4.4.10.B.+-+Assess+the+influence+of+agricultural+science+on+farming+practices.



AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND FARMING PRACTICES

Agricultural science has had a very significant effect on farming and farming technologies. No-till farming is a great example of this, tilling is used in farming to remove weeds, mix fertilizers into the soil, and also to prepare the surface for seeding. This ultimately leads to unwanted effects, like the death or disruption of microbes and worms in the soil and erosion of the topsoil. Using no-till farming can avoid some of these unwanted effects. Farmers have also used advances in agricultural science to help and enhance nutrient management on their farms. Vermicomposting is a recent strategy that helps farmers with plant growth and a high crop yield. Vermicompost is a natural, nutrient-rich fertilizer. It is made from the breakdown of organic matter by a earthworms, the most commonly used species are the red wigglers or red earthworms. (Stewart 2004) Other advances in farm efficiencies have changed human nutrition. Pest control methods, such as pesticides, can be harmful to humans if ingested. You should always wash fruits and vegetables before you eat them to avoid pesticide ingestion. Another advance in farming techniques, precision agriculture, is very beneficial to humans. Precision agriculture is when a farmer customizes his/her soil and other variables on his/her farm so that the crops grow better and become more vitamin and nutrient enriched.

Other examples of agricultural science and farming technologies
 * Composting - Compost comes from grass clippings, thatch, leaves, various kitchen scraps, plant debris, small twigs, pine needles, manure, saw dust, straw, wood chips, old mulch or any other yard/home organic matter which is decomposed by billions of microscopic microbes into an environmentally, plant friendly organic fertilizer. The end product is a dark, odorless soil additive rich in nutrients. (O'Donnel 2008)


 * Dryland Farming - A way of farming land in dry regions where there is no irrigation, using methods that save soil moisture and raising crops that survive drought.


 * Irrigation - Irrigation is the artificial supply of water to agricultural land. It is practiced by more than half the farmers in the world because they need more water for their crops than is available from rainfall. Irrigation projects must also allow for removal of excess water. Modern irrigation and the associated practice of drainage, together with the application of fertilizers and mechanization, have resulted in an unprecedented increase in farm productivity. ("Irrigation" 2005)


 * Organic Farming


 * Pest Control - The elimination of pests or the inhibition of their reproduction, development, or migration is known as pest control. The control of pests has a great influence on the world economy. Even with current pest-control measures, agricultural pests are responsible for the annual destruction of millions of acres of crops worldwide. In Southeast Asia, rodents have been known to destroy as much as 50 percent of a rice crop before it is harvested. In the United States, over 500 million dollars are lost annually to insect and rodent infestation of stored foods and grains. ("Pest" 2005)


 * Sustainable Agriculture



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