Agricultural Science Lesson Notes

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Effects of Forest on the Environment

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<h1><strong>EFFECTS OF FORESTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Other Uses/Benefits of Forest Resources</li> <li>Importance of Forest</li> <li>Effects of Forest on the Environment</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Other Uses/Benefits of Forest Resources</strong></h2> There are some other benefits of the forest which cannot be quantified in terms of monetary value but which is of great importance to people. These are: <ol> <li>Forest checks erosion of soil.</li> <li>It provides man with sources of food, shelter and protection.</li> <li>It is a source of raw materials for industries.</li> <li>It provides good sources of foreign exchange earnings.</li> <li>Forest resources provide recreational facilities.</li> <li>It provides employment opportunities for people as guards.</li> <li>Forest provides shelter for wildlife and serves as a tourist centre.</li> <li>Forest provides medicinal herbs.</li> <li>It is an important source of fuel for people.</li> </ol> <br> <h2>Importance of Forest</h2> The following are the importance of forest:

Role of Government in Agricultural Development

<h1><strong>ROLES OF GOVERNMENT IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Roles of Government in Agricultural Production</li> <li>Government Organisations Involved in Improving Agricultural Production in West Africa</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Roles of Government in Agricultural Production</strong></h2> In the past, agriculture used to be the mainstay of the Nigerian economy but when petroleum was discovered, agriculture was neglected, food production became relatively low and a lot of money was spent importing food from abroad. To solve the numerous problems which resulted in the poor development of agriculture, the government has to play an important role in the development of agriculture. The role of the government in agricultural production is broadly given as these two major roles: (a) To set up good and functioning policies (b) To formulate good and functioning programmes   (a)<strong> To set up good and functioning policies</strong> A policies is a set of rules set up by the ministry/government towards achieving a goal. Policies sometimes changes as government changes, but the basic objectives of a good policy may include the following: (i) To provide both qualitative and quantitative food (ii) To produce animals and plants that are rich in protein and at a minimum cost for both rich and poor in the society. (iii) To increase the supply of animals and plants that can attain market weight in the shortest possible time (iv) To develop local agro-based industries that will employ the citizen as well as provide finished products. (v) To increase the supply of local raw materials like timber, cotton, groundnut, gum Arabic etc. (vi) To produce plants and animals for export purpose. (vii) To regulate the influx of foreign agricultural products so as not kill agro-based industries in the country. (viii) Mechanizing farming for increased output and income for farmers.   (b) <strong>To formulate good and functioning programmes</strong>

Forest Management

<h1>FORESTRY</h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Meaning of Forest and Forestry</li> <li>Importance of Forest</li> <li>Forest Management Practices</li> </ol>   <h2>Meaning of Forest and Forestry</h2> <h3>Forest</h3> A forest is defined as a large area of land covered with trees and bushes, either growing wild or planted for some purposes. A forest can also mean a woody ground, trees or pasture that grow in the wild or cultivate for a specific purposes <h3>Forestry</h3> Forestry can be defined as the management of forest for maximum sustained yield of forest resources and benefits. It can as well be defined as the art of planting, tending and managing forests and the utilization of their products. It is a branch of agriculture which deals with the control and management of forest for forest resources. <br> <h2>Importance of Forest</h2> The importance of forest includes the following: <ol> <li>Forest provides timber trees used as planks for furniture, canoes, coffins, pulp wood for papers and match sticks.</li> <li>It is a source of wild animals used for meat.</li> <li>Provides income to people through hunting, felling of timber and sales of other products.</li> <li>It protects the soil against erosion. The intensity of rain drops is reduced by the leaves, the stems reduce the speed of wind and the roots help to bind the soil together.</li> <li>It is a source of wild fruits, nuts, and flowers.</li> <li>It is a source of fuel e.g. fire wood</li> <li>It is a source of medicinal herbs for curing diseases</li> <li>It is a source of fibre and ropes</li> <li>It provides employment for people such as the forest guards, saw millers, forest lawyers.</li> <li>It is a source of revenue to the government</li> <li>It is a source of foreign exchange from the exported timber products. Hence, it raises the country’s national income</li>

Animal Nutrition

<h1>ANIMAL NUTRITION</h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Meaning of Animal Nutrition</li> <li>Factors that Determine the Nutritional Requirements of an Animal</li> <li>Reasons for Feeding Farm Animals</li> <li>Classification and Characteristics of Feed</li> <li>Sources and Functions of Food Nutrients</li> <li>Types of Ration and their Uses</li> <li>Ration Formulation</li> <li>Principles or Factors to be Considered in Formulating Livestock Ration</li> <li>Methods of Formulating Ration</li> <li>Malnutrition in Farm Animals</li> </ol>   <h2>Meaning of Animal Nutrition</h2> Animal nutrition is the science that studies the food requirements of animals. Food is the major requirement of the body for substance and maintenance of all physiological, anatomy and pathological functioning. When food is lacking the body becomes lifeless. Hence the study of food is very important. Food given to livestock is called feed. The feed is needed forenergy, growth, repair of worn out tissues and general good health of the animals. A nutrients is any element or compound present in the food required by the animal for proper body functioning. A feed is any food substance which when fed to animals is capable of providing some of the nutrients necessary for up keep to that animal. Nutrition is defined as the science of feeding and nourishing the body. It is the series of processes by which an organism takes in or ingests, digests and assimilates food for promoting growth and for the replacement of worn out tissues. Animal nutrition can then be defined as the science of feeding an animal with an appropriate diet capable of nourishing the animal for growth, development, reproduction and repairs of worn out tissues. Therefore the ingredients used for making the feeds must have the following nutrients in adequate quantities and required proportions: (a) Carbohydrates (b) Proteins (c) Vitamins (d) Minerals (e) Crude fibre (f) Fat (g) Water   <h2>Factors that Determine the Nutritional Requirements of an Animal</h2> The level of nutrient or nutritional requirement of animal depend on the following factors: <ol> <li>Age of the animal – young grower</li> <li>Class of animal – egg producer, ruminant or non-ruminant, meat animal</li> <li>Production level – growers, young layers and old layer dry sow</li> </ol>   <h2>Reasons for Feeding Farm Animals</h2> Feeds are fed to farm animals for the following purposes: <ol> <li>To provide necessary elements for repairing the wear and tear of the body to provide raw material for synthesis of body source in growth.</li> <li>To serve as a source of energy for vital processes in the body e.g growth, work, reproduction, respiration digestion etc. For generating heat necessary for maintaining body temperature. To serve as raw materials for the production of milk meat egg wool, etc.</li> </ol>   <h2>Classification and Characteristics of Feed</h2> Animal feed stuffs are classified on their chemical nutritional composition, bulkiness and use. The chemical composition or nutrients gives the potential value of the feed but does not give the actual value. Feeds can be classified into the following:

Aquaculture

<h1>AQUACULTURE</h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Meaning of Aquaculture</li> <li>Importance of Aquaculture</li> <li>Types of Aquaculture</li> <li>Fish Farming</li> </ol> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li>Classification of Fish</li> <li>Conditions Necessary for Siting a Fish Pond</li> <li>Construction of a Fish Pond</li> <li>Maintenance of Fish Pond</li> <li>Methods of Fish Harvesting/Cropping</li> <li>Basic Laws and Regulations of Fishing</li> <li>Fish Preservation</li> </ul> </li> </ul>   <h2>Meaning of Aquaculture</h2> The term <em>fish</em> is applied to a variety of cold-blooded, water-dwelling (aquatic) animals that belong to the phylum Chordata. Fishes belong to four different classes consisting of bony, cartilaginous, jawless and fleshy-finned fishes. Aquaculture/fish farming is the propagation and husbandry of aquatic organisms in artificial water bodies for commercial, recreational and scientific purposes. Aquaculture refers to both marine and fresh water species and can range from land based to open ocean production of fish, shrimp, and other aquatic animals.   <h2>Importance of Aquaculture</h2> The following are the importance of aquaculture: <ol> <li>It is a source of protein man and livestock diets</li> <li>It provides employment and income to farmers</li> <li>Fishes are useful for educational purpose to students and researchers</li> <li>It provides a means of recycling domestic waste such as animal dung</li> <li>It serves as source of foreign exchange through exportation of fish and fish products</li> <li>Fish oil serve as food and is also used in the manufacture of soaps</li> <li>Fish farming encourages the economic use of land</li> <li>It is used as tourist and entertainment</li> <li>It can be consumed by all categories of people, since it has no religion and traditional limitation.</li> </ol> <h2>   Types of Aquaculture</h2> There are different types of aquaculture. These are; (i) Fishery (ii) Shrimps rearing (iii) Crab rearing (iv) Cray fish rearing (v) Lobster rearing (vi) Prawn rearing (vii) Oyster shell rearing (viii) Marine snail rearing (ix) Squid rearing (x) Mussel rearing (xi) Clam rearing (xii) Octopus rearing (xiii) Rearing of aquatic mammals such as whales, etc. (xiv) Periwinkles rearing <img class="size-full wp-image-56723 aligncenter" src="https://classhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/aquaculture-tilapia-fish1.jpg" alt="Aquaculture - Tilapia fish" width="381" height="241" /> <p style="text-align: center;">Tilapia Fish</p>   <h2>Fish Farming</h2>

Parts of Flowering Plants and their Functions

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<h1><strong>PARTS OF FLOWERING PLANTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS </strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Parts of Flowering Plant and their Functions</li> <li>Important Terms</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Parts of a Flowering Plant </strong></h2> A flowering plant is made up of two parts, namely; <ol> <li>the root system</li> <li>the shoot system</li> </ol> <h3>1.<strong> Root System: </strong></h3> The root system refers to the portion of the plant which develops inside the soil. The root has many tiny structures on it called the root hairs through which water, mineral salts and other nutrients are absorbed by the plant through a process known as <strong>osmosis. </strong> The root system is divided into two main types namely; <ol> <li>Tap/main root</li> <li>Fibrous/adventitious</li> </ol> <p style="text-align: center;"><img class="size-full wp-image-31956 aligncenter" src="https://classhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/flowering-plants.jpg" alt="" width="634" height="322" /><strong>A Labelled Diagram of a Flowering Plant </strong></p> <h4><strong>Functions of the Root</strong></h4> (i)<strong> Anchorage:</strong> for holding the plant firmly to the ground. (ii)<strong> Nutrient absorption:</strong> Roots absorbs water and mineral elements from the soil which are then pass unto other plant parts. This is the most important function of the root to the plant. (iii)<strong> Storage</strong>: In some plants the roots acts as storage organs e.g carrot, cassava, etc. (iv)<strong> Reproduction</strong>: Some plants used their roots for vegetative propagation e.g. bread fruit, sweet potato, citrus etc. (v)<strong> Nutrient fixation:</strong> Roots of leguminous crops harbors some nitrogen fixing bacteria which helps to convert atmospheric nitrogen into soil nitrate for plant use. (vi)<strong> Erosion control:</strong> Root of grasses help to bind soil particles together thus preventing erosion.

Uses of Weeds; Methods of Weed Control

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<h1><strong>USES OF WEEDS; METHODS OF WEED CONTROL</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Uses of Weeds</li> <li>Methods of Weeds Control</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Uses of Weeds</strong></h2> Weeds are used for the following purposes: <ol> <li>Some weeds are used as cover crops.</li> <li>Weeds are used as forage grasses and legumes for feeding animals e.g. elephant grass.</li> <li>Weeds are used to prepare compost and green manure e.g. mucuna, pueraria.</li> <li>They are used to control soil erosion e.g. bahama grass.</li> <li>They serve medicinal purposes e.g. lemon grass.</li>

Post-planting Operations

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<h1><strong>POST-PLANTING OPERATIONS</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Meaning of Post-planting Operations</li> <li>Post-planting Operations</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Meaning of Post-planting Operations</strong></h2> These are the operations carried out after planting. They include thinning, supplying, mulching, manure/fertilizer application, weeding, control of pests and diseases, harvesting, processing, storing and marketing. <h2><strong>Post-planting Operations</strong></h2> Post-planting operations include the following: <ol> <li>Thinning</li> <li>Supplying</li> <li>Mulching</li> <li>Capping</li> <li>Fertilizer and manure application</li> <li>Weeding</li> <li>Staking</li> <li>Pruning and trimming</li> <li>Control of pests and diseases</li> </ol> <h3>1.<strong> Thinning</strong></h3> This is the removal of extra seedlings from a stand to give room for others to grow. The weakest plants should be carefully pulled up without damaging the remaining ones.

Human Activities that Affect the Forest

<h1><strong>HUMAN ACTIVITIES THAT AFFECT THE FOREST</strong></h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Human Activities that Affect the Forest</li> <li>Forest Management Practices</li> </ol>   <h2><strong>Human Activities that Affect the Forest</strong></h2> A number of human activities have been identified to be a threat to the development and survival of the forest. Examples of such include: <ol> <li>Clearing or deforestation</li> <li>Bush burning</li> <li>Farming</li> <li>Hunting/Depletion of wildlife</li> <li>Poaching</li> <li>Industrialization and mining</li> <li>Construction of buildings, road and commercial places</li> </ol> <h3><strong>Clearing or deforestation</strong></h3> This is the process of indiscriminate felling of trees in the forest. Deforestation is also done when a farm is about to be started especially in the rain forest region.

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