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.
o

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

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?

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

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
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

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

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

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
Mathematics
 Physical Science
 Life Science
 Social Science


Most areas overlap

Arithmetic
› Study of numbers and methods of
calculating

Geometry
› Practical area of math
› Mathematical relationships (lines,
angles, etc.)

Several other areas
› logic, algebra, calculus,
probability, statistics

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)

Meteorology
› study of earth’s atmosphere

Other areas include: hydrology,
oceanography, astronomy

Botany
› study of plants

Zoology
› study of animals
Deals with human society, sometimes
called behavioral science
 Includes anthropology, psychology,
sociology, education


Study of the makeup of material
(matter)
› Matter is anything that takes up spaces or
has mass

Study of the physical nature of
objects
› heat, light, electricity, mechanics
made up of several areas of
science
 many of these areas overlap

Agronomy
 Horticulture
 Forestry
 Entomology
 Mechanical
Technology

Animal
Science
 Poultry
Science
 Aquaculture
 Environmental
Science


Study of plants and how they
relate to soil

Purpose:
› Improve crop production and
conserve natural resources

Growing crops for food, comfort,
beauty
› Ornamental Horticulture
› Olericulture
› Pomology

Growing and using forests
Part of Zoology
 Study of insects
and related small
animals


Production of animals for food

Raising chickens and other related fowl

Water Farming

Wisely using and protecting the things
around us

Use of machines and equipment
to do work
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
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.


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
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.


Examples:
› Effect of agricultural chemicals on water
quality
› Effects of cropping practices on wildlife
populations
› Compare water movements through
different soil types
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.


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
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.


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
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.


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
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.


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

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
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.

Discoveries have been made
throughout our history to improve our
lives
› Lets list at least 3 of the recent ones

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

Animal Prosthetics
› Giving animals a second chance for survival

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

Bovine somatotropin (bST)
› Hormone that increases milk production
› Completely safe to consumers

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?

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