Agricultural Science for CSEC® Examinations

1 Agricultural Sciencefor CSEC ExaminationsMarion Perrett-Pearson Ronald Ramharacksingh CSEC is a registered trademark of the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC). Agricultural Science for CSEC Examinations is an independent publication and has not been authorised, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Education 4 Crinan Street London N1 9XW A division of Springer Nature LimitedCompanies and representatives throughout the worldISBN 978-1-380-05465-4 Text Marion Perrett-Pearson and Ronald Ramharacksingh 2020 Design and illustration Macmillan Education Limited 2020 The authors have asserted their right to be identified as the authors of this work in accordance with the Copyright.

2 Designs and Patents Act published 2011 This edition published 2020 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the by Macmillan EducationPage make-up by Ink DesignIllustrated by Angie Bowring, Sean Chris Strydom and Bev VictorCover design by Macmillan EducationThe publishers would like to thank our team of advisors, who have been instrumental in providing Caribbean content, and local teaching and Agricultural practices.

3 Simon Drakes (Presentation Brothers College, Grenada) Sylvia JnoBaptise (St Mary s Academy, Dominica) Suzette Johnson (Tacius Golding High School, Jamaica) Carlington Lindsay (McGrath High School, Jamaica) Makela Oblington (Brazil Secondary School, Trinidad)Students of Agricultural Science from Grenville Secondary School (Grenada), Presentation Brothers College (Grenada), Brazil Secondary School (Trinidad) and St Andrew Technical High School (Jamaica) provided valuable feedback on the book s design and overall approach to help create a student-friendly and engaging publishers would also like to thank CARDI (Trinidad), Genaro Chiac (Belize), John Jogie (Grenada) and Tyrone Sankar (St Lucia) for providing relevant and up-to-date examples of Agricultural Science in the real world.

4 Thanks also go to the following Agricultural sites for facilitating research visits: Sugarcane Feeds Centre (Trinidad), CARDI (Trinidad and Grenada), UWI Field Station (Trinidad), Mirabeau Propagating Station and Farm School (Grenada), Diamond Chocolate Factory (Grenada), River Antoine Estate (Grenada), Dal Douglas Farm (Grenada), Golden Dutchy Farm (Jamaica), Ebony Park (Jamaica) and Bogles Research Station (Jamaica).Printed and bound in Spain2024 2023 2022 2021 20209 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 The authors and publishers would like to thank the following for permission to reproduce their photographs:Alamy Stock Photo/Suzanne Long / Alamy Stock Photo p33, The Oxfordshire Chilli Garden / Alamy Stock Photo p121, blickwinkel / Alamy Stock Photo (tl) p132, Humberto Olarte Cupas / Alamy Stock Photo (bl) p132, Rob Fenenga / Alamy Stock Photo p133, Freeman Keats / Alamy Stock Photo p367, iStock / Getty Images Plus/Jaykayl (tl) p152, iStock / Getty Images Plus/jess311 (tr) p152.

5 Getty Images Filisteen Khan p324, Getty Images/Robert Daly p387, Getty Images/kate_sept2004 p397; Science Photo Library UK Crown Copyright Courtesy of Fera / Science Photo Library p192; all other photos courtesy of the following farmers supplied photographs for use in this edition: Drone photos: Neil and Sarah Robson, GM & LD Robson, Barratts Cottage Farm, Marton, Warwickshire CV23 9RN Butchery photos: Graham Marshall (butcher) at A & N Ellis & Sons, Hilltop Farm Shop and Butchers, Fosse Way, Hunningham, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV33 9EL Digger with crawler tracks photo: Tim Parton, SS & SD Kirk, Brewood Park Farm, Coven, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire WV9 5BW Digital weather station information and photo.

6 Simon Deacon, JW & BA Deacon & Son, Top Barn Farm, Rugby Road, South Kilworth, Leicestershire LE17 6DW Variable rate Nitrogen, nutrient mapping and data management tools: Jim Reeve, Newfields Farm, Shakers Lane, Long Itchington, Southam, Warwickshire CV47 9QB Cattle with sensors and feeding trough with scale photos: Henry Dingle, Moreton Morrell College Farm (Nethermoreton Farm), Warwick New Road, Warwick, Warwickshire CV32 5 JEThe authors and publishers are grateful for permission to reprint the following copyright material:P14 Percentage of land used for agriculture provided by World Bank data.

7 2019 The World Bank Group. Extract from Ishemo, Amani and Bushell, Brenda (2017). Farming Cooperatives: Opportunities and Challenges for Women Farmers in Jamaica . Journal of International Women s Studies, 18(4), 13 29.)These materials may contain links for third party websites. We have no control over, and are not responsible for, the contents of such third party websites. Please use care when accessing the authors .. viAdvisors and contributors .. viPreface .. viiHow to use this book .. viii Section A: Introduction to agriculture 1 Unit 1 Agricultural Science and agriculture.

8 The relationship between agriculture and Agricultural The history of agriculture in the Caribbean .. Non-conventional and conventional crop The principles of organic farming .. 5 Unit 2 Role of agriculture and support services .. The importance of agriculture in national, regional and international economies .. Types of Agricultural enterprises .. Institutions concerned with Agricultural development in the Caribbean .. 16 Unit 3 Challenges in agriculture .. Local and regional challenges .. 25 Section B: Crop production 37 Unit 4 Anatomy and physiology.

9 The uses of plants in agriculture .. The structure of plants .. Plant processes .. Sexual and asexual reproduction in plants .. Techniques used in plant propagation .. Conditions necessary for germination .. 56 Unit 5 Environmental factors affecting crop growth .. Effects of environmental factors on plant growth and development .. Process of soil formation .. The importance of a soil profile .. The major components of soil .. The physical and chemical properties of major soil types .. The availability of soil water for crop use.

10 The importance of major and minor nutrients used in crop production .. The factors affecting soil fertility .. Maintaining soil fertility .. Soil and water conservation methods .. 89 Unit 6 Plant genetics, breeding and biotechnology .. The principles of genetic inheritance .. The role of plant breeding .. Biotechnology in plant improvement .. 102 Unit 7 Land preparation and farm machinery .. Land preparation methods .. The importance and functions of machinery used in crop husbandry .. Safety precautions when operating tools, machinery and equipment.