Agriculture Agriculture

What is it? Agriculture: (AKA Farming or Husbandry) -Cultivating another species for our benefit. (note: collecting wild species does not classify as agriculture) What do we cultivate: - Plants - Animals - Fungi

Benefits of Agriculture 1) Reliable supply of food and materials needed to sustain life. 2) People no longer needed to travel in search of food and supplies Examples of Uses -Food -Dyes -Perfume -Resin -Fibre -Medicines -Biofuel

Quick History of Agriculture -Earliest forms of altering plant communities: controlled burning Beginning of Agriculture -Evolved 10,000 years ago -People began collecting the seeds of the plants they ate and sowed them close to home Fertile Cresent: A cresent Shapes area of land extending From Asia, Egypt, and India

Key Steps to Developing Modern Agriculture 1)Irrigation 2)Crop Rotation 3)Fertilizers 4)Pesticides

Irrigation Irrigation: Man made sources of water constructed for the purpose of cultivating plants. Purpose: 1)Brings water to areas during times of drought 2)Allowed people to cultivate plants in areas that do not have a natural source of water

Irrigation Types of Irrigation: 5 main types of irrigation Determined by… The method of obtaining water The method of distributing water.

Irrigation Surface Irrigation: Move water over the land by gravity. Gravity pulls it into the soil. Most common method used historically. Process:

Irrigation Surface Irrigation: Move water over the land by gravity. Gravity pulls it into the soil. Most common method used historically. Process: 1) The field is surrounded by walls of soil 2) Water is pumped into the field in order to flood it. 3) Excess Water is then pumped out

Irrigation Localized Irrigation: Water is deposited through a network of pipes and distributed in a predetermined pattern. Process:

Irrigation Localized Irrigation: Water is deposited through a network of pipes and distributed in a predetermined pattern. Process: 1)A line of pipes is setup from the water supply 2) Either a sprinkler or a Spray bar is placed on the end which distributes the water over a field

Irrigation Drip Irrigation: Water is deposited drop by drop only at the root system of the plant. Less random which means less water is wasted Process:

Irrigation Drip Irrigation: Water is deposited drop by drop only at the root system of the plant. Less random which means less water is wasted Process: 1)A dripper or small line is placed at the root of the plant 2) When the system is active a water drops trickle into the root system. The system is then shut off before the water saturates below the root ball

Irrigation Center Pivot Irrigation: Sprinkler irrigation involves the distribution of water form a single central point Process:

Irrigation Center Pivot Irrigation: Sprinkler irrigation involves the distribution of water form a single central point Process: 1)A rigid pipe lined with sprinklers is attached at one end to a central water source 2)The pipe then spins around the central pivot watering a circular area

Irrigation Lateral Move Irrigation: Sprinkler irrigation involves the distribution of water in a strip Process:

Irrigation Lateral Move Irrigation: Sprinkler irrigation involves the distribution of water in a strip Process: 1)A rigid pipe lined with sprinklers is attached to a series of wheels or motorized cars 2)By spinning the wheels the pipe is driven down the length of the field

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