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Cultural Practices

Cultural Practices

What do you think refers too?

Cultural practice refers to the manifestation of a culture or sub-culture, especially in regard to the traditional and customary practices of a particular ethnic or other cultural group. In the broadest sense, this term can apply to any person manifesting any aspect of any culture at any time. Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_practice

cultural practices

Cultural Practices in Agriculture

Cultural practices/methods are agricultural practices used to enhance crop production by improving the quality and quantity of crop produce, preventing weed, pest & disease problems without the use of chemical substances.

In cultural practices we try to avoid the use or the use of chemicals in crop growth

excessive reduce

Farmer JimUses no chemicals and uses cultural practices to grow his crops

Farmer LarryUses a large quantity of chemicals and no cultural practices to grow his crops

Observe the two(2) scenarios

Cultural Practices in Agriculture

Moulding

Mulching

Staking

Weeding

Pruning

Fertilizing

(organic manure/fertilizer)

Irrigation

Moulding

Moulding - helps to increase root development

Moulding-this is when soil is scraped up and heaped around the base of a plant to form a small mound using a hoe or hand spade 

- Increase soil aeration

- Prevents soil erosion

Mulching

Mulching – this is the placing of dry grass, sawdust, wood shaving or plastic to keep soil moist and prevent soil erosion.

It is usually done in the dry season

Advantages of mulching-

Conserves water in the dry season

Adds organic matter to the soil

Improves the structure of the soil

StakingStaking is an agricultural practice which involves a stake (wood) being placed into the soil, parallel to the plant. This helps to support the plant and keep the plant and fruit off the ground

Advantages of staking

reduces losses from fruit rots when fruit touch the soil

plants are easier to spray for insect and disease control

easier to harvest than those sprawling on the ground

Staked tomato plant

Stake

Fruit

Weeding

Weeding

Disadvantages of weeds

Compete with the plant for sunlight, water and nutrients

Encourages pest which attacks crops

Encourages diseases organisms to infest plants

Compete with the crop for space to grow

Methods of weed control

Manual- hand pulling, hoe Chemical- weedicides (Gramozone, Round up) Mechanical - “waka”,

Manual methods of weed control

Cultural Practices Benefits 

Moulding

    

 Mulching

    

 Staking

    

 Weeding

    

 Pruning

    

 Fertilizing

(Organic Matter)

    

 Irrigation

    

Farmer JimUses no chemicals and uses cultural practices to grow his crops

Farmer LarryUses a large quantity of chemicals and no cultural practices to grow his crops

Remember these two guys

Question

List the benefits of Farmer Jim using cultural practices in his farm to grow his crops compared to Farmer Larry

Conservation of water

Conservation of soil ( prevents soil erosion)

Less use of chemicals

Protects the environment

Improves the structure of the soil

Adds organic matter to the soil (nutrient)