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Importance of Horticulture

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The Horticulture Innovation Lab focuses on horticultural crops, primarily fruits and vegetables. Common definitions for horticultural crops also include herbs, spices and ornamental flowers.  Why is horticulture important Horticulture enriches diets:  Horticulture — specifically, growing fruits and vegetables — provides critical nutrients for a balanced diet. Diets low in fruits and vegetables contribute significantly to some of the world’s most widespread and debilitating nutrient-related disorders. Horticulture increases incomes:  Farmers growing high-value crops, such as fruits, vegetables, flowers or herbs, consistently earn more than those growing other commodities. Horticulture can be an engine for agricultural and economic diversification Improving livelihoods — by increasing farmer profits and diversifying nutrient-rich diets — are major goals of the Horticulture Innovation Lab’s research efforts around the world. The program is guided by the ...

Agriculture Food Science

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Agricultural and Food Scientists Career, Salary and Education Information  What They Do : Agricultural and food scientists research ways to improve the efficiency and safety of agricultural establishments and products.  Work Environment : Agricultural and food scientists work in laboratories, in offices, and in the field. Most agricultural and food scientists work full time.  How to Become One : Agricultural and food scientists need at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited postsecondary institution, although many get advanced degrees.  Salary : The median annual wage for agricultural and food scientists is $64,020.  Job Outlook : Overall employment of agricultural and food scientists is projected to grow 7 percent over the next ten years, faster than the average for all occupations. Employment of agricultural and food scientists is projected to grow as research into agricultural production methods and techniques continues.  Related Ca...

Top Fifteen Useful Edible Weeds

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Top Fifteen Useful Edible Weeds When Ken and Addy Fern were actively working on their experimental plot in Cornwall, visitors would have noticed the large amount of weeds that grew there. This was partly because they simply didn't have enough time to keep on top of all the weeds, but also because many are quite useful, and some were even actively encouraged. Their approach was that a weed is merely a plant growing somewhere they didn't want it to grow and, instead of automatically hoeing out any plant that didn't put there, try and leave in all those that are not likely to interfere with the other plants they were growing. There are several ways in which weeds can be helpful to leave in the garden. Many of them, for example, are edible (indeed some are very tasty), whilst others have medicinal properties or other uses. Weeds also help to provide a more balanced environment by providing food and habitats for insects and other creatures - this can have a very i...