Agricultural Science

Agricultural land, types and uses

len Alfred Ajibola - Thu, 02nd May, 2019 @ 9:17 AM

Topics in Agricultural Science

Soil formation in agricuture Economic empowerment through agricuture Management as a factor of production in agriculture Labor as a factor of production in agriculture Finance as a factor of production in agriculture Water as a factor of production in agriculture Land as a factor of production in agriculture Len Academy Agricultural Science midterm questions for JSS1, 2nd term Len Academy Agricultural Science midterm questions for jss2, 2nd term Clay soil explained with its types and characteristics Loamy soil explained with its characteristics Sandy soil: Characteristics of sandy soil and ways to make it fertile Soil explained with its composition Types of agricultural practices Crop rotation explained Benefits of crop rotation Differences between subsistence and commercial farming Subsistence farming explained with its characteristics What is commercial farming? Types of commercial farming Characteristics of commercial farming


Academic Questions in Agricultural Science

Please click here to see all Questions and Answers

The ideal pH for the optimum growth of most agricultural crop is between _____.

  • A. 1 – 3.5

  • B. 4 – 5.5

  • C. 6 – 7.5

  • D. 8 – 9.5

  • E. 10 – 11.5

  • F. 12 – 13.5

People who go about their lives by raising and herding livestock such as cattle, sheep and goats are said to practice _____.

  • A. Pastoralism

  • B. Pasturalism

  • C. Herding

  • D. Herdsmen

  • E. Animalism

  • F. Anime Farming

The act of giving birth in pigs is called _____.

  • A. Calving

  • B. Piggery

  • C. Kidding

  • D. Farrowing

  • E. Calfing

  • F. Pigging

Which of the following is not a vegetable?

  • A. Cashew

  • B. Cocumber

  • C. Tomatoes

  • D. Carrot

  • E. Squash

  • F. Eggplant

All plants are crops.

  • A. True

  • B. False

In agriculture, macronutrients are essential nutrients required by plants. Which of the following is not a macronutrient?

  • A. Zinc

  • B. Sulphur

  • C. Calcium

  • D. Phosphorus

  • E. Potassium

  • F. Magnesium

Which of the following is false concerning micronutrients?

  • A. They are non-essential nutrients

  • B. They are required by plants in minute quantities

  • C. Iron is a micronutrient

  • D. Chlorine is a micronutrient

  • E. Copper is a micronutrient

  • F. Boron is a micronutrient

_____ is a term that describes the biological, chemical and cultural control tactics employed to make pest management economical, environmentally friendly and socially acceptable.

  • A. Integrated Pest Management

  • B. Integral Pest Management

  • C. International Pest Management

  • D. Inclusive Pest Management

  • E. Imbibed Pest Management

  • F. Inclusion Pest Management



What is agricultural land:

Land is a free gift of nature and it's included as one of the three most important parts of the earth; the others being water and air.

On earth, land is often referred to as the lithosphere. Consequently, the lithosphere is generally termed as that solid part of the earth where life is found. However, it is noteworthy to state that an agricultural land is a part of the lithosphere.


Agriculture land can be defined as the solid and arable part of the earth where agricultural activities are carried out.

Agricultural activities include the growing of crops and rearing of animals.

You can read on the methods of plant propagation here.

Meanwhile, understand that agricultural activities can also be carried out on water.

 

Uses of Land

From the introduction above, land may be summarised to serve main 2 purposes. These are

  1. Agricultural purposes
  2. Non Agricultural purposes

According to the edaphologists (those who are concerned with how the soil affect plants), it is believed that land should be used for agricultural purposes.

On the other hand, the pedologist are of the opinion that land should be used for non agricultural purposes.

Generally, non agricultural purposes of land can be put into 4 uses. These are:

  1. Residential use of land
  2. Commercial use of land
  3. Transportation
    Please read on land mode of transportation here.
  4. Recreational use of land

However, it is the physical and biological characteristics of land that suggests how it may be used; for instance, land with fertile soils are ideal for agricultural activities and may be likely used for agricultural purposes.

You can read on the problems of agriculture here.

 

Types of Agricultural Land

Agricultural land can be classified under the following headings:


  • Land for the cultivation of crops

A crop is a cultivated plant that is grown for income or subsistence.

Please read more on the differences between plants and crops here.


Classes of Crops

Crops can be generally put into 6 categories.These are:

  1. Food Crop: They are crops grown for human consumption. Examples are yam, millet, potatoes and beans.
  2. Fibre Crop: They are grown for textile and cordage (rope). Cotton is an example of fibre crop.
  3. Ornamental Crops: They are grown for gardening and beautification purposes. Examples are pampas grass and roses.
  4. Oil Crops: They are grown for their oil. Examples are soyabean, coconut, cottonseed and corn.
  5. Industrial Crops: They are grown for various industrial reasons, and are subsequently used as raw materials in production. Examples are rubber and cotton crops.
  6. Cash Crop: They are grown to generate income and foreign exchange. Examples are cocoa and rubber.

Land utilized for the cultivation of crops must be properly managed in a manned that constantly preserve its nutrients. For this reason, agricultural practices like crop rotation, irrigation farming, bush fallowing, fertilizer and manure application should be encouraged in order to retain and improve soil fertility.

Please read on agricultural tools and their uses here.

 

  • Land for rearing of animals

A variety of animals are reared in agriculture. Forms of animal rearing include:

  1. Cattle, sheep and goat farming: The rearing of cattles sheep and goats.
  2. Snailery: The rearing of snails.
  3. Poultry Farming: The rearing of birds such as chickens, turkeys, peacocks, ducks and geese.
  4. Pisticulture: The rearing of fishes.
    You can read on how to start a home based fish farming here.
  5. Apiculture or BeeKeeping: The rearing of bees.

Note: Agricultural Science as a subject has got its various technical terms.

Please read on the various agricultural terms and meanings here.

 

  • Land for wildlife reserve

A wildlife reserve is a region where different kinds of wild animals are kept and protected in order to avoid their extinction; while also aiming to generate income from them.

Animals preserved as wildlife include lions, elephants, crocodiles and snakes.

Understand that the land required for wildlife do not necessarily need to be fertile; neither should it be occupied by numerous trees (as seen in a forest).

please read on the importance of wildlife and examples of wildlife reserves in Nigeria here.

 

  • Land for forest

A forest is an ecosystem dominated by a variety of trees and animals.

The land required for the evolution of a forest does not have to be too fertile. Also, it will do no harm if the land is prone to erosion.

Please read on the importance of forest and examples of forest reserves in Nigeria here

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Amazing facts in Agricultural Science

Cows technically have one stomach, not four. However, a cow's stomach has four compartments. These are: rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum

Peanuts are legumes and not nuts

Although plants neither see nor hear, they can recognize their siblings and even give them preferential treatments

Squirrels do plant more trees (through their actions) than an average human in their lifetime. They often hide their acorns and nuts underground and forget about them

Cows have got the ability to walk up stairs, but not down stairs

A group of cows is called a team, drove or herd.

People just prefer to call them herd


Notable points in Agricultural Science

Below are characteristics of gymnosperms:

  1. Their seeds have cones that protect them.

  2. Sepals and petals aren't present in their cones.

  3. Stigma and style are absent.

  4. They do not produce fruits. Only seeds are formed.

  5. Companion cells are absent.

  6. Sporophyll form the cones.

  7. Anther and filament are absent.

  8. The ovules are not present in the ovary.

  9. Gymnosperms do not possess flowers.

  10. Please read on the anatomical differences between gymnosperms and angiosperms here

The flower is the reproductive organ in plants' sexual reproduction. In order to achieve a successful sexual propagation or reproduction in plants, the floral parts of the flower are utilized.

The floral parts of a flower consists of the followings:

  1. Sepals

  2. Petals

  3. Stamen

  4. Carpel

The stamen is male portion of a plant. It consists of the anther and filament.

The carpel (or pistil) is the female portion of the plant. It consists of the stigma, style and ovary.

Please read more on plants' sexual reproduction here

An organism will be considered a pest if it does one of the followings:

  • Attack crops and eat its seeds, roots, stem, leaves and flowers. Examples are locust and grasshoppers.

  • Cause damage to stored food, fruits or other agricultural produce. Some may even urinate or deaficate on these products. Examples are rodents, cockroaches and mice.

  • Attack and kill farm animals like goats, sheep and cattle. Examples are foxes, wild cats and snakes.

  • Act as disease vectors. A vector is an organism that carries parasite and other disease causing organisms, without being affected; but when they introduce the parasites into their host, such host becomes infected with disease. Examples of vectors are rodents and mosquitoes.

    Please read more on vectors of diseases here.

Below are the classification of crops based on their uses:

  • Oil crops

  • Vegetable crops

  • Latex crops

  • Drug and Medicinal crops

  • Beverage crops

  • Fibre crops

  • Fruit crops

  • Root and Tubers

  • Legumes

  • Spices

  • Cereals

All crops are plants but not all plants are crops. Below are some instances:

  • Weeds are considered as plants, not crops.

  • Parasitic plants are not necessarily crops. Examples of parasitic plants include mistletoe, corpse flower and striga.

  • Carnivorous or insectivorous plants are not necessarily crops. Examples are sundew, venus flytrap and pitcher plant. The image below shows a carnivorous plant (venus flytrap).

Venus flytrap - Len Academy

 

Meanwhile, always understand that all crops are plants, and they are grown for food, money or something beneficial.

Please read on plants versus crops here