Lecture 1

Question 1

How many hectares are in use in the uk for agriculture production?

Answer 1

18 million hectares

Question 2

What is soil texture?

Answer 2

% of sand, silt and loam

Question 3

Name two reasons soil texture is important.

Answer 3

Yield potential 
Pest and disease risks
Cultivation choice 
Risks of water lodging 
Risks of drought 
Cropping choices

Question 4

Two advantages of clay soils

Answer 4

Good nutrient retention

Good water retention

Question 5

Two negatives of clay soils

Answer 5

More energy to work

Risk of water lodging

Question 6

Two advantages of sandy soils

Answer 6

Relatively easy to work

Low risk of water lodging

Question 7

Two negatives of sandy soils

Answer 7

High risk of wind erosion

Low nutrient holding capacity

Question 8

Name two properties of Loam soils

Answer 8

Mixture of properties between sand and clay
Moderate water holding capacity
Moderate nutrient holding capacity
Moderate workability

Question 9

Why is peat soil a dark appearance?

Answer 9

High levels of organic matter

Question 10

What are the properties of peat soil?

Answer 10

Very fertile
Easy to work
Wide range of crops

Question 11

What are the three factors of land classifications?

Answer 11

Typography
Flooding risk
Ability to cultivate

Question 12

What are the two characteristics of Grade 1?

Answer 12

Allows an extensive range of crops

High yield and quality

Question 13

What quality if grade 1?

Answer 13

Extremely good quality

Question 14

What is the quality of grade two?

Answer 14

Very high quality

Question 15

What are the characteristics of grade two?

Answer 15

Capable of high yields

Wide angle of agriculture and horticulture crops

Question 16

What quality is grade three?

Answer 16

Moderate quality

Question 17

What are the characteristics of grade three?

Answer 17

Yield usually lower and variable

Limited cropping choice

Question 18

What quality is grade four?

Answer 18

Very poor quality

Question 19

What are the characteristics of grade four?

Answer 19

Severe limitations

Restricted to rough grazing

Question 20

What characteristics are grade six and seven?

Answer 20

Very severe and extremely severe limitations

Question 21

What is organic matter?

Answer 21

Dead and decaying plant of animal material

Question 22

Name two types of organic matter

Answer 22

Crop debris
Green manures
Farmyard manure
Sewage sludge

Question 23

Why is organic matter important?

Answer 23

Soil structure
Reduces compaction risk
Nutrient retention
Water retention

Question 24

Name three ways of incorporating organic matter

Answer 24

Grass keys
Straw incorporation
Cover crops

Question 25

Name two things pore spaces enables for soil

Answer 25

Enables roots to grow
Availability of oxygen and water
Drainage
Soil organisms

Question 26

What is compaction?

Answer 26

When pore spaces reach below optimum level causing an increase in bulk density of the soil

Question 27

What two consequences come from compaction

Answer 27

Restricted root growth

Water logging

Question 28

Name two consequences of soil erosion

Answer 28

Soil loss
Sedimentation of rivers
Eutrophication of nutrients and pesticides

Question 29

Name three ways of improving soil structures

Answer 29

Rotations
Increase organic matter
Use cover crops
Grass leys
Reduce compaction 
Return crop residue

Question 30

Name three ways to reduce compaction

Answer 30

Low ground pressure tyres 
Monitor soil profiles
Drainage 
Subsoiler 
Cultivations

Question 31

Name three purposes of cover crops

Answer 31

Reduce erosion
Increase organic matter levels
Locks in fertiliser to prevent leaching