4/23/2015

Basic Agricultural
Resources and
Environment

Germination
Dr. Lau Wei Hong

Basic Agricultural Resources

• Climate
• Soil
• Human resource

Climate versus Weather Climate

• Consist of two important elements
– Water
– Temperature

• weather is the combination of events in the

atmosphere
• climate is the overall accumulated weather
in a certain location

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• tropical climate
– all twelve months have mean temperatures above
18°C (64.4 °F) Check your memory
– Two seasons; rainy (or wet, or monsoon) versus the
dry season

Suitable for most type 10 types of fruits/ vegetables grown under

of agricultural this climate.
industries.

• temperate climate
– four seasons: spring, summer, autumn (fall), and
winter Check your memory
– Crops are produced mainly during summer such as
wheat and maize. However, crops (vegetables) can
be grown in the glasshouse during winter

10 types of fruits/ vegetables grown under

this climate.

Daffodil

• tundra/cold climate
– low temperatures and short growing seasons
– There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra,
Antarctic tundra, and alpine tundra
– the dominant vegetation is grasses, mosses,
Arctic tundra on Wrangel Island, Russia
and lichens.

Typical alpine tundra

AntarticTundra on the Kerguelen Islands

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• Desert/arid climate
– extreme temperature range and very little
water
– Crops can be cultivated with proper irrigation

The Thar Desert near Jaisalmer, India Plastic sheeting reduces evaporation for desert agriculture.
Northern Baja California.

Water

Greenhouse at the Experimental Farm

Ramat Negev

Desert Sweet tomatoes

Kamhin greenhouse

Drinking water Soil

• Spring water
• Purified water (distillation , deionization or
RO)
• Mineral water
• Sparkling bottled water
• Well water
• Tap water

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• Rain water will seep into soil and • The type of soil present in an area is
will help dissolve the fertilizer
based on 5 factors of soil formation
• Plants absorbs water along with – Core materials
the nutrient for growth through
their root system and translocate – Climate
to the rest of the plants like stem – Topography
and leaf during which evapo-
transpiration occurs where some – Plants
of the water will be lost – Time

• Plant growth results in defoliation

of the older leafs. These leafs will
decompose and accumulates as
organic matter

Nutrient cycle

Soil Profile Human resource

• Agriculture requires a huge labour resource
– O) Organic matter: Litter layer of plant – Preparation of soil
residues in relatively undecomposed
form. – Fertilization
– Harvesting
– A) Surface soil: Layer of mineral soil with
most organic matter accumulation and
soil life.

– B) Subsoil: This layer accumulates iron,

clay, aluminum and organic compounds.

– C)Substratum: This layer may

accumulate more soluble compounds
that bypass the "B" horizon.

– R) rock layer

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Our future is in your hands