describe the life cycle of a biennial
biennial: 2 year life cycle
1st year- vegetative growth
2nd year- reproductive growth (most important)
describe the life cycle of a winter annual vs. summer annual
annual- completes life cycle in 1 year
a. winter annual: germinate in the fall, grow in the winter seed out (finish life cycle) in the spring
b. summer annual: germinate in the spring, grow in the summer seed out (finish life cycle) in the fall
describe the life cycle of a perennial
A plant that continues to grow year after year
what is the difference between agronomic and botanical classification?
Botanical:identifies plants very specifically
- classified by plant structure (leaves, stems, flowers)
Agronomic: cultivated crops that are identified specifically
What types of plants are classified as monocots? Dicots?
monocots: 1 cotyledon (grasses)
Dicots: 2 cotyledon (trees)
what is the difference between a silage and hay crop?
forage crop: harvested for vegetative matter
hay crop: cut green, let it dry, processed and stored to be fed
silage: cut green, processed and stored in a anaerobic condition
define cover crop. how are they used besides the defined purpose?
Normally put in after the primary crop has been harvested.
cover crops: reduce erosion, and create a better structure
What is the purpose for a trap crop? catch crop? Companion Crop?
catch crop: 2nd crop planted after first crop fails
companion crop: annual seeded with perennial ( helps perennial crop establish)
trap crop: attracted insects away from your primary crop
what does the genus species provide? Cultivar?
Genus: is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms
Cultivar: cultivar is a plant that is produced and maintained by horticulturists but does not produce true-to-seed
what is a hardiness map? how can it be used?
Hardiness map is used to show average low temperatures in areas of the US.
USES
- how hardy the plant is (life cycle)
- planting date
- length of growing season
What is a halophyte, mesophyte, hydrophyte, and xerophyte?
1. hydrophytes: tolerate the most water (rice, cattails)
2. mesophytes: middle requirements for water (majority of crops)
3. Xerophytes: don't require much water cactus
Halophytes: plants that tolerates high salt concentrations (salt absorbs water)
What is the difference between a woody plant and a herbaceous plant?
1. herbaceous plants: mostly annual, soft stem that dies back to the soil every year
2. woody plants: secondary growth stem
what are the 3 interactions of plants and organisms in an agroecosystem? Explain them in reference to what happens to each species involved. What are examples
Mutualism: organisms living together with a beneficial relationship (Ex. Pollinatinators/ plants)
Allelopathy: one organism suffers a negative effect
(Ex. Alfalfa)
Competition: organism both trying to utilize the same resources (Ex. Plants)
What are advantages and 2 disadvantages of each cropping system?
Crop rotation-
Pros: pest control, erosion control
Cons: Machinery requirements, variation in soil
Continuous Cropping-
Pros: high yields more profitible, less equipment
Cons: higher pest pressure, higher erosion
What are the different systems of multi-cropping? How are the different
Strip intercropping: alternating strips of 2 or more crops across a field
Relay intercropping: growing 2 or more crops in the same field at the same time (used for silage and more food)
Double cropping: growing 2 or more crops on the same field in the sam
Why is a fallow system used?
replenishes nutrients and more organic matter; and letting the soil absorb rainfall
What is the difference between relay intercropping and double cropping?
relay cropping is growing 2 plants at the same time in the same field where as double cropping is growing 2 crops in the same field but at different times.
What does sustainable agriculture mean? what practices make a producer sustainable
one that will accommodate the basic needs of its present inhabitants while preserving the resources that will enable future generations to flourish.
1.Reducing agricultural runoff
2. Preventing pollution of lakes and rivers
3. Saving water
Define organic farming. What is prohibited?
agricultural system that uses ecologically based pest controls and biological fertilizers derived largely from animal and plant wastes and nitrogen-fixing cover crops.
Anything artificial is prohibited
What are some factors of plant competition?
Nutrients, water, light
How can plant competition be managed by nutrient/fertilizer application?
Helps supplement for the nutrients they are lacking
How can producers create competition within their own field?
Two plants try to utilize the same limited resources
What drives world wide production of crops?
Diet