MODULE AGRI-FISHERY

UNIT I

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the chapter, the students will be able to:
1. Compare and contrast agriculture and horticulture.
2. State the importance of agriculture and site examples of its impact,
3. Differentiate horticultural crops from field crop crops.
4. Cite examples of farming methods.

Introduction

Agriculture include farming in all of its branches and the cultivation and tillage of the soil, dairying, the
production, cultivation, growing and harvesting of any agricultural, aquacultural, floricultural or
horticultural commodities, the growing and harvesting of forest products upon forest land, the raising
of livestock including horses, the keeping of horses as a commercial enterprise, the keeping and raising
of poultry, swine, cattle and other domesticated animals used for food purposes, bees, fur-bearing
animals, and any forestry or lumbering operations, performed by a farmer, who is defined as one
engaged in agriculture or farming with such farming operations, including preparations for market,
delivery to storage or to market or to carriers for transportation to market. 

Presentation of Content

 Agriculture is the science of growing crops and raising animals to meet the food, fiber, fuel, and other
needs of humans. It includes many areas, such as soil conservation, pest management, and mechanics.
The agriculture industry comprises all the activities needed to provide people with food, clothing, and
shelter. It includes farm and nonfarm operations.

Horticulture, the branch of plant agriculture dealing with garden crops, generally fruits, vegetables,
and ornamental plants. ... In terms mmof scale, horticulture falls between domestic gardening and field
agriculture, though all forms of cultivation naturally have close links.

What is the importance of horticulture?

Horticultural crops i.e. fruits and vegetable acquire a place of important as protective food. They
provide much needed health supporting vitamins, minerals. Besides, their value in human
consumption, horticultural crops play an important role in commerce, particularly in export trade and
processing industry.

The horticulture industry is the combination of scientific, technological, and production activities that

ensure the satisfaction of the consumer. The horticulture industry can be divided into three areas:
pomology, olericulture, and ornamental horticulture. Each area is unique and includes many career
opportunities.
What is horticulture and why is it important?
Rather than staple crops, horticulture focuses on fruit, vegetables, flowers, and landscape plants. As a
result, we use creativity to seek sustainable solutions in horticultural research to enhance health and
quality of life for the world at large. ... Horticulture affects everyone.

Understanding the Importance

The roles that plants play in the everyday life of all living things are numerous. Plants are the base of the food
chain for all living things. Plants are able to utilize inorganic elements and incorporate them into living tissues.
Many organisms rely on plants for the energy to carry out life processes.

Understanding the Importance

A few of the most important roles include:
a. Edible plants
b. Industrial uses
c. Medicinal uses
d. Oils
e. Aesthetic views

Edible Plants
Edible plants—Whole plants or portions of plants, such as seeds and fruits, are used as a food source
for many types of animals, including humans. About 88 percent of the world’s total caloric intake and
about 80 percent of its protein intake comes from plant food sources. In addition to food, plants are
also used in the production of beverages.

Industrial Uses
Industrial uses—There are several important products produced from plants, such as wood, fibers, oils,
and rubber. Many of the fibers that are used in textile manufacturing come from cotton, flax, and
hemp plants. The wood from timber production is used to make furniture, homes and many other
products. Many chemicals such as acetic acid, methanol, and turpentine are obtained from trees.

Medicinal Uses
The importance that plants play in the development of medicines is becoming increasingly evident.
Scientists continue to study many different types of plants to try and understand the various chemical
compounds found within them. Many people believe that the key to curing many of our most deadly
diseases such as cancer and AIDS may lie within some yet undiscovered plant compound.

Oils
Oils—Many plants store oil as a food reserved in the seeds and fruits of the plant. Most of these plant
oils are used in the production of food for humans, but some are used in industry. The soybean is the
most significant oil plant.

Aesthetic view
It examines subjective and sensory-emotional values, or sometimes called judgments of sentiment and
taste.

Major Plant Science Segments

Plant science can be divided into three major segments:
1. Field Crops
2.Horticulture Crops
3.Forestry

1. Field Crops
Field crops include plants grown in large fields and are used for: Oil Fiber Grain Similar products Field
crops such as corn and wheat are often grown for their seed, but other parts may also be used.
Agronomy – specialized area of plant science that deals with field crops.

2. Horticultural Crops
Horticultural crops—Horticultural crops are grown for food, comfort, and beauty. There are two major
areas of horticulture:
a. Ornamental Horticulture Floriculture Foliage Landscape Horticulture Interior scaping
Ornamental horticulture is growing and using plants for their beauty
Foliage is the stems and leaves of the plant.
Floriculture is the production and use of plants for their flowers and foliage.
Landscape horticulture is growing and using plants to make the outdoor environment more
appealing. It includes shrubs, flowering plants, and lawn areas.
Interiorscaping is using plants buildings to create an attractive indoor environment.

b. Food Crop Production: Olericulture, Pomology

Food crop horticulture is growing plants for food. This can be divided into the two
areas:
Olericulture is the science of producing vegetable crops.
Pomology is the science of producing fruits and nuts.

3. Forestry
Forestry—Forestry is the science of growing trees and producing wood products. Tree farms are
cultured forests that have been carefully planned, established and maintained. A great deal of labor
and management goes into assuring high quality timber.

Agricultural activities

A. Agricultural cycle – annual cycle of activities related to the growth and harvest of a crop.
B. Land use – management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built
environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements.

C. Agricultural production
Cash crop – agricultural crop which is grown for sale for profit.

Agricultural products:
a. Food – any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body.
b. Natural fibers – class of hair-like materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete
elongated pieces, similar to pieces of thread. They can be spun into filaments, thread, or rope.
Natural fibers are made from plant, animal and mineral sources.
c. Lumber – wood in any of its stages from felling to readiness for use as structural material for
construction, or wood pulp for paper production.
d. Paper – sheet material used for writing on or printing on (or as a non-waterproof container),
usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water.
e. Medicine great quantity of herbal and animal parts are used for medicinal purposes worldwide,
especially in traditional and naturopathic medicines.
f. Biofuels wide range of plants and plant products are used for converting to fuels, such as
firewood, biodiesel, methane gas etc.

Agricultural resources
a. Agricultural land – denotes the land suitable for agricultural production, both crops and
livestock. It is one of the main resources in agriculture.
b. Labor (economics) – measure of the work done by human beings.
c. Water – chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O.
 d. Agricultural machinery – machinery used in the operation of an agricultural area or farm.
e. Fertilizers – any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin (other than liming
materials) that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth
of plants.

Branches of Agriculture

A. By type of life form produced or harvested

1. Agronomy – science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, feed, fiber,
and reclamation.
2. Organic gardening – science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental
plants by following the essential principles of organic agriculture in soil building and
conservation, pest management, and heirloom variety preservation.
3. Animal husbandry – agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.

B. By industry
1. Aquafarming
 Aquaculture – farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and
aquatic plants.
 Marin culture – specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine
organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the
ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater.
2. Farming

Types of farming
a. Alligator farming – establishment for breeding and raising of crocodilians in order to produce
meat, leather, and other goods.
b. Aquaculture – farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic
plants.
c. Contract farming – agricultural production carried out according to an agreement between a
buyer and farmers
d. Dairy farming – class of agricultural, or an animal husbandry, enterprise, for long-term
production of milk, usually from dairy cows but also from goats and sheep, which may be either
processed on-site or transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual retail sale.
e. Integrated farming – more integrated approach to farming as compared to existing
monoculture approaches. It refers to agricultural systems that integrate livestock and crop
production and may sometimes be known as Integrated Biosystems.
c. Orchardry – managing orchards, intentional planting of trees or shrubs that are maintained for
food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for
commercial production.
d. Organic farming – form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green
manure, compost and biological pest control.
e. Pig farming –
f. Poultry farming
g. Sericulture – silk farming, the rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk.
h. Sheep husbandry – specifically dealing with the raising and breeding of domestic sheep.
i. Viticulture – the cultivation and harvesting of grapes.

Farming Facilities
a. Crops – non-animal species or variety that is grown to be harvested as food, livestock fodder,
fuel or for any other economic purpose.
b. Orchard – intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production.
c. Farm –
 d. Greenhouse – building in which plants are grown.
e. Farming equipment[edit]
f. Farm equipment – any kind of machinery used on a farm to help with farming.
g. Baler – piece of farm machinery used to compress a cut and raked crop (such as hay, cotton,
straw, or silage) into compact bales that are easy to handle, transport and store.
h. Combine harvester – or simply combine, is a machine that harvests grain crops.
i. Farm tractor – vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow
speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction.
j. Manure spreader used to distribute manure over a field as a fertilizer.
k. Mower – machine for cutting grass or other plants that grow on the ground. Usually mowing is
distinguished from reaping, which uses similar implements, but is the traditional term for
harvesting grain crops, e.g. with reapers and combines.
l. Pickup truck – is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area (bed).
j. Plough – is a tool (or machine) used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for
sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and
represents one of the major advances in agriculture.

Farming products

1. Livestock – domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such

as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or
farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning of
"livestock" is common.

a. Cattle – most common type of large domesticated ungulates.

b. Pigs – any of the animals in the genus Sus.
c. Poultry – category of domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of collecting their
eggs, or killing for their meat and/or feathers.
d. Sheep – are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock.

2. Produce – farm-produced goods, not limited to fruits and vegetables (i.e. meats, grains, oats,
etc.).
a. Grains – grasses (members of the monocot family Poaceae, also known as Gramineae)
cultivated for the edible components of their grain (botanically, a type of fruit called a
caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran.
b. Fruits – part of a flowering plant that derives from specific tissues of the flower, mainly one
or more ovaries.
c. Legumes – plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or a fruit of these specific plants.
A legume fruit is a simple dry fruit that develops from a simple carpel and usually dehisces
(opens along a seam) on two sides.
d. Nut (fruit)s – hard-shelled indehiscent fruit of some plants. While a wide variety of dried
seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by
biologists to be true nuts.
e. Vegetables – edible plant or part of a plant, but usually excludes seeds and most sweet fruit.
This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant.

Farming Methods and Practices

A. Aeroponics – the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil
or an aggregate medium.
B. Aquaponics – combines aquaculture with hydroponics in a symbiotic environment.
C. Artificial selection – describes intentional breeding for certain traits, or combination of traits.
D. Field day (agriculture) – related to a show is the "field day", with elements of a trade show for
machinery, equipment and skills required for broadacre farming.
 E. Grazing – a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses.
F. Hydroponics – a method of growing plants without soil.
G. Intercropping – practice of growing two or more crops in proximity.
H. Irrigation – artificial application of water to the land or soil.
I. Permaculture – theory of ecological design which attempts to develop sustainable human
settlements and agricultural systems modeled from natural ecosystems.
J. Pollination management – horticultural practices that accomplish or enhance pollination of a
crop, to improve yield or quality, by understanding of the particular crop's pollination needs,
and by knowledgeable management of pollinizers, pollinators, and pollination conditions.
K. Sustainable agriculture – practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of
relationships between organisms and their environment.

3. Apiculture (Beekeeping) (Branch of Agriculture cont.)

Apiary – place where beehives of honey bees are kept.
Apiology – scientific study of honey bees
Bee – flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination
and for producing honey and beeswax. *Beehive – enclosed structure in which some honey bee
species of the subgenus Apis live and raise their young.
Beekeeper – person who keeps honey bees.
Honey – sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers.

4. Forestry (Branch of Agriculture cont.)

Forestry – interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating,
managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to
meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit.
a. Agroforestry – integrated approach of using the interactive benefits from combining trees
and shrubs with crops and/or livestock.
b. Analog forestry – system of planned, managed forests, primarily employed in tropical or
subtropical areas.
c. Forest gardening – low-maintenance organic plant-based food production and agroforestry
system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs,
vines and perennial vegetables which have yields directly useful to humans.
d. Forest farming – agroforestry practice characterized by the four "I's"- Intentional,
Integrated, Intensive and Interactive management of an existing forested ecosystem
wherein forest health is of paramount concern.

5. Ranching (Branch of Agriculture cont.)

Ranching – practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool.

6. Climate-based agriculture
A. Arid-zone agriculture – agriculture practiced in desert areas of any sort.
B. Tropical agriculture – agriculture practiced in the tropics.

Agricultural Disciplines

A. Agricultural chemistry – study of both chemistry and biochemistry which are important in
agricultural production, the processing of raw products into foods and beverages, and in
environmental monitoring and remediation.
B. Agricultural communication – field of study and work that focuses on communication about
agricultural related information among agricultural stakeholders and between agricultural and
non-agricultural stakeholders.

C. Agricultural economics – originally applied the principles of economics to the production of

crops and livestock — a discipline known as agronomics. Agronomics was a branch of
economics that specifically dealt with land usage. It focused on maximizing the crop yield while
maintaining a good soil ecosystem. Throughout the 20th century the discipline expanded and
the current scope of the discipline is much broader. Agricultural economics today includes a
variety of applied areas, having considerable overlap with conventional economics.

D. Agrarian system – the economic and technological factors that affect agricultural practices.

E. Agribusiness – the various businesses involved in food production, including farming and
contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution,
processing, marketing, and retail sales.

F. Agricultural extension – once known as the application of scientific research and new
knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer education. The field of extension now
encompasses a wider range of communication and learning activities organized for rural people
by professionals from different disciplines, including agriculture, agricultural marketing, health,
and business studies.

G. Agricultural Marketing – covers the services involved in moving an agricultural product from the
farm to the consumer. This may include transferring of agricultural products either directly or
indirectly through middleman to consumers.

H. Custom harvesting – business of harvesting of crops for others. Custom harvesters usually own
their own combines and work for the same farms every harvest season. Custom harvesting
relieves farmers from having to invest capital in expensive equipment while at the same time
maximizing the machinery's use.

I. Economic development – sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that

promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area.

J. Rural Community Development – range of approaches and activities that aim to improve the
welfare and livelihoods of people living in rural areas. Through improving activities in rural
areas it helps to maintain a population balance by reducing rural to urban migration.

K. Agricultural Education instruction about crop production, livestock management, soil and water
conservation, and various other aspects of agriculture. Farmers acquire adequate knowledge
required on the correct amount use of agrochemicals and other agriculture related
technologies.

L. Agricultural Engineering- engineering discipline that applies engineering science and technology
to agricultural production and processing.
1. Agricultural Machinery – machinery used in the operation of an agricultural area or farm.
2. Bioprocess Engineering – specialization of Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering or of
Agricultural Engineering. It deals with the design and development of equipment and
processes for the manufacturing of products such as food, feed, pharmaceuticals,
nutraceuticals, chemicals, and polymers and paper from biological materials.
3. Farm equipment – any kind of machinery used on a farm to help with farming.
 4. Food Engineering – multidisciplinary field of applied physical sciences which combines
science, microbiology, and engineering education for food and related industries.
5. Irrigation and drainage engineering –

M. Agricultural philosophy – discipline devoted to the systematic critique of the philosophical

frameworks (or ethical world views) that are the foundation for decisions regarding agriculture.

N. Agricultural policy – set of laws relating to domestic agriculture and imports of foreign
agricultural products.

O. Agricultural science – broad multidisciplinary field that encompasses the parts of exact, natural,
economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture.

P. Agricultural economics – originally applied the principles of economics to the production of

crops and livestock — a discipline known as agronomics. Agronomics was a branch of
economics that specifically dealt with land usage. It focused on maximizing the crop yield while
maintaining a good soil ecosystem. Throughout the 20th century the discipline expanded and
the current scope of the discipline is much broader. Agricultural economics today includes a
variety of applied areas, having considerable overlap with conventional economics.

Q. Animal science – studying the biology of animals that are under the control of mankind.
a. Animal breeding – branch of animal science that addresses the evaluation (using best linear
unbiased prediction and other methods) of the genetic value (estimated breeding value,
EBV) of domestic livestock.
b. Animal nutrition – focuses on the dietary needs of domesticated animals, primarily those in
agriculture and food production.
c. Fisheries science – academic discipline of managing and understanding fisheries.
d. Poultry science – animal science applied to poultry – chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, quail,
etc.

R. Aquaculture – is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks and
aquatic plants.

S. Biological engineering –
a. Genetic engineering – deliberate modification of the genetic structure of an organism.
b. Microbiology – branch of biology that deals with microorganisms, especially their effects on
man and other living organisms.

T. Environmental science – integrated study of factors that influence the environment and
environmental systems, especially the interaction of the physical, chemical, and biological
components of the environment
a. Conservation – preservation and wise use of resources
b. Wildlife management – attempts to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people
using the best available science.
 Wildlife range management –
c. Resources management – efficient and effective deployment of an organization's resources
when they are needed.

U. Food science – study concerned with all technical aspects of foods, beginning with harvesting or
slaughtering, and ending with its cooking and consumption, an ideology commonly referred to
as "from field to fork". It is considered one of the life sciences and is usually considered distinct
from the field of nutrition.
a. Human nutrition – provision to obtain the materials necessary to support life.
b. Food technology – branch of food science which deals with the actual production processes
to make foods.
V. Agronomy – science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, feed, fiber,
and reclamation.
a. Plant science – science of plant life.
 Crop science – broad multidisciplinary field that encompasses the parts of exact, natural,
economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of
agriculture.
 Plant pathology – scientific study of plant diseases caused by pathogens (infectious
diseases) and environmental conditions (physiological factors).
 Forestry – interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating,
managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable
manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit.
 Outline of wood science –

b. Theoretical production ecology – quantitatively studies the growth of crops.

c. Horticulture – art, science, technology and business of intensive plant cultivation for
human use.
d. Plant breeding – art and science of changing the genetics of plants in order to produce
desired characteristics.
e. fertilizer – any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin (other than
liming materials) that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential
to the growth of plants.

W. Horticulture – art, science, technology and business of intensive plant cultivation for human
use.

X. Agricultural soil science

a. Agricultural soil science – branch of soil science that deals with the study of edaphic
conditions as they relate to the production of food and fiber.
b. Agrogeology – study of minerals of importance to farming and horticulture, especially with
regard to soil fertility and fertilizer components. These minerals are usually essential plant
nutrients and are referred to as agrominerals.
c. Agrology – branch of soil science dealing with the production of crops.
d. Agrominerals – minerals of importance to agriculture and horticulture, and are usually
essential plant nutrients.
e. Land degradation – process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by
one or more combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land.
f. Land improvement – investments making land more usable by humans.
g. Soil chemistry – study of the chemical characteristics of soil.
 Soil amendment – material added to soil to improve plant growth and health.
 Soil erosion – process by which soil is removed from the Earth's surface by natural
processes such as wind or water flow, and then transported and deposited in other
locations.
 Soil life – collective term for all the organisms living within the soil.
 Soil type – refers to the different sizes of mineral particles in a particular sample.
 Soils retrogression and degradation  – two regressive evolution processes associated
with the loss of equilibrium of a stable soil.

Y. Agroecology – application of ecological principles to the production of food, fuel, fiber, and
pharmaceuticals and the management of agroecosystems.
1. Agroecosystem analysis – thorough analysis of an agricultural environment which considers
aspects from ecology, sociology, economics, and politics with equal weight.
2. Agrophysics – branch of science bordering on agronomy and physics, whose objects of
study are the agroecosystem - the biological objects, biotope and biocoenosis affected by
human activity, studied and described using the methods of physical sciences.
 3. Biodiversity – degree of variation of life forms within a given species, ecosystem, biome, or
an entire planet.
4. Climate change and agriculture – interrelated processes, both of which take place on a
global scale.
5. Composting – Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a
fertilizer and soil amendment.
6. Ecology – scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each
other and their natural environment.
7. Ecosystem – biological system consisting of all the living organisms or biotic components in
a particular area and the nonliving or abiotic component with which the organisms interact,
such as air, mineral soil, water and sunlight.
8. Environmental Economics – subfield of economics concerned with environmental issues.
9. Green manure – type of cover crop grown primarily to add nutrients and organic matter to
the soil.
10. Natural resources – occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by
mankind, in a natural form.
11. Recycling – is processing used materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste of
potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy
usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by
reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions
as compared to virgin production.
12. Rural Sociology – field of sociology associated with the study of social life in non-
metropolitan areas.
13. Soil Science – study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the earth including soil
formation, classification and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties
of soils; and these properties in relation to the use and management of soils.
14. Sustainable agriculture – practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of
relationships between organisms and their environment.
15. Wildculture – umbrella term used to include all aspects and styles of "hunting and
gathering" food harvesting.

Application:

Identify whether the following items is a horticultural crop or field crop:

1. Coconut plantation
2. Backyard garden
3. Pearl farm
4. Vertical garden project in school
5. Mass production of abaca
6. Container gardening at home
7. Dole pine apple farm
8. Ornamental commercial garden
9. Communal garden
10. Hectares of wheats

Feedback/Assessment:

Directions: Explain briefly what is asked for the following questions. (5pts each)
1. What importance does raising of hybrid dogs gives to the human being?
2. When is horticultural crop becomes a field crop?
3. How can agriculture effect the economic status of a community?