17. Match these techniques to the right sentence.
aeroponics • biodynamic agriculture • hydroponics • aquaponics
1. The combination of aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (the soil-less growing of plants), in a symbiotic environment. ............................................
2. A type of organic farming which focuses on ensuring self-sustainability of the soil by using special manure and herbal preparations to enhance soil health, integrating plants and animals and encouraging biodiversity. ............................................
3. The cultivation of plants by placing the roots in liquid nutrient solutions rather than in soil. ............................................
4. The growing of plants by suspending their roots in the air and spraying them with nutrient solutions.
............................................
5. Plants grow better because their roots receive directly more oxygen. ...................................
6. Plants can be grown in an inert medium or in an aquatic based environment. .........................
7. It is an advantageous technique if you dispose of small places to grow plants, particularly vegetables.
............................................
8. It takes into account the importance of cosmic forces. ............................................
9. Beneficial bacteria converts the fish waste into substances the plants can use to grow.
............................................
10. NFT is one of the basic types of this farming system.
............................................
18. Decide whether the statements are true or false and correct the false ones.
1. In aquaponics fish use nutrients from plants.
▢ T ▢ F
2. Aquaponics is not a profitable system as it wastes water and nutrients.
▢ T ▢ F
3. Rudolf Steiner was a German researcher.
▢ T ▢ F
4. Biodynamic farming has a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming.
▢ T ▢ F
5. Manure and compost are preferred to chemicals in biodynamics.
▢ T ▢ F
6. Aquaponics allows only monocropping.
▢ T ▢ F
19. Listen to a recording about different biodynamic preparations and complete the sentences.
1. Soil and ............................................ are both influenced by biodynamic preparations.
2. These preparations enhance the ............................................ and quality of the crops.
3. Preparations can be ............................................ on the field or used in compost heaps.
4. Preparation ............................................ consists of fresh manure, which is placed in cow’s horns.
5. Preparation 501, or horn ............................................ preparation, is made exclusively with quartz powder.
6. The quartz powder is placed in a sunny place from ............................................
to October.
7. The medicinal plants used in compost preparations are
.............................................
8. Particular enzymatic vital processes are activated during
.............................................
GLOSSARY
to enhance: potenziare
to ensure: assicurare
heap: mucchio/cumulo
horn: corno
to lay: porre
marketable: commerciabile
to relate: mettere in relazione
to sow: seminare
warmth: calore
waste: rifiuti