Final answer:
An on-site plot where fruits and vegetables are cultivated is known as a monoculture when a single crop is grown, such as the case with a farmer planting soybeans over a large field. This intensive farming practice can impact soil health and requires significant labor, often sourced from immigrant workers in places like California. Horticulture, with techniques like leaving land fallow and rotating crops, offers a sustainable alternative to monoculture.
Step-by-step explanation:
An on-site plot where fruits and vegetables are cultivated can be referred to using various terms. However, in the case of a farmer planting a single crop like soybeans over their entire 100-hectare field, this is known as a monoculture. Monoculture refers to a farming practice where only one type of agricultural product is grown on a particular piece of land at a time. This strategy can lead to efficiency in planting and harvesting but may also contribute to the depletion of soil nutrients and increased vulnerability to pests and diseases.
Plant cultivation, especially of fruits and vegetables, is a labor-intensive process that involves tilling, sowing, watering, weeding, and countless other tasks. This work often requires the labor of extended families or the hiring of farm workers. In regions like California's Great Central Valley, this labor is frequently provided by immigrant workers, which has sparked ongoing debates about labor practices, economics, and cultural integration within agricultural communities.
Furthermore, techniques like horticulture involve sustainable farming strategies, such as organic fertilization and pest control. Keeping the soil rich in nutrients can sometimes necessitate a plot to be left to lie fallow. During this time, no crops are grown and the land is allowed to recover its fertility. Horticulture often employs crop rotation over multiple plots to maintain soil health and productivity. This is an example of extensive or shifting cultivation, which contrasts with the monoculture approach.