PHYTOREMEDIATION

Phytoremediation is the process using plants to clean up pollution.
The plants used are able to eliminate pollutants from the soil, water
and air. Such plants include: alfalfa, sunflower, mustard plant,
poplar, grass, hemp, etc. Such pollutant include crude oil,
pesticides, metals, radioactive waste, some industrial waste, etc.

SOIL

Soil is the topmost part of the earth on which plant grow. Basically
there three kinds of soil. They are:
1. SANDY SOIL: This is a coarse kind of soil that is made up of rough
particle of various sizes. It is porous and has low water retention
capacity. It is usually not fertile because it has low proportion of
organic matter and soil nutrients.

2. CLAY SOIL: This kind of soil has small smooth particles. It has low
porosity and high water retention.

3. LOAMY SOIL: This kind of soil consist of sandy and loamy soil and
high proportion of humus and soil nutrients. It is the best kind of
soil for planting.

CULTURAL PRACTICES

Cultural practices involves all the activities carried out on the
farm before, during and after planting of crops. They are grouped
into: pre-planting, planting and post-planting operation.
1. PRE-PLANTING OPERATION: These are the operations done before
planting. They are:
a. Choice of site
b. Clearing of land
c. Stumping
d. Ploughing
e. Harrowing
f. Ridging

2. PLANTING OPERATION: These are activities done during planting. They are:
a. Planting
b. Transplanting
c. Nursary practices

3. POST-PLANTING OPERATION: These are the activities that are done
after planting. They are:
a. Thining
b. Supplying
c. Mulching
d. Manure or application
e. Watering
f. Weeding
g. Pest and disease control
h. Harvesting
i. Processing
j. Storage

FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE SITING A FARM

The factors to be considered before siting a commercial farmland include:
1. Climatic factors: they include rainfall, temperature, relative
humidity, wind direction, etc. These factors must be favourable to the
plants and/or animals to be raised.
2. Socio-economic factors: these include the availability of labour,
social infrastructures, population of the region and nearness to
market.
3. Edaphic factors: these are soil related factors such as soil
fertility, structure, texture, consistency, porousity, etc. These
factors determines the kind of crop that will grow in the land.
Moreover, farms should not be sited in places that are prone to
flooding, erosion, and other forms of land degradation except they are
been used as control measures.
4. Government policies: some governments have various rules guiding
agricultural practices. These policies should be considered before
siting a farm.
5. Economic factors: these factors are of topmost importance if the
agricultural business will survive. A feasibility study is conducted
to make sure that there will enough returns to sustain the farm.