Introduction to Agriculture
What is Agriculture?
Agriculture is the science, art and industry of managing the growth of plants and animals for use by humans. In general, agriculture includes soil cultivation, growing and harvesting crops, raising and breeding livestock, dairy, and forestry (Crop Farming, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Farming, Forestry, Poultry Farming, Soil Management).
Modern Agriculture
Engineering and technology is heavily utilized in modern agriculture. Biological and physical sciences are also advancing agricultural production. Fields requiring specialized knowledge of agricultural engineers includes, but not limited to Irrigation, Drainage, Conservation, and Sanitary Engineering.
One area of agriculture where plant production is advancing rapidly is Hydroponics; a method for growing plants' without soil - Usually in an inert media such as Rockwool and fed re-circulated, Oxygen and nutrient rich water solution.
Because Hydroponics is not dependent on soil, this advance plant cultivation method will allow people in extremely dry regions like parts of Africa, for example, to cultivate plants for food and other resources. Hydroponics may also increase food production -a concern for the growing population.
Plant genetics and breeding offers great benefits to farm productivity. Genetics has also turned livestock breeding into a science.
Agricultural Chemistry
Agricultural chemistry is associated with other important farming concerns like fertilizer application, insecticides or pest control, fungicides, soil composition, agricultural products analysis, and nutritional requirements of farm animals.
Packaging, Processing & Marketing
Science has also revolutionized the way we pack, process and market agricultural products. For example, dehydration and quick-freezing have increased farm products' markets (Food Processing, Preservation, Meat Packing).
Technology
Agriculture used to be a laborious task and still is, however, late 19th- and 20th century technological advancement has simplified much of the backbreaking toil of farming. Moreover, mechanization (Agricultural Machinery) has greatly increased the efficiency and productivity of farming.
Although agriculture has evolved and advanced in many ways, Animals like horses, llamas, alpacas, oxen and dogs are still utilized on farms to cultivate and harvest crops, till, and transport products to markets in many parts of the world.
Computers have also become an important agricultural management tool. Hydroponics and Greenhouse cultivation are two examples of agriculture that generally involve computers for managing lighting, feeding, temperature and pH.
Aerial Application
In the U.S. airplanes and helicopters are often used in agriculture for seeding and spraying applications for insect and disease control, transporting perishable goods, and for controlling forest fires.
Communications
Television and radio have played a vital role in agriculture by providing important weather reports and market reports - both of which are concerns for most farmers.
About the Author
Article Courtesy of HydroponicSearch.com - The Agriculture Search Engine & Educational Community.