of the main agricultural crops for the Metropolitan Puebla-Tlaxcala area using the Papadakis Methodology

Abstract

agricultural crops in the Puebla-Tlaxcala Metropolitan Area (ZMPT). Design/methodology/approach: From April to June 2022, the classification process for identifying the main crops in the ZMPT was conducted. This process utilized monthly climatic data from the Mexican Institute of Water Technology (IMTA), analyzed through the Papadakis methodology (1970). Subsequently, the results were mapped using the Weighted Overlay (WO) tool in ArcGIS v.10.2. Results: The Papadakis methodology identified 10 seasonal crop types, particularly for summer and winter. The WO tool categorized potential areas into five classes: optimal, highly suitable, acceptable, and unacceptable for the establishment of several crops. Limitations on study/implications: This study has limitations due to incomplete and scarce databases and the complexity and cost associated with the software used. However, the implications for agriculture include the potential to enhance and diversify agricultural production by identifying optimal areas for establishment, especially in urban-peri-urban agricultural areas (UPAs). Findings/conclusions: This study successfully identified the main crops cultivated in the ZMPT and highlighted potential areas for their establishment. The generated cartographic information enables the strategic distribution of productive agricultural systems, particularly in UPAs, to adapt to regional climate fluctuations in the short, medium, and long term. Besides, an adequate distribution in the implementation of productive agricultural systems, particularly in UPAs, depending on fluctuations in the climatic conditions of the region.