Cultural methods
cultural methods are agriculture practices used to enhance crop and livestock health and prevent weed, pest or disease problems without the use of chemical substances. Examples include the selection of appropriate varieties and planting sites; selection of appropriate breeds of livestock; providing livestock facilities designed to meet requirements of species or type of livestock; proper timing and density of plantings; irrigation; and extending a growing season by manipulating the microclimate with green houses, cold frames, or wind breaks.
History
1.0 In the period preceding chemical fertilizer and pesticide use, agriculture played an important part in society. Agricultural output represented the strength of a country, considered directly proportional to its military power and the produce available to support the army in sustained operation. Resources were critical and soil fertility is critical to a successful agricultural economy.
1.1 Cultural methods were divided into active composting, fertilizing, and slash and burn farming. Farmers practiced letting their land rest and allowing the wild vegetation to restore the soil.
In densely populated areas, fields are fertilized with green manure, organic waste from different sources, kitchen waste and ashes. In sparsely populated areas, a slash and burn strategy created greater labor demands.
One extension of the active composting, is to add charcoal and terra cotta bits; see Terra preta.
(reference : Journeytoforever.org Farmers of Forty Centuries—or Permanent Agriculture in China, Korea and Japan by F. H. King Weeds—Guardians of the Soil by Joseph A. Cocannouer
2.0 Chemical fertilizer & pesticide Chemical fertilizer & pesticide was available, with the practice of improper tillage brought a period of great abundant of cheap farm products.
2.1 "Industrial" Agri-business/Enterprise. With the success of introduction of the chemicals and the mechanized of operation on the farm, farms become larger and farmers equated the chemicals and machines as a substitute for labor input. Farms became larger and the number of workers decreased. (e.g. population involved in farming directly fell from 48% to about 2% in the 20th century.) The soil was depleted by imbalanced fertilizing, and the productivity reduced further by improper tillage where the weeds are not permitted to grow, therefore inhibit it to tap the buffer available in the subsoil.
3.0 Organic movement. A movement towards organic farming that sees chemically-based production as adverse towards soil health.
See also
ley farming, Weeds—Guardians of the Soil by Joseph A. Cocannouer, Trap crop,
References
This article incorporates public domain material from Jasper Womach. Report for Congress: Agriculture: A Glossary of Terms, Programs, and Laws, 2005 Edition (PDF). Congressional Research Service.