Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture provides most of the world’s food and fabrics. It also provides wood for construction, paper and other uses. One of the sublets of agriculture is agronomy.
Agronomists study sustainable ways to make soils more productive and profitable. They classify and analyse soils to determine whether they contain nutrients necessary for plant growth. Common nutrients in the soil analysed include compounds of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur and more.
A fertiliser is any material that is applied to the soil to supply needed nutrients. A fertiliser CA be natural or synthetic. Modern agricultural practices emphasise fertilisation. It focuses on three main macronutrients, which are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K).
Farmers apply fertilisers in a variety of ways. Fertiliser application processes can be through dry, pelletised or liquid using several agricultural equipment and methods.
Fertilisers help increase plant productivity and development as well as help the soil increases its fertility, thereby promoting growth. With the help of fertilisers, plants become resilient against microorganisms that harm plants, pests, and weeds.
Agricultural practices in the UK can be broadly separated into three key areas that include arable farming of crops like wheat and barley, livestock farming like raising animals of cows and sheep, and mixed farming of both arable and pastoral practices.
Agriculture is currently of a multi-billion pound value to the UK economy and provides jobs to over four million people. It also offers a greater contribution to the UK economy than the trade, education, finance and insurance sectors. It also contributes to the well-being of farmers.
A farmers association is a body of farmers that operates to safeguard farmers’ rights and interests. The basic mission of farmers’ associations is to represent farmers.
This magazine is about agronomy and fertilisers with articles about fertiliser producers and products, fertiliser management, agricultural practices, as well as conferences and events.