Top 10 Strategies for Enhancing Agricultural Ecology That You Are Not Aware Of
Overview
Creating a friendly environment for the survival of plants and animals is the core aim of agricultural ecology. Agricultural ecology encourages’ farmers to adopt sustainable farming systems that are environmentally friendly and increase agricultural productivity.
Various Farming systems that can improve the soil structure and create a healthy environment for biodiversity are available in agriculture. The farmers can adopt this farming system to enhance agricultural ecology.
These practices have the potential to increase soil microbial activity, improve soil structure and texture, increase the mineral content of the soil, help balance the Cation exchange capacity of the soil (CEC), and help correct soil acidity.
Some of the Strategies for Enhancing Agricultural Ecology that farmers can maximize their uses are:
Read Also: Top10 Importance of Agricultural Ecology in Sustainable Farming that Will Amaze You
Cover Cropping
One of the Strategies for Enhancing Agricultural Ecology is the use of cover cropping. The use of legumes (such as Puraria phaseoloides, Mucuna pruriens, M. utilis, Calapogunium mucunoides, and Centrosema pubescens,) and the uses of crops such as potatoes, melons, and cowpea serve as good ground cover crops that protect the soil from the agents of geological denudation such as water, wind which causes soil erosion.
A good Cover crop such as potatoes and melon that creeps on the surface of the soil makes the soil cool and serves as a home for microorganisms.
These microorganism break down the falling leaves of these crops and incorporate them into the soil which help to increase the soil fertility and improve the soil structure.
Rhizobium and nitrobacteria in the root nodules of legume attract atmospheric nitrogen into the soil which is used by plants for growth and productivity.
Soil Conservation
Soil conservation implies the use of different types of measures to protect the soil against erosion. Soil conservative measures often used in conserving the soil include terracing, contour farming, and the uses of strip cropping.
These strategies for enhancing agricultural ecology help to maintain soil fertility and prevent the washing of toxic chemicals into water bodies.
Crop Rotation
Crop rotation which is a system of cultivating crops on these same pieces of land but in a definite order has the potential for increasing soil fertility.
The incorporation of legumes in the field as well as the decayed plants and animal materials in the field can help increase the presence of nitrogen, sulphur, potassium, and minerals in the soil.
Crop rotation is one of the Strategies for Enhancing Agricultural Ecology because rotating crops in the field helps to destroy pests and diseases since setting pests and diseases are seasonal and crop-specific.
Crops such as maize, rice, and sorghum are shallow-rooted crops while cassava and yam are deep-rooted crops interacting with soil nutrients at varying degrees.
The Incorporation of legumes such as groundnut, cowpea, and soybeans can help to balance the soil nutrient requirement and reduce the need for inorganic fertilizers.
Rhizobium and nitrobacteria in the root nodules of legumes interacting with each other as well as microorganism interaction with dead materials in the soil create a balanced ecosystem.
Agroforestry
This is the system of cultivating food crops along with forest trees. The system includes tungya farming, alley farming, and lay farming.
These Strategies for Enhancing Agricultural Ecology involved the planting the cultivation of economic trees along with food crops in the early years of the trees when they have formed canopy.
The system may also include the cultivation of tree crops such Hevea brasiliensis, Elasis gunineasis, Theobroma cocao, Magnifera indica, and so on.
The presence of woody shrubs and tall trees creates room for climbers and creeping grasses that will help to improve biodiversity, serve as shade, and serve as a windbreak. Decayed plant materials in the soil enhance soil fertility.
The Practice of Zero Tillage or No-tillage
These are soil-conservative practices that discourage the use of mechanical implements in tilling and turning the soil into fine tilth.
Zero tillage is an ancient system used by mostly small-scale farmers in developing countries, and with the nation, the system does not give adequate nutrient circulation in the soil.
However recent discoveries have considered the system as one the best methods of soil conservation. Frequent uses of motorized Implements like tractors in breaking the soil cloud and turning the soil into fine tiny particles loosen the soil consistency and soil structure thereby exposing the soil to agents of soil erosion.
Zero tillage or no tillage as the case may be, create favorable conditions for the survival of soil organisms, help to bind soil particle together, and improve the soil structure.
No-tillage does not help to balance the natural ecosystem by creating friendly conditions for beneficial soil organisms, helping to sequester carbon and improve the soil water retention capacity of the soil.
Organic Farming
This system of farming involves the use of natural materials that do not have a toxic effect on the environment to increase the nutrient level of the soil.
Organic farming as one of the strategies for enhancing agricultural ecology makes use of organic fertilizers such as green manure, farm yard manure, and compost manure.
The uses of organic farming serves as a buffer in the soil which helps to increase the population of plants and animals in the ecosystem. More so, organic farming reduces farmers’ dependence on synthetic pesticides which are toxic to important agricultural pests.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
An integrated pest management system is a pest control measure that reduces the use of toxic chemicals in the environment.
These strategies of pest management combined both biological and cultural control measures to reduce the effect of toxic chemicals on important agricultural pests.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is another Strategy for Enhancing Agricultural Ecology because it involves using the simple farming system, makes use of biological pest control measures such as using a predator of that pest to control its activities as well as the use of resistance crop varieties to control the plant diseases in the ecosystem.
For instance, the use of adult ladybirds to prey on aphids, spider mites, and mealy bugs as well as the uses of resistance varieties can be referred to as biological methods of pest control, and the practice of crop rotation, shifting cultivation, hand picking and trap setting are also called cultural methods of pest control.
Sustainable Irrigation Practice
This is another Strategy for Enhancing Agricultural Ecology. It involves the use of sustainable water management practices in supporting the growth and productivity of crops.
Sustainable irrigation practices will help to reduce the efficient utilization of water throughout the year and protect against water depletion.
Renewable Energy
The uses of renewable energy such as solar energy, wind energy, and water energy in agriculture will help reduce dependence on the uses of specialized equipment that uses fossil fuels.
These emit carbon dioxide that leads to the population of the environment. These account for why Renewable energy is used as a Strategy for Enhancing Agricultural Ecology.
Uses of Organic Manure
The use of Organic matter is another Strategy for Enhancing Agricultural Ecology. Organic matter such as farm yard manure, green manure, and compost are used to supply soil nutrients.
The use of organic manure reduces the need for the utilization of inorganic fertilizers in agriculture. Organic fertilizers increase the activities of biodiversity, reduce soil temperature, and increase soil nutrients.
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