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CHAPTER 3 Agriculture and Environment

Chapter 3 discusses the relationship between agriculture and the environment, focusing on soil composition, types of agriculture, and techniques to increase crop yields. It highlights the adverse effects of modern agriculture, such as chemical overuse and soil mismanagement, and presents sustainable practices like mixed cropping and rainwater harvesting as solutions. The chapter emphasizes the importance of balancing agricultural productivity with environmental health.

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38 views7 pages

CHAPTER 3 Agriculture and Environment

Chapter 3 discusses the relationship between agriculture and the environment, focusing on soil composition, types of agriculture, and techniques to increase crop yields. It highlights the adverse effects of modern agriculture, such as chemical overuse and soil mismanagement, and presents sustainable practices like mixed cropping and rainwater harvesting as solutions. The chapter emphasizes the importance of balancing agricultural productivity with environmental health.

Uploaded by

amrzanzarkhail1230
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CHAPTER 3

AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT


Soil

Soil profile

Soil Horizons
Soil composition

Mineral matter- sand silt and clay

Organic matter- living plants, animals and dead plants and their remains and waste

Soil for plant growth

Nitrogen is used by plants for lots of leaf growth and good green color.
Phosphorous is used by plants to help form new roots, make seeds, fruit and flowers.
It's also used by plants to help fight disease.
Potassium helps plants make strong stems and keep growing fast.

Difference between sandy and clayey soils

Different types of agriculture

Arable farming

Pastoral farming

Mixed farming

Arable farming

1-Commercial and subsistence farming

Commercial examples

Central and south America, banana, Pineapple or Coffee are grown in plantations

Only one crop give them more profit


2-Subsistence

3-Shifting agriculture

is a system of cultivation in which a plot of land is cleared and cultivated for a short period of
time, then abandoned and allowed to revert to producing its normal vegetation while the
cultivator moves on to another plot.

Shifting cultivation in tropical forest of south America and South east asia

Agricultural techniques to increase yields

1. Irrigation
Is the provision of supply of water from rivers, lakes, reservoirs or underground sources
to farmland.
Some of modern types are
Canals, trickle drip, tube wells ,sprinklers etc
2. Chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides)
Fertilizers are adding deficient nutrients to the land
Pesticides are sprays which kill pest and diseases
3. Mechanization
Use of machinery in almost every farming processes including ploughing,spraying
pesticides, harvesting etc
4. Selective breeding of plants
Development of High yielding variety of seeds in staple crops like wheat, rice etc. it
brought green revolution during 60s in asia.
Selective breeding of animals has also brought revolution which increases dairy
production manifold.
5. Genetically modified organisms(GMO)
Genetic modification (GM) technology allows the transfer of genes for specific traits
between species using laboratory techniques.
GM crops were first introduced in the U.S. in the mid-1990s. Most current GM crops
grown in the U.S. are engineered for insect resistance or herbicide tolerance. Corn,
soybeans, and cotton are the three largest acreage GM crops.

Adverse effects of Modern agriculture


1) Overuse of Chemicals
The negative effects of pesticides are not just in the area of application. Runoff and
pesticide drift can carry pesticides into distant aquatic environments or other fields,
grazing areas, human settlements and undeveloped areas. Other problems emerge from
poor production, transport, storage and disposal practices. Over time, repeat
application of pesticides increases pest resistance, while its effects on other species can
facilitate the pest's resurgence.
a) Eutrophication
Eutrophication is the process in which a water body becomes overly enriched with
nutrients, leading to plentiful growth of simple plant life. The excessive growth (or
bloom) of algae in a water body are indicators of this process. Eutrophication is
considered to be a serious environmental concern since it often results in the
deterioration of water quality and the depletion of dissolved oxygen in water bodies.
Eutrophic waters can eventually become “dead zones” that are incapable of supporting
life.
b) Warm waters released from thermal power plants cause thermal pollution.In
cold climates, this is serious concerns for temperature sensitive fish like Slmon
and trout.
c) Diseases in humans
Examples of acute health effects include stinging eyes, rashes, blisters,
blindness, nausea, dizziness, diarrhea and death. Examples of known chronic
effects are cancers, birth defects, reproductive harm, immunotoxicity,
neurological and developmental toxicity, and disruption of the endocrine
system.
2) Mismanagement of irrigation water
Water logging and salinity
High amount of salt made the plant wither and die. Large tracts of land is effected due
to this e.g Indus delta in Pakistan
3) Overcultivation and overgrazing of farm land
Soil erosion
Overuse of soil depletes the minerals from soil which not only leads to lower yoield but
also soils are exposed and lead to removal of top soil
Desertification
Soil erosion in desert fringes can lead to desertification of the land

Sustainable agriculture
(solutions to the problems)
A. Management of soil erosion
Terracing
In mountainous areas steps are cut on the hill slopes to decrease the surface
runoff. On a smaller scale, stones can be placed across the lower ends of steep
slopes to hold back soil and water.
Contour ploughing
Ploughing around or across( Horizontally) instead of up and down (vertically)

Wind breaks
Planting trees in line as shelter belts between the fields, checks wind speeds and
protects against wind erosion.

B. Changes in farming practices


Mixed cropping or inter cropping

When two or more crops are grown on the same land simultaneously, it is known as mixed
cropping. For eg., growing wheat and gram on the same land at the same time is mixed
cropping.
For example, a field crop like maize can be planted between a bush or tree crop like coffee.
Rather than leaving the bare soil between crop plantings open to winds, bushes will provide
shelter

Crop rotation

Rotating different crops can break pest cycles and add extra nutrients to the soil. Crop rotations build
soil fertility, preserve the environment, control weeds, diseases, and insects, and add to crop and
market diversity

Adding organic matter

It is a best way to retain water and promote a stable soil structure. The main farm sources are animal
manure and straw etc

Afforestation with the help of community

Planting trees without the help of local community is not very sucessful .

Managed grazing
Rotate where the animals are allowed to graze by moving them from field to field. Fences are needed
for this to be effective. No grazing period gives the grass time to grow without being trampled down.

Trickle drip irrigation

Drip irrigation is sometimes called trickle irrigation and involves dripping water onto the soil at very low
rates (2-20 litres/hour) from a system of small diameter plastic pipes fitted with outlets called emitters
or drippers.

Rain water harvesting

Rain water harvesting is collection and storage of rain water that runs off from roof tops, parks, roads,
open grounds, etc. This water run off can be either stored or recharged into the ground water.

Rainwater harvesting is a sustainable process that helps in preserving water for future needs. Water
scarcity is a major concern in today's scenario. The process of rainwater harvesting is a good way to
conserve water.

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