Mid-Sem revision questions Flashcards
What types of plants are dealt with under crop and pasture production
Oilseeds, legumes, grains, sugar, cotton etc.
What composition does the world’s diet have?
- 45% grains
- 11% fruits + veg
- 20% sugar + fat
- 8% dairy + eggs
- 9% meat
- 6% other
How did agriculture start
Major crops domesticated ~10,000 - 5000 years ago
plants were domesticated in parallel across several regions
plants with more favourable characteristics were more likely to be planted –> domestication
caused crop productivity to rise
When did agriculture start
Approximately 13,000 years ago
What are crop products used for
Food + drink Fibre Pharmaceuticals Fodder for animals Materials (eg. rubber)
What products are dealt with under crop and pasture production
Food + drink Fibre Pharmaceuticals Fodder for animals Materials (eg. rubber)
Important crop families
Poaceae - All grasses eg. wheat
Fabaceae - legumes
Brassicaceae - important vegetables like kale, cabbage and canola
Solanaceae - Capsicum, Tomato, eggplant/potatoe
Rosacaceae - Berries, apples, cherry, peach, almonds
What are common ways of classifying crop production systems
Life form of the crop - annual vs perennial
Seasonality - Summer vs winter crops
Intensity of management - Broadacre vs intensive
Crop rotation - Continuous cropping vs rotational cropping
Water source - Irrigated vs Dryland
Amount of species - Monocultures vs Polycultures
What do plants need in order to grow
Correct environmental conditions (temperature, sun, water availability, day length)
Light, Carbon, Oxygen Macro + micro nutrients
Management of weeds
Protection from pests and disease
What are the main growth stages of the annual growth cycle for annual crops
Establishment
Vegetative growth
Reproductive growth
Seed production
what are the main growth stages of the annual growth cycle for perennial crops
Bud Break (followed by Green growth) Blossom Pollination Fruit set (followed by development and maturation) Harvest Leaf Fall Dormancy
What macronutrients do plants need
N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S
What micronutrients do plants need
Fe, Mn, B, Zn, Cu, Mo, Cl
What are the four components of the soil matrix
Mineral Fraction
Soil organic matter
Water
Soil atmosphere
What is the importance of the mineral fraction of soil
Determines soil texture
Determines pore size
What is the importance of soil organic matter
Reservoir of S, N and P
Stabilises soil aggregates
Retains soil moisture
Serves as a substrate for biological activity
What is the importance of soil water
Serves as a reservoir to support plant growth
What is the importance of the soil atmosphere
Functions to allow gas exchange
Roots neet O2 to grow and function
Legumes need N2 to fix nitrogen
What are the main methods of pest control
Chemical Biological Managing crop residues (crop rotation) Disease resistant varieties Canopy management
What are the 4 aspects of a cropping system, and what do they mean
People: business owner’s goals, work organisation and employment
Technical aspects: How the crop is actually grown, type of crop, irrigation level, pest control etc.
Economic & Finance Aspects: Is it profitable? Level of risk?
Beyond the farm gate: Markets, Policy, Societal Expectations, Interactions with Natural Environment & Community
What is meant by the phrase “farming smarter, not harder”
agricultural inputs are neither free nor unlimited - farming has to get more efficient to stay profitable.
What is Input efficiency?
Amount of output per unit input
define a cropping system
combination of plants, growing environment, and management operations that is managed by the farmer to meet their goals.
What are the major perennial horticulture crops produced in australia and around the world
Stone fruits, pip fruits, nuts, viticulture, pome (apple, pear, nashi), citrus, berries, oil
Where are perennial horticulture crops grown in australia and why
Mainly grown in temperate region, since climactic conditions are better suited to perennials (rainfall, chill hours) and especially in the murray darling basin due to access to irrigation
What are the main features of perennial horticulture production systems
Woody perennials rely on NSC (non structural carbohydrates) to get them through dormancy, and to power bud burst, so a balance needs to be struck between fruit growth and NSC stores
Plants take a long time to mature, hence genetic variability is not desired - use cloning techniques in stead of sexual reproduction
Since plants have multiple growing seasons, maintenance tasks such as pruning, and canopy maintenance have to occur
What are the main features of perennial horticulture production systems
Woody perennials rely on NSC (non structural carbohydrates) to get them through dormancy, and to power bud burst, so a balance needs to be struck between fruit growth and NSC stores
Plants take a long time to mature, hence genetic variability is not desired - use cloning techniques in stead of sexual reproduction
Since plants have multiple growing seasons, maintenance tasks such as pruning, and canopy maintenance have to occur
Vegetative / reproductive life cycle spans two growing seasons eg. Initiation for next season happening during flowering - need to put more care into planning for future harvests than with annuals
What is the seasonal cycle of crop production for perennial horticulture
During Dormancy:
Pruning - reduce number of buds + shape the plant
plant replacements (5% good target for apples)
During Main growing season
irrigation
thinning during bloom
pest and disease control
Crop management
Canopy management
Nutrition
During Harvest
removing mature fruit
What inputs are required for perennial horticulture
Root stocks, Scions, Trellising material, Irrigation generally, fertiliser (eg. Calcium spray for apples)
What are the environmental and rural community sustainability issues with perennial horticulture
Water use eg. Almond growers buying out all the water rights and harming the dairy industry
Global warming - Less chill hours causing poorer fruit development, plants maturing at different times eg. granny smiths being more difficult to use as a pollinator for green lady
what are the 4 cycles for an annual crop
Preparation, Sowing, Management of growing crop, harvest
what management decisions need to be made during preparation
Graze/ burn stubble?
Herbicide application
Cultivation
Soil amendments (eg. lime)
what management decisions need to be made during sowing
Time to sow Method eg. direct drill vs conventional Depth Density Fertilisation
what management decisions need to be made during management of growing crop
Weed control
Pest/disease control
Nutrition
what management decisions need to be made during Harvest
when to harvest
Marketing
Storage
What are the major broadacre crops grown in Australia (and around the world)
Cereals (Wheat, maize, rice) Legumes (Soy, lupins, chickpeas) Oilseeds (sunflower, canola, peanut) Cotton Sugar
Where are broadacre crops grown in australia
grown in the wheat sheep belt largely (Sugarcane, and tropical legumes grown in tropical Qld)
Winter crops grown in southern and western agroecological zone, summer crops in northern zone
What are the markets for australian broadacre crops?
East Asia, S.E Asia, and the middle East
What are the features of broadacre production systems?
Large areas
High degree of mechanisation
largely rain-fed
Generally monocultures
Reasons to use crop rotation
Pest and disease management (host specific pests)
Weed management (selective herbicides)
Soil fertility management (Legumes, deep rooted species)
Diversify income / spread risk
