L2 Plant Production Unit 4 Choosing Vegetable Crops 1

PRESENTATION 4 Presented by NKWALE L.J Downloaded from hlayiso.com

UNIT 4 CHOOSING VEGETABLE CROPS FOR DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS Downloaded from hlayiso.com

THE PARTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT The environment is the surroundings of a plant or animal. Environmental factors are the things that have an affect on plants or animals. The environment consists of many biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors. These include the soil, the climate (sunlight, daily temperatures, rainfall), the aspect of the land, etc. there are many ways in which the farmer may change the environment of his crop to make it grow better: Downloaded from hlayiso.com

THE PARTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT CONT…  Irrigate to make sure that the crop has enough water.  Protect the plants against temperatures that are too high or too low.  Adjust planting or sowing schedules to reduce the chances of hail. Downloaded from hlayiso.com

THE PARTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT continue…  Temperature and rainfall are the main factors that determine whether a crop will grow well in a particular area. If there is not enough rainfall, the crop will not grow, even if there is enough water, the crops still may not grow if it is too hot or too cold. Downloaded from hlayiso.com

THE PARTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT continue…  There is a temperature at which each type of plant grows best. Some plants, like cabbage, prefer coolness and are killed by heat. Others, like rice, prefer heat and stop growing when it is cold. Some crops need a certain temperature to make them flower.  As the temperature goes up, so does the loss of water through evaporation from the leaves and soil. This means that plants require more water during warm seasons. Downloaded from hlayiso.com

THE PARTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT continue…  Wind also increases the rate of evaporation. As wind blows over leaves it takes away the water vapor. This causes more water vapor to be produced by the leaf, resulting in a loss of water from the leaves. Wind also takes water vapor from the soil, drying out. Downloaded from hlayiso.com

THE PARTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT continue…  Wind may damage crops by blowing them down, or breaking leaves and stems. These injuries make the plant more likely to suffer from water loss and disease  Hail often damages crops. Downloaded from hlayiso.com

MEASURES FOR GROWING VEGETABLES SUCCESSFULLY  A farmer cannot change the climate, but he or she can choose a crop that is suited to the climate in his area. He or she must plant the crop at the appropriate time of the year so that the rainfall and temperature will be suitable for the growing crop. The following are measures that a farmer can take in order to limit the amount of water used, and at the same time ensuring maximum production. He or she can:  Plant during spring and autumn when the weather is cooler. In cooler weather there is less evaporation from the surface. Downloaded from hlayiso.com

MEASURES FOR GROWING VEGETABLES SUCCESSFULLY cont…  Choose vegetables with a low water requirement. These are plants like onions, turnips, pumpkins and soya beans. For this reason, avoid plants like lettuce, carrots and beetroot  Protect the vegetable beds against wind. Wind dries out the soil. Wind breaks, which can be made of a variety of materials, should be put up. Downloaded from hlayiso.com

MEASURES FOR GROWING VEGETABLES SUCCESSFULLY cont…  Apply the water directly to the plant roots. This can be done by a system of drip irrigation. There are different ways to apply drip irrigation  Use tunnel production. In tunnel production, the farmer can regulate the growing conditions (temperature, water management, fertilizers etc.). Downloaded from hlayiso.com

UNIT SUMMARY  In this unit we learned more about the environment of a crop plant and all the different factors that the farmer has to consider when choosing a crop most suited to an area, we also learned about some of the methods a farmer can use to change the environment or to protect crops against unfavorable conditions. Downloaded from hlayiso.com

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY Select a crop that is suited to you climate 1. Select a crop that is suited to the climate where it will be grown. (1) 2. Explain why you have selected this crop. Refer to the following measures to explain how to produce crops successfully in your climate: 2.1. Seasonal needs of crop (3) 2.2. Water requirements and water availability (4) 2.3. Protection against prevailing winds (3) 2.4. Protection against frost and hail damage (4) 2.5. Programming of growing cycle to avoid frost and heat damage. (4) 3. Explain what measures you will take to make sure that your crop grows successfully (4) TOTAL= 23 Downloaded from hlayiso.com

THANK YOU… Downloaded from hlayiso.com