Intro To Plant Science

Introduction to
Plant Science
CUHS Ag Department
Ag Science 1
Mrs Raggio
Civilization
In the beginning, Nomads followed herds of
animals and gathered food. When they
discovered that they could seed grain and
harvest it, they no longer needed to follow a
food source. This allowed people to live in
one place, thus the beginning of civilization.
Origin of Grain
Wheat = Egypt, Iran, Turkey
Corn = Mexico
Explorers would bring wheat to
North America, and return with
corn.
Plants as a Food Factory
Green plants are the only living
things capable of Photosynthesis
(using energy from sun to make
sugar)
World population:
● 1978 = 4 billion
● population grows 200,000/day
● 60-80% of deaths in world are from
undernutrition or malnutrition
● average person needs 2200 Kilocalories per
day
● half the world receives less than 1500
Kilocalories
Balanced diet
● meat and cereals
North America = 35% meat, 40%
cerial, 25% fruits/veg
Asia = 10% meat, 75% cereal (rice)
How can we produce more food?
● increase number of acres in production
● 3 million acres per year taken out of
production in the U.S. for residential and
commercial use
● increase production per acre
(Japan, Canada, Deserts, Jungles)
How has production changed in
America?
● Civil War: 1 farmer produced enough food
for his family (1:6)
● 1920 = 1:10
● 1970 = 1:50
● 1990 = 1: 70
● 1998 = 1:128
● Corn production per acre doubled from 1940
to 1960 (hybrid corn & fertilizer)
● Research: colleges, USDA, Industry
Plant Life Cycles
*
What is a Life Cycle?
• from the time a seed is planted until a seed is
produced
*
What are the Life Cycles?
• Annuals, Biennials, & Perennials
*
Annual
• complete life cycle in one
growing season
• can be summer annuals (spring wheat, barley)
or winter annuals (winter wheat)
*
Biennials
• require two growing seasons to
produce seed
• first season plant produces vegetation, second
season seed (sugar beet, carrot)
*
Perennials
indefinite growth, can produce seed
annually (grasses, trees, shrubs,
onion)
*
Introduction to Plant
Production
What is a Seed?
• package containing an embryo
(miniature plant) and food
• seeds are alive, need air
*
What is Germination?
• process where embryo changes to
seedling (growing plant)
*
What conditions are
necessary for germination?
1) moisture
2) correct temperature
3) air
4) some seeds need light
5) some seeds need help (break seed coat
[sunflower], remove a chemical from seed,
heat, chill [winter wheat])
*
What are Warm Season
Crops?
• soil temperature must be 70 degrees F or more
for germination (corn, rice, cotton, melons)
*
What are Cool Season
Crops?
• soil temp below 70 degrees F
(wheat, barley, beets)
*
How deep do seeds need to
be planted?
• the size of the seed determines
• larger seed = deeper
• corn = 4"
• bluegrass = 1/4"
*
Germination Process
1) seed absorbs water, swells
2) water activates enzymes which help digest
stored food
3) root grows
4) shoot emerges (is now a seedling)
*
Plant Production Continued
What is vegetative
growth?
• plant produces food for itself
• extra food is stored in roots,
stems, etc.
*
What is Tillering
(Stooling)?
• when new stems are formed
in grass plants
*
What is Jointing?
• stems of grass plants
elongate rapidly
*
What is Respiration?
• process how plants get energy
from its stored food
*
How is food stored in
plants?
• form of carbohydrates (sugars)
*
How does respiration
work?
Food + Oxygen --> Carbon
Dioxide + Water + Energy
*
What factors can influence
the rate of respiration?
1) high temps = high rate of
respiration
2) high amounts of light = high rate
3) high amounts of water = high
rate
*
What is Photosynthesis?
• process of converting water and
carbon dioxide into food (sugar) and
oxygen in the presence of
chlorophyll and light
• photosynthesis and respiration are
opposite cycles
*
What is Transpiration?
• process of returning water to the air (in the
form of gas)
• 99% of water taken in by roots is
transpired
• Wilt = plant transpires more than it takes in
*
What are Nutrients?
• elements needed by plants to grow

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