Agriculture - Closing Yield Gap Flashcards
What techniques are used to promote crop management?
Tillage
Correct Planting Date
Intercropping
Fertilisers
Soil pH management
Irrigation
Tillage
This is to promote establishment of crops and control weeds.
Why is tillage useful?
Break up soil compaction which restricts root growth and limits water and nutrient penetration of the soil, uproots weed seeds and limits their growth.
What is a disadvantage of tilling?
Bring up dormant weeds to surface and stimulate weed growth
How might soil structure and organic matter be improced by tilling?
Burial of crop residue and organic material.
How might tillage accelerate organic matter decomposition?
Exposure of organic matter to O2 and moisture, increasing microorganism activity that decompose OM
What are examples of conservation tillage?
No-till, Less tillage or strip tillage
Why is correct planting date important?
Developmental growth stages and effects yield and crop growth
What is planting timing influenced by?
Soil temperature and moisture conditiosn for germination of the seed.
Why is crop rotation important?
Nutrient cycling based on differential requirements of nutrients, so rotating crops allow balancing of nutrient uptake and minmization of nutrient depletion.
What is an example of a good crop rotation species?
Soybeans and peas can fixate nitrogen.
How is organic matter decomposition rates affected by crop rotation?
Plants with higher C-N ratios more slowly decompose organic matter inthe soil whilst legumes do so quicker
How do plants alter soil pH differently?
Legumes raise soil pH whilst corn/wheat more acidic
Why is intercropping useful?
Increased yield and resource-use efficiency as crops may require different light, water and nutrients due to different root structure.
How does intercropping decrease pest and disease?
Some plants act as barriers to particular diseases, some crops producing compounds repelling them.
