Uses of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and potassium in plants

1 .Sand soil • Has course/ large particles • they are larger than those of clay • Loses water quickly • Has less organic matter • Has good aeration • Allows good root penetration • Leaching of nutrients is more in sand soil. • Does not stick when wet 2. Clay soil • Has very fine particles which are closely packed • The soil is sticky when wet and can be moulded into any shape • It holds more water than sand and loam • It has poor drainage • It cracks when dry • It has poor aeration • It does not allow good root penetration 2 .Loam soil • Is a mixture of sand and clay particles • It half clay half sand • It can be easily moulded into a shape but easily crumbles • Holds water for a longer time than sand • It sticks on the hands when wet • It has good drainage • It has good aeration • It allows good root penetration • Loam is the best soil Soil Fertility • When soil has enough plant nutrients it is fertile • Soil fertility is the presence of nutrients in the soil • A farmer can add nutrients to the soil to make it fertile • This is done by applying fertilizers and compost. • A fertiliser is a substance that is added to the soil to increase fertility • Nutrients found in the soil include Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium ( NPK ) • They are called major nutrients or macro nutrients because they are needed in large quantities Minor nutrients • Minor nutrients are needed in smaller quantities • Minor nutrients are also called micro nutrients or trace elements • Examples of minor nutrients are boron, iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium and molybdenum Soil erosion • Is the washing away of top soil by agents such as Water Wind Animals Humans 1. Water: • Water washes away soil when it rains. • Loose soil is washed away into dams and rivers. • Steep slopes also lead to soil erosion. • Ploughing 2 . Wind • The blowing away of soil by wind causes soil erosion. • When people cut down trees wind erosion easily takes place. • Type of soil also leads to wind erosion. Which soil type is easily eroded by wind? 3 . Animals • Animal cause soil erosion by overgrazing. • Overgrazing is when animals eat plant or vegetation leaving the ground surface bare. • Animals walking on the same pathway for a long time make the soil loose. • Animals that live underground also burrow loosening the soil. • This makes soil break easily and get washed away. WATER WATER CONSERVATION Water • Water is important in agriculture • It is used to: Clean farm tools Mould bricks Wash milking equipment Cool machines Provide homes(habitat) for fish Give animals drinking and bathing water Sources of Water Natural sources 1. Natural rains: • rain water from the clouds is a primary source of water. • It is used to water crops such as maize, millet, sorghum and so on during the rainy season. • Rain water that collects into the rivers and dams is used by animals and people for drinking. 2 . Rivers : • Rivers are some of the major sources of water for different activities such as fishing, boat cruising and irrigation. 3 . Streams : • A stream is a small river. • Streams supply water for irrigating garden crops especially in rural areas. • They are also a source of water for animals to drink and bath. Sources of Water 4 . Springs : • Springs are usually found on hilly areas. • They result from pressure of underground streams. • The pressure forces water underground to form a channel to the surface of the soil and flow above the ground. Sources of Water Man made sources Man discovered that water for agriculture was not enough during the rain and cool dry seasons. They decided to make structures which would harvest or collect and store water for future use. 1.Protected well: • Wells are dug in the ground by hand. • They are often lined with bricks and concrete so that they do not cave in. • Protected wells are covered, therefore are safe to drink from. 2 . borehole : • They are deep holes made by drilling machines. • Drilling can be done up to 70 metres deep. • Water is pumped using an electric pump or hand pump. Sources of Water 3 . Dams : • A dam is a large wall or barrier built to hold water to save it for future use. 4 . Weir : • A weir is made by construction a cement brick wall or concrete wall across a river to trap water and eroded soil. • water flows over the wall when the river is inflood. 5 .Water tank : • Is a temporary manmade water source. • Water from a water tank is usually harvested from roof tops or it works along a borehole or protected well as temporary storage. • Water is pumped from the borehole or protected well into the water tank. 6 . reservoir : • A large natural or manmade lake used as a source of water. PLANTS Uses of plants • Fibre for making clothes • Oil for cooking, making paint and chemicals • Sugar for tea • Wood for timber • Refreshing drinks and alcohol • Food for people and animals • Protect the soil from erosion • Plants supply us with fresh oxygen for breathing. • Some plant parts are used as medicine.

Classification of plants • Plants can be classified as cultivated and wild plants. • Both cultivated and wild plants are very useful to people, animals and the environment. 1. Cultivated plants: • Cultivated plants are plants grown by people for selling. • They can be grown in the field, vegetable garden, home garden and orchard. Classification of plants 2. Wild plants Wild plants are plants that grow on their own outside the garden, orchard or field. They have many uses such as: • Food for people and animals • Shelter • Source of fuel in form of firewood. • Examples include, grasses, msasa, yellow wood, mahogany, mopane Plant Nutrition • The presence of plant nutrients in the soil make them grow well. • The three major plant nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Sources of plant nutrients • The source for plant nutrients are grouped into organic and inorganic sources. Organic sources of plant nutrients • These are found in nature. • They are natural materials such, decayed plant and animal matter which include: • Animal manure from cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and pigs. • Green manure • Legume crops like beans, peas and groundnuts. • Humus • These material sources may also be called natural fertilizers. Inorganic sources of plant nutrients • These are sources of plant nutrients made by people in industries. They include: • Compound fertilizers like compound A, B, C and D. • These have two or more nutrients. • Straight fertilizers like ammonium nitrate, single super phosphate and urea. • A straight fertilizer supplies a single or more nutrient to the crop. A straight fertilizer A Compound fertilizer Sources of N,P,K • Ammonium nitrate and Urea- contain nitrogen Double super Phosphate, Single super phosphate-contain phosphorus • Muriate of Potash contains Potassium 2 . Compound fertilisers -have two or three of the three major plant nutrients (N.P.K). N-nitrogen P-phosphorus K-potassium Examples Compound D Wednesday 17 May 2023 Revision exercise (Plant nutrition) 1 .Name the 3 plant nutrients needed by plants. 2. What are the 2 groups of plant nutrients sources? 3. Give 3 examples of organic sources of plant nutrients. 4. What is a straight fertilizer? 5. Compound fertilizer supplies ……………or ………………. Nutrients. Vegetable crops • A vegetable is any part of a plant that is eaten by humans as food part of a meal. • Vegetables are grouped and named according to the part that is eaten. • These are leaf, root, fruit, flower, bulb, tuber and legume vegetables. Leaf vegetables Types of veg Legume etable cropsvegetables Fruit vegetables Root, bulb and tuber Flower vegetables Cabbage Peas Tomato Root: carrots Cauliflower Rape Green beans Pepper Parsnip broccoli Spinach Melons Beetroot Tsunga Cucumber Bulb: onion Lettuce Squash Garlic kale Egg plant Leek chillies Tuber: Irish potato Wednesday 31 May 2023 Vegetable crops 1. What is a vegetable? 2. Which one is not a vegetable from the list below? a. Covo B. cabbage C. wheat D. tomato 3. Choose a vegetable which is not a fruit vegetable. a. tomato B. pepper C. kale D. egg plant 4. From which pair of vegetables do we eat the flower? A. cauliflower and garlic B. broccoli and cauliflower C. broccoli and rape D. cauliflower and pepper 5. Give one example of a vegetable belonging to each of the following groups. a. root b. legume c. bulb 6. Name any 5 groups of vegetable classification according to the parts eaten. Growing leaf vegetables • Although there are many types of vegetables, the leaf, fruit and bulb vegetables are widely grown. • Leaf vegetables form the greater part of vegetable crops. • Leaf vegetables belong to a family called brassica. • Brassicas include cabbages, lettuce, spinach, covo and many others. • Each brassica family has got its own varieties called cultivar. • They usually grow under the same climatic conditions and are affected by the same pests and diseases. • The selection of a variety depends on the following : The intended use of the vegetable, for example, salad, stew or snacks. Days taken to mature. Disease resistant Season of the year Seedbed preparation • Brassica vegetables are usually raised in seedbeds. • The seedbeds are prepared by: • Marking the position of the bed 1 meter in width by any length using a tape measure, hammer and pegs. • Digging a seedbed to a depth of 25 to 30cm using a hoe. • Breaking lumps of soil using a garden rake. Soil requirements • Brassicas need: • Well drained soils. • Fertile soil for good growth • Slightly acidic soils (pH 5.5-6) Climatic requirements • Brassicas need cool to warm temperatures. • Very low temperatures cause cabbages to flower which is called bolting. • Brassicas can be grown throughout the year. Seedbed preparation • Brassica seedlings are usually raised in seedbeds. • A seedbed is prepared by: Marking the position of the bed 1 metre in width by any length using a tape measure, hammer and pegs. Digging a seedbed to depth of 25 to 30 cm using a hoe. Breaking lumps of soil using a garden rake. This is done in order to have a fine tilth and improve soil to seed contact. Making ridges that a 15cm high. Apply 3 to 5kg/m² of well decomposed manure. 60 to 100g/m² of compound fertilizer can be added into the soil. Management of vegetable crops • After transplanting the seedlings, the seedlings need to be looked after. (a)Controlling weeds: all vegetables must be kept weed free. • This is done either by hand pulling weeds or shallow cultivation using a hand fork. (b) Pest control: common pests that affect the brassicas are aphids and diamond black moth larva. • Aphids are small green insects that suck the juice from the leaves leaving them with curls. • They are controlled by spraying malathion using the instructions on the label. (c) Disease control: bacterial diseases are common in brassicas. • Common diseases are black rot and soft rot, especially in cabbages. • These are controlled by: Crop rotation Early planting Planting resistant cultivars (d) Top dressing: brassicas are top dressed using Ammonium Nitrate at a rate of 2.5g per plant. • Top dressing is usually done 3 or 4 weeks after germination. FIELD CROPS • Field crops are crops that are grown on a large piece of land. • Example of field crops:  Maize  Cotton  Groundnuts  Roundnuts  Wheat  Sunflower  Tobacco  Sugar cane  Tea  Coffee  Soya beans  sorghum Classification of field • Field crops can be classified according to use such crops cereal, fibre, sugar and oil. 1. Cereal crops: • A cereal is a grass grown for its edible seeds. • They are also known as grain crops. • The major cereal crops are maize, wheat, rice, barley, sorghum and millet. 2 . fiber crops : • these are crops which are grown for their fiber and are used in making textiles, ropes and rugs. • Important fiber crops are cotton, flax and sisal 3. Oil seed crops: • These crops are grown for the purpose of extracting oil from their seed. • The main oil seed crops are groundnuts, sunflower, soyabean and cotton seed. 4 . Sugar crops : • Sugar crops include sugarcane,

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