Agricultural Science Study Notes - Paper 1

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering basic agricultural science concepts, cultivation methods, soil management, and controlled environment techniques.

Crop rotation

The practice of changing the type of crop grown in a field from one year to the next so that the same crop is not grown in the same field year after year.

Relay cropping

A method of farming where a second crop is planted with crops already growing during part of the same period before the first crop has been harvested.

Strip cropping

A method of farming in which different crops are planted in strips across a field.

Monoculture

Also known as monocropping, it is the practice of growing only one type of crop on the same piece of land year after year.

Moulding

Also called earthing up, this is the practice of heaping soil at the base of a plant as it grows to support the plant and promote root and tuber development.

Staking

The practice of providing support to plants by tying them to a stake to keep them upright, prevent stems from breaking, and improve air circulation.

Pruning

The practice of cutting off old, dead, or excess branches, stems, or leaves from a plant to improve its growth and encourage healthy development.

Thinning Out

The process of removing some seedlings or plants that are growing too close together to provide the remaining plants with enough space, water, and nutrients.

Weeding

The practice of removing unwanted plants (weeds) from around crops to reduce competition for water and nutrients.

Fertilizing

The practice of adding nutrients to the soil or directly to plants to promote healthy growth and supply essential nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous.

Soil

The upper layer of the Earth's surface in which plants grow, composed of minerals (sand, silt, and clay), organic matter (humus), water, air, and living organisms.

Tillage

The preparation of soil using tools or farm implements, starting with digging or ploughing the soil to turn it over and break it up.

Primary tillage

The first stage of soil preparation where a plot is cleared of weeds and stones and the soil is dug over.

Secondary tillage

The stage of soil preparation involving the breaking down of any large soil clods remaining after primary tillage or ploughing.

Hydroponics

A method of growing plants without soil by using water that contains dissolved nutrients.

Greenhouse

An artificial structure with transparent walls and roof where the environmental factors affecting plant growth and development can be controlled.

Vertical farming

A technique that uses Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) to produce crops in vertical layers stacked over each other, often used in urban spaces.

Open field cultivation

The practice of growing crops outdoors in natural environmental conditions.

Pre-emergent herbicides

Herbicides applied before weeds have emerged from the soil, such as Atrazine and Diuron.

Post-emergent herbicides

Herbicides applied after weeds have germinated, such as Glyphosate, Gramoxone, and $2,4-D$.

Mulching

The practice of spreading material over the soil surface to prevent the spread of disease, conserve moisture, and stop weed growth.

Intercropping

The practice of growing two or more crops together on the same piece of land at the same time, such as corn and beans.