ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE FIRST TERM
E NOTES FOR SS 2
FIRST TERM AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
SS 2
Senior Secondary School 2
Subject : AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
Topic :
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
Class : SS 2
TERM : FIRST TERM
WEEK : WEEK 7
LEARNING MATERIALS
- Whiteboard/Chalkboard
- Explanatory posters/pictures
- Explanatory videos
- Pictures of IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE
Instructional Materials :
- Lagos State Scheme of Work.
- Online Materials.
- Textbooks
- Workbooks
- Pictures of different types of farm implements and tools
Previous Knowledge :
The pupils have been taught
in their previous lesson
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lesson , learners will be able to
- SAY THE MEANING OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
- MENTION HOW THESE FACTORS AFFECT ENVIRONMENT
WEEK SEVEN
TOPIC: ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
These factors are grouped into three,
- Climatic factor
- Biotic factor
- Edaphic factor
CLIMATIC FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
Climate is the average weather condition of a place over a long period of time. The elements of climate are: rainfall, humidity, light, temperature, drought, wind, sunlight, humidity e.t.c.
RAINFALL
Rainfall is defined as the release of excess condensed water vapour in the atmosphere into the earth.
- It determines the distribution of crops and animal.
- It is necessary for seed germination.
- Excessive rainfall leads to leaching.
- It helps to dissolve nutrients, making it available for the plants.
- It determines the types of vegetation in an area.
- It determines seasons in Nigeria.
- Insufficient rainfall causes crop failure and poor yield.
DROUGHT
This is defined as lack of or insufficient rainfall in the area.
EFFECTS
- It causes delay in flowering and flower abortion.
- Poor crop establishment.
- It leads to reduction in leaf area.
- It reduces physiological process due to protoplasm dehydration.
- Decrease in production of green matter.
- Reduction in photosynthesis.
- It causes wilting.
- It causes death of plant and plant failure.
TEMPERATURE
This is the degree at hotness and coldness of a place.
- Temperature is necessary for germination of seeds.
- It affects the distribution of crops and the animals.
- Too hot or too cold temperature does not favour plants and animal growth.
- Unfavourable temperature may result in dormancy.
- High temperature affects evapotranspiration and reduces the performance of livestock.
- It affects wilting of field crops, ripening and maturity of crops.
- It affects microbial activities in relation to mineralization.
- High temperature leads to loss of soil minerals by vitalization.
- High temperature causes abortion in farm animals.
- High temperature will cause heat stress and egg drop in poultry.
WIND
Wind is defined as air in motion.
- High wind velocity may cause wind erosion.
- It aids seed and fruit dispersal.
- It can aid pollination and spread of diseases.
- It helps in the distribution of rainfall and changes in seasons.
- High wind velocity causes damage to crops eg. Lodging.
- It affects evapotranspiration.
SUNLIGHT/SUNSHINE/ SOLAR RADIATION
Sunshine is the amount of heat and the period the sun’s rays are received at a place.
- Sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis.
- It affects evapotranspiration.
- It affects productivity of crops due to the length of lay i.e photoperiodism.
- Light affects the rising and roosting of animals.
- It affects the rate of production in poultry.
- It determines the productivity of cultivated crops.
- Solar radiation is a source of farm power.
- It assists in drying of crops.
- It assists in photosynthesis in crops.
- High intensity causes heat stress in animals.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY
Relative Humidity is defined as the amount of moisture in the atmosphere.
- It results in formation of rain.
- It affects the performance of plants and animals.
- It causes mouldiness of feeds and litters.
- Low humidity causes aridity or dryness.
- It determines the type of crops grown in an area.
- Low humidity leads to heat stress in animals e.g cattle, poultry, pig.
- It determines the type of crops grown in an area.
- High humidity favours the growth of pathogens.
- It affects feed and water intake in animals
BIOTIC FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
SOIL ORGANISMS
- These include bacteria, fungi, earthworms, rodents and termites.
- Bacteria and fungi can cause diseases.
- Some aid aeration of soil, percolation and fertility.
- Root nodules of bacteria can fix nutrients directly to plants and soil.
- Help in decomposition of plant materials to form humus.
PESTS
- These includes insects, rodents, birds and some mammals.
- They reduce the yield of crops and animals.
- They reduce the quality of crops and animals.
- Some are vectors or carriers of diseases.
- They reduce the income of farmers.
- They increase the cost of production.
PARASITES
- They include tick, liverflukes, tapeworms, dodder, mistletoe and like.
- Some transit diseases.
- They reduce the quantity or yield of production.
- They reduce the quality of yield.
- They cause the death of plants and animals.
- They reduce the production capacity of livestock or crops.
- Cost of control increases the cost of production.
- They reduce farmers’ income.
EDAPHIC FACTORS AFFECTING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
SOIL PH
- It affects the growth of plants.
- It also affects the availability of soil nutrients to plants.
- It affects the presence of soil microorganism.
- It causes toxicity to plants and animals in the soil.
SOIL TEXTURE
- It determines the type of soil in an area.
- It determines the level of soil fertility.
- It determines the type of crop to be grown.
- It affects the level of leaching and erosion.
SOIL STRUCTURE
- It determines the fertility of the soil.
- It determines the water holding capacity of the soil.
- It determines the level of soil organism.
- It determines the level of soil aeration and percolation.
TOPOGRAPHY
This is the shape of the land in relation to the underlying rocks of the earth surface.
- Steep gentle slope gives rise to soil erosion.
- Steep gentle slope may also aid the weathering of rocks.
- Even or flat slope can lead to accumulation of soil.
- Even and flat slopes can be better sites for intensive farm.
SOIL FERTILITY
- Fertile soils aid the production of food and cash crops.
- A fertile soil produces better forage crops.
- It minimizes the use of fertilizer.
- It leads to multiplication of beneficially soil organism.
- Fertile soil leads to reduction in the cost of production.
SOIL TYPES
- The types include sandy, clay and loamy soil.
- Loamy soil is the best for agriculture.
- Sandy soil does not contain enough nutrients, hence it cannot support plant growth.
- Sandy soil encourages leaching.
- Clayed soil prevents leaching but encourages water logging.
Presentation
The topic is presented step by step
Step 1:
The class teacher revises the previous topics
Step 2.
He introduces the new topic
Step 3:
The class teacher allows the pupils to give their own examples and he corrects them when the needs arise
EVALUATION
- List five climate factors affecting agricultural production.
- State two effects of rainfall.
- List four biotic factors affecting agricultural production.
- List two effects each of soil organism pests, parasites and diseases on agricultural production.
- List five edaphic factors affecting agricultural production.
- List five biotic factors affecting agricultural production.
- List three effect of solar radiation on agricultural production.
- State five problems associated with irrigation.
- State five effects of temperature on agricultural production.
- Discuss four biotic factors affecting agricultural production
Part B Objectives
- The following are climate factors except (a) soil types (b) humidity (c) temperature (d) light
- Which of the following is not an edaphic factor (a) soil PH (b) soil fertility (c) soil water (d) topography
- The following are types of erosion except ____ (a) splash (b) rill (c) sheet (d) mulch
- The washing away of soil nutrients down beyond the reach of the root is ___ (a) erosion (b) leaching (c) mulching (d) staking
- High humidity is responsible for ____ (a) dryness (b) water logging (c) rainfall (d) erosion
Conclusion :
The teacher summarize the lesson. He or she gives out a board summary of the topic as note .
He or she goes round to mark and does the necessary corrections