farmers challenges presentation
DESCRIPTION
Farmers around the world have a very difficult job. Some grow crops to sell, and some grow crops for their families to eat. Either way it is very important for them that they produce a good quality crop, and a high yield. Unfortunately farmers face lots of different challenges when they are growing crops, including weeds, insects and diseases, this presentation takes the audience through many of these challenges.TRANSCRIPT
Farmers’ Challenges
Wicked Weeds…
Bindweed can
climb up the crops
and stop them from
getting lots of
sunshine, water
and nutrients.
Rye Grass is a very
tough weed, with
very strong roots.
Once it is in your
field it is very difficult
to remove.
Johnson Grass
grows faster than
the crop and blocks
out the sunlight, it is
also poisonous if
animals eat it.
Ferocious Fungi… Potato blight can
wipe out an entire
crop in 3 days,
and its spores can
stay in the soil for
up to 7 years.
Though fungus is very damaging
to plants, it is also very useful. It
breaks down plant matter, helping
the composting process, so
without fungi the world would be
full of compost – even the sea!
Bothersome Beasties…
Aphids will eat many
types of plants, hiding
under the leaves and in
the flowers as they
munch away at the
plants, they also have up
to 30 babies!
Weevils eat all types of
plant tissue, laying eggs
inside the stems. When
they hatch the larva eats
it’s way to the surface of
the plant, causing lots of
crop damage.
More Greedy Grubs…
Some caterpillars
can eat 20 times
their body weight
everyday until
they turn into a
chrysalis!
Corn borers live in the
stem of the corn plant
and eat their way
around the plant. This
means the plant
becomes weak and
can fall over
Grasshoppers like
to fly in swarms,
and they cause a
huge amount of
damage by eating
the crop.
The Farmer’s Little Helpers…
There are
approximately 40
different types of
ladybirds in the UK, and
their aphids are their
favourite food.
Bees are vital
for the
pollination of
many plants.
Butterflies are adult
caterpillars. Although they
are a pest when in the
larval stage (because they
eat the plant), they are
very helpful as plants
pollinators as adults.
What Next…? Try our game ‘The
Good, the Bad and
the Bugly’ to see
how much you can
remember about the
challenges farmers
face!
You will need to pull up
weeds quickly and catch
the bugs that could
damage your crop. Can
you remember which
bugs helped the farmer?