o explain how the science of agriculture helped develop civilization; explain how the science of...

Research in Agriculture

Objectives

o Explain how the science of agriculture helped develop civilization;

o Identify and define the various areas of science and agriscience; and

o Discuss advancements made through agriscience.

Development of Civilization with Agriculture

What was the first science?› Agriculture!› Science is knowledge obtained through a

systematic study of naturally occurring phenomena The first systematic study by humans was

obtaining food, shelter, and clothing

Development of Civilization with Agriculture

How has the science of agriculture helped develop society?› Time was a large factor in developing

society How was food obtained in the

beginning of human history?› Hunter/Gatherer› People moved with the food

Did they have time to build a home?

Development of Civilization with Agriculture

Agriculture began about 10,000 years ago› Where?› Fertile crescent

People began growing their own food

What did that do to their ‘time’?› No wandering› Build a more permanent shelter› Build villages and communities

Development of Civilization with Agriculture

Science grew as humans worked to develop better ways to produce food› Trial and error

If they can produce food more efficiently how does that affect their time?› Surplus food was traded› Building, engineering, literature, and art

skills could be developed

Development of Civilization with Agriculture

Science further grew as farming implements needed to be invented and improved

Tools made growing and raising food more efficient› Time?› More of it was spent inventing tools and

making life easier

Development of Civilization with Agriculture

It is believed that writing and counting developed from agriculture› Surplus, storage bins, trade, sale, and

eventually taxation› Containers had to be marked to indicate:

Ownership, contents, and the amount This made the way for written

language to be developed

Famous People in Agriscience John Deere

› Improved the plow be making it out of steel

Eli Whitney› Invented the cotton gin

Cyrus McCormick› Invented the first mechanical reaper

George Washington Carver› Great Agriculture researcher and educator

Norman Borlaug› Extensive research on wheat and credited

with saving millions of lives

Science and Agriscience

Two broad areas› Basic Research

Why or how processes occur in plants and animals

› Applied Research uses discoveries made in basic research to

help in practical ways

Four Major Areas of Science

Mathematics Physical Science Life Science Social Science

Most areas overlap

Math

Arithmetic› Study of numbers and methods of

calculating Geometry

› Practical area of math› Mathematical relationships (lines,

angles, etc.)

Math

Several other areas› logic, algebra, calculus,

probability, statistics

Physical Science

Earth Science› Study of the environment in which plants

and animals grow Geology

› Study of earth’s composition, structure, history (soil science is a big part of this)

Physical Science

Meteorology› study of earth’s atmosphere

Other areas include: hydrology, oceanography, astronomy

Life Science

Botany› study of plants

Zoology› study of animals

Social Science

Deals with human society, sometimes called behavioral science

Includes anthropology, psychology, sociology, education

Chemistry

Study of the makeup of material (matter)› Matter is anything that takes up spaces

or has mass

Physics

Study of the physical nature of objects› heat, light, electricity, mechanics

Agriscience made up of several areas of

science many of these areas overlap

Animal Science

Poultry Science

Aquaculture Environmenta

l Science

Agriscience Agronomy Horticulture Forestry Entomology Mechanical

Technology

Agronomy

Study of plants and how they relate to soil

Purpose:› Improve crop production and

conserve natural resources

Horticulture

Growing crops for food, comfort, beauty› Ornamental Horticulture› Olericulture› Pomology

Forestry

Growing and using forests

Entomology

Part of Zoology Study of insects

and related small animals

Animal Science

Production of animals for food

Poultry Science

Raising chickens and other related fowl

Aquaculture

Water Farming

Environmental Science

Wisely using and protecting the things around us

Mechanical Technology Use of machines and equipment

to do work

Your Agriscience Fair Project

You will begin this year by completing a Research/experiment SAE

This is the beginning of your SAE project

First step is to think of a problem that you would like to test or know the answer› You do need to keep it within certain

parameters

Categories

Animal Systems (AS) The study of animal systems, including

life processes, health, nutrition, genetics, management and processing, through the study of small animals, aquaculture, livestock, dairy, horses and/or poultry.

Categories

Examples:› Compare nutrient levels on animal growth› Research new disease control mechanisms› Effects of estrous synchronization on

ovulation› Compare effects of thawing temperatures

on livestock semen› Effects of growth hormone on meat/milk

production

Categories

Environmental Services/Natural Resource Systems (ENR)

The study of systems, instruments and technology used in waste management; the study of the management of soil, water, wildlife, forests and air as natural resources and their influence on the environment.

Categories

Examples:› Effect of agricultural chemicals on water

quality› Effects of cropping practices on wildlife

populations› Compare water movements through

different soil types

Categories

Food Products and Processing Systems (FPP)

The study of product development, quality assurance, food safety, production, sales and service, regulation and compliance and food service within the food science industry.

Categories

Examples:› Effects of packaging techniques on food

spoilage rates› Resistance of organic fruits to common

diseases› Determining chemical energy stored in

foods› Control of molds on bakery products

Categories

Plant Systems (PS) The study of plant life cycles,

classifications, functions, structures, reproduction, media and nutrients, as well as growth and cultural practices, through the study of crops, turf grass, trees and shrubs and/or ornamental plants.

Categories

Examples:› Determine rates of transpiration in plants› Effects of heavy metals such as cadmium

on edible plants› Compare GMO and conventional seed/plant

growth under various conditions› Effects of lunar climate and soil condition

on plant growth› Compare plant growth of hydroponics and

conventional methods

Categories

Power, Structural and Technical Systems (PST)

The study of agricultural equipment, power systems, alternative fuel sources and precision technology, as well as woodworking, metalworking, welding and project planning for agricultural structures.

Categories

Examples:› Develop alternate energy source engines› Create minimum energy use structures› Compare properties of various alternative

insulation products› Investigation of light/wind/water energy

sources

Categories

Social Systems (SS) The study of human behavior and the

interaction of individuals in and to society, including agricultural education, agribusiness economic, agricultural communication, agricultural leadership and other social science applications in agriculture, food and natural resources.

Categories

Examples:› Investigate perceptions of community

members towards alternative agricultural practices

› Determine the impact of local/state/national safety programs upon accident rates in agricultural/natural resource occupations

› Comparison of profitability of various agricultural/natural resource practices

Categories

Examples:› Investigate the impact of significant

historical figures on a local community› Determine the economical effects of

local/state/national legislation impacting agricultural/natural resources

What else?

You can do this individually You can also do this with a partner

› Your partner does not have to be in this class

› They can be in any other Ag class.

Advancements through Agriscience

Discoveries have been made throughout our history to improve our lives› Lets list at least 3 of the recent ones

Advancements through Agriscience

Genetically engineered plants We have been doing this for as long as

agriculture has been around through selective breeding

Tomato Calgene developed a tomato that resists rot

Corn BT corn

Round-Up Ready Many including: corn, sugar beets, cotton, alfalfa,

canola, soybeans and others

Advancements through Agriscience

Animal Prosthetics› Giving animals a second chance for

survival

Advancements through Agriscience

Animal Cloning› Dolly – the first cloned sheep

Lived 1996 – 2003› Why Clone?

Medical Purpose Researchers learn about human disease from

studying animals models (such as mice)

Reviving Endangered or Extinct Species Well-preserved DNA

Reproducing a Deceased Pet Lots of money – may not have same personality

Advancements through Agriscience

Bovine somatotropin (bST)› Hormone that increases milk production› Completely safe to consumers

Advancements through Agriscience

Alternative Fuels› Ethanol

Henry Ford’s Model T ran off of ethanol What is used to produce ethanol?

Corn

Will that affect our food supply?

Advancements through Agriscience

Pest control› Synthetic controls for fire ants in the south

Higher ratio of nonproductive drone ants to worker ants

› Synthetic controls for fruit tree insects Pheromones released will attract the male

insects so they never find a female