Hybrid farming is a sustainable and innovative approach to agriculture that combines multiple growing techniques to meet the growing demand for food while reducing the environmental impact of farming. It is a method of crop production that involves the use of hybrid seed varieties, which are created by cross-breeding two or more genetically-distinct parent plants. Seeds from a hybrid plant are highly resistant to pests, diseases, and adverse weather conditions. The method of farming is a very common form of farming in industrial agriculture and home gardening.
In hybridisation, pollination is meticulously observed to ensure that the right plants are crossed to achieve the desired combination of characteristics, such as bigger size or better disease resistance. The process of developing a hybrid typically requires many years as after those years, the hybrid vegetables typically look like the veggies found at a supermarket. All hybrid seeds produced by farmers usually produce similar plants while seeds from the next generation from those hybrids will not consistently have the desired characteristics. According to research work by Siyal (2019), hybrid seeds are produced by cross-pollinated plants and produce uniform characteristics since they are gotten from two inbred strains.
This method of farming is chosen to improve the characteristics of the resulting plants such as better yield, improved colour and disease resistance. Hybrid methods of farming can be in different ways, which may include the three line system, the two lines system and by using chemical emasculators. Asides that, research also shows that the application of hybridisation, although can be used in breeding of new crop varieties, yet, is also limited to the self-pollinating nature of crops like rice. The development of third generation hybrid rice using nuclear male sterile systems is said to be a promising area of research. Hybrid plants are known to have up to 25% higher yield, as they show faster growth which is beneficial for the farmers.
The plants have more vigour and are more resistant to a variety of diseases and illnesses such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and nematode infestation. Farmers go for this method of farming because of their uniqueness like efficient photosynthesis, production of plant nodules and increased ability to hold water. However, there are some major examples of crops significantly cultivated using the hybrid farming system. Such crops may include peanuts, bananas, wheat, coffee and roses have been majorly developed through hybridisation. Other crops may include hybrid corn, hybrid soybeans, hybrid wheat, hybrid tomatoes, hybrid squash and many other more. Some of the hybrid plants include, carrot, onion or fruits such as tomatoes. Another vital point to note is that hybrid farming is a sustainable and innovative approach to agriculture, which combines different growing techniques to meet the growing demand for food while reducing the environmental impact of farming.
This method, when employed by farmers, helps to find balance of context and timing for agri-food solutions by combining different agricultural methods to find synergies. However, despite all the beneficiary factors of hybrid farming, it is still faced with some disadvantages that make it difficult for farmers to cultivate using this farming system. One advantage of this method to farmers is that the crops from hybridisation may require more pesticides and fertilizers, which goes a long way to harm the environment. Not only that it makes it quite difficult for farmers as they tend to purchase new seeds every season, as hybrid crops do not produce viable seeds for replanting. These crops, when cultivated, using hybridisation may have lower nutritional value, compared to traditional varieties, as it is more susceptible to diseases or pests.
Reports also show that hybrid farming is a fast method of farming, which can be introduced by farmers, as it helps in reducing the water intake of watering crops due to its application of the hydroponics system and other water efficient methods. Some farmers attested that the method helps to reduce the intake of chemical use due to the use of natural and organic methods in farming. Additionally, the method of farming uses vertical farming and greenhouses to maximise growing space, thereby giving room for more crops to be grown in a smaller area.
