Unit B Section 4 Introduction How Technology Improves Crop Growth
Completion requirements
Section 4: Technology plays an important role in growing crops for humans.
Unit B: Section 4 – Introduction
Farming Drones
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs, are known commonly as drones. They are small airplanes or helicopters that do not need pilots on board. The movements of a drone are controlled through a computer system by a person on the ground.
Often, drones are thought of as weapons of war. Smaller drones are becoming more affordable, and some people use drones to take photographs from the air. An interesting new use for drones is in farming.
Drones can fly safely lower than airplanes can, which allows them to take close-up videos and photos of crops. In this way, drones are used to collect information about plants quickly. This is far quicker than a farmer walking through large fields looking for problems with plants. Another way that drones are used in farming is to spray crops with pesticides.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs, are known commonly as drones. They are small airplanes or helicopters that do not need pilots on board. The movements of a drone are controlled through a computer system by a person on the ground.
Often, drones are thought of as weapons of war. Smaller drones are becoming more affordable, and some people use drones to take photographs from the air. An interesting new use for drones is in farming.
Drones can fly safely lower than airplanes can, which allows them to take close-up videos and photos of crops. In this way, drones are used to collect information about plants quickly. This is far quicker than a farmer walking through large fields looking for problems with plants. Another way that drones are used in farming is to spray crops with pesticides.
Figure B.S.4.1 – A drone is a small helicopter or airplane without a pilot.
Figure B.S.4.2 – Some farmers use drones to spray crops with pesticides.
Figure B.S.4.3 – Drones equipped with sensors and cameras collect information about crops.
Watch More
Farming Drones
This video explains more about how drones are used in farming to improve crop yields.
This video explains more about how drones are used in farming to improve crop yields.
Watch this video to see the sensors on a drone and learn how the sensors are used to collect information from plant leaves.
Words to Think About:
Check out the word cloud below. It pictures the important words that you are going to learn in this section. Watch for these words, and combinations of these words, as you read. When you see them highlighted, you can click on them to learn more about
what the word means.
You can also visit the course glossary and read definitions for all of these words.
Lessons in This Section
Lesson D12: Plant Growth Technologies
Key Question – How can humans grow larger amounts of plants?
Lesson D13: Selective Breeding and Genetically Modified Organisms
Key Question – How can humans develop better types of plants?
Lesson D14: Crops, Pests, and Sustainability
Key Question – How do humans safely prevent pests from destroying crops?
Reading and Materials for This Section
Science in Action 7
Reading: Pages 150–168
Materials Lists for Unit:
Computers in Farming
Are you surprised to learn that farmers use computers to help them farm better? Modern farmers use sensors and computers to collect and analyze information about the plants in their fields.
For example, a farmer might put moisture sensors into the soil. The sensors send messages to a cell phone app. The app tells the farmer what parts of the fields are too wet and what parts are too dry. This helps farmers water their fields exactly where the plants need it.
Sensors on drones collect information about plant growth. This helps farmers calculate exactly how much fertilizer to use on their fields. This means farmers spend less money on fertilizer because they do not over-fertilize. Also, when appropriate amounts of fertilizer are spread on farm fields, fertilizer is less likely to run off the fields into nearby waterways.
Are you surprised to learn that farmers use computers to help them farm better? Modern farmers use sensors and computers to collect and analyze information about the plants in their fields.
For example, a farmer might put moisture sensors into the soil. The sensors send messages to a cell phone app. The app tells the farmer what parts of the fields are too wet and what parts are too dry. This helps farmers water their fields exactly where the plants need it.
Sensors on drones collect information about plant growth. This helps farmers calculate exactly how much fertilizer to use on their fields. This means farmers spend less money on fertilizer because they do not over-fertilize. Also, when appropriate amounts of fertilizer are spread on farm fields, fertilizer is less likely to run off the fields into nearby waterways.
Figure B.S.4.4 – Modern farm equipment is equipped with computers.
Figure B.S.4.5 – Farmers use computers to collect information that helps them grow healthy crops.
Watch More
Computers in Farming
Watch this video to learn more about how computers are used in farming.
Watch this video to learn more about how computers are used in farming.
Farms of the Future
This video shows a farm that has adopted lots of computer technologies to make farming more productive.
This video shows a farm that has adopted lots of computer technologies to make farming more productive.