Agriculture has developed over the past centuries. Although there are notable developments toda, it has developed at a much slower pace. During the time when most notable developments were made in the agricultural sector, so any countries remained using their old methods of farming. Here are the fields in which agriculture has developed.
Agricultural Science
During the early days people used to produce enough to only feed their families but that has changed as farmers now produce enough to feed their families as well as a 100 other families. Advanced science and new sources of power guaranteed new levels of production.
Gasoline and electricity was being used by most farmers in the 1950s to power agricultural machinery. Tractors have replaced animal pulled farming equipment. Machinery is now being used in almost every stage of cultivation as well as livestock management. In the early 1900s, farmers in Japan and Germany were already using electricity as a power source on their farms.
In the 1960s farms in the U.S. and other developed countries were also using electricity on farms. Farm buildings as well as farm machinery had been electrified. Nowadays electricity is everywhere including in livestock barns as well as poultry houses. In the past there were natural methods that were used to protect crops, this included putting herb-based poisons on crops. There are now pest control chemicals that have been developed to date. Farmers used natural fertilisers in the past, these natural fertilizers included manure, wood ash, ground bones, fish or fish parts, bird waste and bat waste.
These were the fertilizers that were used to increase the rate at which crops were growing. Due to technology new fertilisers have been invented, it was discovered that nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were the most essential elements that made plant growth possible. The three elements were then incorporated to make the fertiliser that is now being used by farmers. chemical fertilizers with nitrates and phosphates significantly increase crop yields which is why farmers across the world use them.
Pesticides and fertilizers on the other hand have brought in new kinds of problems. Some of these problems have something to do with the fact that they harm the environment. Some of these chemicals can also harm animals as well as human beings. This has made scientists want to research more, to see if they can come with new things that will not harm the environment as well as people and animals.
Farming in Water
Farming in water includes hydroponics and aquaculture. Hydroponics is when farmers grow plants in nutrient solutions. Hydroponics is very effective in the sense that one acre of nutrient solution can yield more than 50 times the amount of produce grown on the same amount of soil.
Aquaculture is when farmers cultivate fish and shellfish. This method started thousands of years ago when farmers in China, India as well as Egypt were practicing it. nowadays this method of farming is now being used in lakes, ponds, the ocean, as well as other water bodies