Introduction to Horticulture Flashcards
Agriculture
The term “Agriculture” is derived from Latin words “Ager” meaning “land or field” and “Cultura” meaning “Cultivation”
Therefore the term agriculture means cultivation of land. i.e., the science and art of producing crops and livestock for economic purposes
Horticulture
The science and practice of growing, processing and marketing fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants.
Word first used in 1600’s
Comes from two Latin words
Hortus “Garden”
Cultura “Cultivation”
Horticulture means “cultivated garden” or “culture of garden plants
Branches or divisions of Horticulture?
- Pomology:- Production of edible fruits
“pomum “= fruits, “logy” = science - Olericulture-Production of vegetable crops
“oleris” - pot herb
3.Viticulture
The growing and study of grapes or vines.
4.Floriculture-The growing and study of flowers. - Landscape Horticulture
The application of design and horticultural principles to placement and care of plants in the landscape.
6.Turfgrass Management
The growing and study of turfgrasses. This includes home, municipal, and commercial lawns; sports turf maintenance; highway rights-of-way; and seed and sod production. - Interior scaping
The application of design and horticultural principles to placement and care of plants in indoor environments.
8.Horticultural Therapy
The use of horticultural plants and methods as therapeutic tools with disabled and disadvantaged people.
History of Horticulture
Garden of Eden”
Romanticized garden of paradise.
Ultimate goal throughout history.
Prehistoric people were primarily….
Hunters and gatherers.
Collected seeds, fruits, and nuts.
Primitive people began to study plants.
Is it edible?
Does eating it modify well-being?
Does it taste good?
Can it used to keep me warm? As fuel? As clothing?
Is it useful to combat pain? Disease?
When were plants first cultivated?
Neolithic Age (7000 – 10000 years ago)
First farmers were women!!!!
By 3000 B.C. in Egypt
Land preparation
Irrigation
Pruning
Meanwhile in Mesopotamia, Babylonia, and Assyria…..
Irrigation canals lined with burnt brick and sealed with asphalt joints.
This system kept 10,000 square miles under cultivation…..
Which fed 15,000,000 people
Cultivated roses, figs, dates, grapes, and olives.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
Built by Nebuchadnezzar.
One of 7 Wonders of the Ancient World
When were plants first cultivated?
Neolithic Age (7000 – 10000 years ago)
First farmers were women!!!!
who was the first scientific horticulturist?
1st scientific horticulturist
Student of Plato and Aristotle
Wrote the books History of Plants and The Causes of Plants.
History of Plants
Morphology of roots, flowers, and leaves.
Anatomical features such as bark, pith, fibers, and vessels.
The Causes of Plants
Relationship of weather, soils, and agricultural practices.
Importance of seeds
Value of grafting
Tastes and flagrances of plants
Death of plants
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political and economic “rebirth” following the Middle Ages. Generally described as taking place from the 14th century to the 17th century, the Renaissance promoted the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature and art.
Rebirth of energetic attention to scientific discovery.
Taxonomy, morphology, and anatomy branches of botany began to grow.
More and more plants were discovered due to exploration which required a system of classification.
who developed the binomial classification scheme for plants?
Linnaeus (1707-1778)
Swedish botanist.
Developed binomial classification scheme for plants.
Based on their sexual or flowering parts.
Basis for all classification systems today.
Built upon the work of the Greeks, especially Dioscorides.
Country profile
Area, cultivated area, arable land, contribution to GDP and population involved in agriculture
Area- 38,394 Km2
Population-735,553 as of 30 May 2017
Cultivated area is 2.93% (277998.5 acres) according to MoAF, 2011
Shift of Farming system from subsistence to semi-commercial integrated farming
Share of RNR sector to GDP- 16.18%
56.3% population engaged in farming as of 2013
Agriculture trade as of 2014
- Exports (Nu in Millions) 2,542.433
- Imports (Nu in Millions) 6,776.806
Area of land under different catergory
Wet land- 31911 hec
dryland- 68255
apple orchard- 2081
citrus orchard- 5488
cardamon- 3600
areacanut- 1199
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Development of Horticulture Sector and output of the project
Horticulture Research and Development Project (HRDP)
Project Duration: March 21, 2010 – March 20, 2015 (five years)
Project cost: 337 million yen
Organization Involved: Renewable Natural Resources Research and Development Center (RNRRDC) now changed to ARDC Wengkhar, the Department of Agriculture (DoA) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MoAF)
The expected outcomes of the Project are :
Horticulture becomes more popular as a source of income in the target area.
Trained and extended farmers practice appropriate technologies for commercialization of horticulture.
Horticulture farming practices and crops in the target area are identified according to production and market potential
Technical training system on horticulture is strengthened in RNRRDC Wengkhar.
The structure for providing seeds and seedlings is established in RNRRDC Wengkhar, nursery farmers, seed growers and NSC Yangtse farm.
Group for marketing is mobilized and/or formed in collaboration with RAMCO, Mongar.
Integrated Horticulture Promotion Project
The project aims at promoting horticulture through improving and strengthening research, development and extension system, and ultimately increase the production of horticulture in West-Central region of Bhutan.
Horticulture in Bhutan (SWOT Analysis)
The exploitation of the full potential of horticulture development in the country has not been possible due to following reasons:
Limited land availability for extensive cultivation, and lack of appropriate technologies for intensification of cultivation.
Low yields, due to poor field management, lack of appropriate varieties and pest problems.
Poor post-harvest handling, including grading and packing, and lack of storage facilities.
Inadequate market infrastructure and facilities, both for the export and domestic market.
Insufficient information on markets, production and trade.
Lack of small-scale agro-industries using horticultural products.
Lack of proper systems for supply of inputs, including credit.
A weak research and extension system, and poor coordination of research, extension, input supply and marketing functions.
Limited number of trained personnel in horticultural development
