Food Production

 

In order to eat, we need to grow food! With our expanding population and increasing requirements of crops, the aid of fertilisers and pesticides have greatly increased the yields from farms across the world.

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Fertilisers and Pesticides

Fertilisers restore nitrates to the soil that are essential for plant growth, and so help increase crop yield. Nitrogen is a major component in amino acids, and so nitrates are essential for effective protein production. Nitrates help plants produce amino acids required for protein synthesis.

Pesticides are substances that are used to kill and control pests that can affect plant or animal production.

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Disadvantages of Fertilisers and Pesticides

Disadvantages of Fertilisers:

Fertilisers can travel into fresh water, providing nitrates for species such as algae. This can increase algae in fresh water causing algal blooms. These algal blooms can kill fresh-water life by reducing light levels. Dead plants and algae can then be consumed by bacteria. Increasing bacteria levels then reduce oxygen availability for other organisms.

Disadvantages of Pesticides:

The chemicals within pesticides can build up in organisms consuming the plants, and as the is passed along the food chain, these chemicals can build up to toxic and lethal levels within organisms.

Genetically modified crops (GM crops) can be used as an alternative to using fertilisers and pesticides.

Key Points!

  • Fertilisers and Pesticides

    Fertilisers restore nitrates to the soil that are essential for plant growth, and so help increase crop yield. Nitrogen is a major component in amino acids, and so nitrates are essential for effective protein production. Nitrates help plants produce amino acids required for protein synthesis.

    Pesticides are substances that are used to kill and control pests that can affect plant or animal production.

  • Disadvantages of Fertilisers and Pesticides

    Fertilisers can travel into fresh water, providing nitrates for species such as algae. This can increase algae in fresh water causing algal blooms. These algal blooms can kill fresh-water life by reducing light levels. Dead plants and algae can then be consumed by bacteria. Increasing bacteria levels then reduce oxygen availability for other organisms.

    The chemicals within pesticides can build up in organisms consuming the plants, and as the is passed along the food chain, these chemicals can build up to toxic and lethal levels within organisms.

    Genetically modified crops (GM crops) can be used as an alternative to using fertilisers and pesticides.

Any Questions?