Lecture 1 Flashcards
How many hectares are in use in the uk for agriculture production?
18 million hectares
What is soil texture?
% of sand, silt and loam
Name two reasons soil texture is important.
Yield potential Pest and disease risks Cultivation choice Risks of water lodging Risks of drought Cropping choices
Two advantages of clay soils
Good nutrient retention
Good water retention
Two negatives of clay soils
More energy to work
Risk of water lodging
Two advantages of sandy soils
Relatively easy to work
Low risk of water lodging
Two negatives of sandy soils
High risk of wind erosion
Low nutrient holding capacity
Name two properties of Loam soils
Mixture of properties between sand and clay
Moderate water holding capacity
Moderate nutrient holding capacity
Moderate workability
Why is peat soil a dark appearance?
High levels of organic matter
What are the properties of peat soil?
Very fertile
Easy to work
Wide range of crops
What are the three factors of land classifications?
Typography
Flooding risk
Ability to cultivate
What are the two characteristics of Grade 1?
Allows an extensive range of crops
High yield and quality
What quality if grade 1?
Extremely good quality
What is the quality of grade two?
Very high quality
What are the characteristics of grade two?
Capable of high yields
Wide angle of agriculture and horticulture crops
What quality is grade three?
Moderate quality
What are the characteristics of grade three?
Yield usually lower and variable
Limited cropping choice
What quality is grade four?
Very poor quality
What are the characteristics of grade four?
Severe limitations
Restricted to rough grazing
What characteristics are grade six and seven?
Very severe and extremely severe limitations
What is organic matter?
Dead and decaying plant of animal material
Name two types of organic matter
Crop debris
Green manures
Farmyard manure
Sewage sludge
Why is organic matter important?
Soil structure
Reduces compaction risk
Nutrient retention
Water retention
Name three ways of incorporating organic matter
Grass keys
Straw incorporation
Cover crops
Name two things pore spaces enables for soil
Enables roots to grow
Availability of oxygen and water
Drainage
Soil organisms
What is compaction?
When pore spaces reach below optimum level causing an increase in bulk density of the soil
What two consequences come from compaction
Restricted root growth
Water logging
Name two consequences of soil erosion
Soil loss
Sedimentation of rivers
Eutrophication of nutrients and pesticides
Name three ways of improving soil structures
Rotations Increase organic matter Use cover crops Grass leys Reduce compaction Return crop residue
Name three ways to reduce compaction
Low ground pressure tyres Monitor soil profiles Drainage Subsoiler Cultivations
Name three purposes of cover crops
Reduce erosion
Increase organic matter levels
Locks in fertiliser to prevent leaching
