Williams, G.D.V., 1983
. Agroclimatic resource analysis --an example using an index derived and applied for Canada. Agric. Meteorol., 28:31--47
The agroclimatic resource concept is illustrated by analysis involving an agroclimatic resource index (ACRI) for Canada. In Canada the freeze-free season length was considered to be the major constraint, with moisture limitations also quite important in some regions and lack of summer heat in others. These considerations were incorporated to quickly derive and map ACRI to provide information relative to long term food production. The general validity of the index for comparing different parts of the country was established by analysing productivity data for several field crops by province and for selected districts. The concept of an agroclimatic resource index could be usefully applied in other parts of the world, with details of the computations depending on the climate, the socioeconomic conditions and the specific questions to be answered in each case. In many situations the climatic index of agricultural potential (CA) may be applicable. Indices such as ACRI, and CA, or other agroclimatic resource indices which may be derived to meet the particular needs of various regions, have a number of useful applications in agricultural development, land use planning and climatic resource sensitivity analysis.