Plant and Soil Final Flashcards
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1
Q
Food Desert
A
an area that has limited access to food that is plentiful, affordable, or nutritious
2
Q
Food Insecurity
A
lack of access to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members.
3
Q
Food Bank
A
A warehouse that collects and distributes food to charities such as food pantries
4
Q
Food Pantry
A
A location that directly provides clients with food and supplies
5
Q
2 reasons why crop origin is important
A
- genetic diversity
- Plant breeding
6
Q
What are Seed Banks?
A
Establishment that collects, stores, studies, experiments, and improves seeds for different purposes such as crisis management and scientific research
7
Q
3 reasons why are seed banks important?
A
1.Survival of plant species and genetic diversity
2.Provides seed to further crop research
3.Protect plants from climate change
8
Q
Soil
A
- The loose surface of the earth as distinguished
from solid bedrock
2.
A mixture of mineral matter, organic matter,
water and air
9
Q
5 factors of soil formation
A
- Parent Material
- time
- Climate
- Organisms
- Topography
10
Q
Define Soil profile
A
vertical section of a soil extending into the unweathered parent material and exposing all the horizons
11
Q
Define Soil Horizons
A
layers of soil with distinct physical and or chemical characteristics
12
Q
What are the 6 master horizons?
A
O, A, E, B, C, R
13
Q
What is the O layer? What are it’s traits?
A
O- Organic matter
oragnic debris, that is destroyed by plowing
14
Q
What is the A layer? What are it’s traits?
A
A-
1. top soil
2. tickness ranges from 3-30
3. important in soil fertility
4. faborable environment for root growth
15
Q
What is the E layer? What are it’s traits?
A
E- Eluviation
1. Strongly leached
2. grayish-brown to white
3. less clay than B soil
16
Q
What is the B layer? What are it’s traits?
A
B-
1. Subsoil
2. Yellowish-brown or reddish-brown
3. zone of accumulation
4. has more clay than other horizons
17
Q
What is the C Layer? What are it’s traits?
A
C-
very close to parent material, still can dig it up and it comes after a & B horizons
18
Q
What is the R Layer? What are it’s traits?
A
Hard Bedrock that you can’t dig
19
Q
What are the physical properties of Soil?
A
- Composition
- Texture
- Structure
- Bulk density
- Depth
- Color
- Water-holding capacity
20
Q
What is soil Composed of?
A
Small mineral particles, organic matter, water, air
21
Q
What are the 3 main textures of soil?
A
Sand, Silt, Clay
22
Q
Sand qualities in soil
A
- feels gritty
- will not stick together when wet
- low capacity for holding moisture and storing nutrients
23
Q
Silt qualities in soil
A
- feels smooth
- not sticky
- holds large amounts of water in a form the plants can use
24
Q
Clay qualities in soil
A
- high water capacity
- feels sticky
- can be molded into ribbons/wires
25
What are the different types of soil structure?
1. Granular
2. platy
3. blocky
4. puddle
5. massive
26
Granular soil structure qualities
1. Rougly sphirical
2. common in surface (a) horizon
3. 1-10mm in diameter
27
Platy soil structure qualities
1. flat peds that lie horizontally
2. most less than 2cm thick
3. occurs in subsurface (E and B) horizons
28
Blocky soil structure qualities
1. 5-50mm in diameter
2. subsoil (b) horizon
3. formed by expansion and compression of clay
4. roughly cube shaped
29
Puddle soil structure qualities
destroyed soil structure
30
Why is good soil structure important?
1. bad drainage
2. bad infiltration
3. bad productivity
31
How does texture and structure effect the water-holding capability of soil?
determine the ability of the soil to retain water
32
Sandy soil stats in water-holding capabilties
1. large pores
2. less water stored
3. water drain in 24 hrs
4. water lost before plants can utilize it
33
Clay soil stats in water-holding capabilities
1. small pores
2. store more water
3. hydroscopic water which plants can't use
34
Saturation definition
all pore spaces are filled completely with water
35
Field capacity definition
all the gravitational water has been drained and vertical movement of water due to gravity is negligible
36
permanent wilting point definition
point at which there is no more
water available to the plant
37
What does the Soil pH determine?
The avaliability of nutrients
38
Acidic pH
Soil solution contains more hydrogen ions
pH less than 7.0
39
Alkaline pH
Soil solution contains more hydroxyl ions
pH more than 7.0
40
Neutral pH
soil solution contains equal amounts of hydroxyl and hydrogen ions
pH exactly 7.0
41
What is Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)?
the total number of exchangeable cations a soil can hold (the amount or strength of its negative charge)
42
What is the role of organic matter in soils?
1. more organic matter=more CEC
2. Improves physical condition
3. improvesstructure,
4. increase water infiltration
5. Decreases erosion losses
6. Supplies plant nutrients
43
What are the 17 essential nutrients?
1. nitrogen (N)
2. phosphorus (P)
3. potassium (K)
4. sulfur (S)
5. calcium (Ca)
6. magnesium (Mg)
7. Boron (B)
8. Copper (Cu)
9. Chlorine (Cl)
10. Iron (Fe)
11. Manganese (Mn)
12. Molybdenum (Mo)
13. Zinc (Zn)
14. Nickel (Ni)
15. Hydrogen (H)
16. Carbon (C)
17. Oxygen (O)
44
Nitrogen Fixation definition
elemental N is
removed from the atmosphere by rhizobia and “fixes” it into a form plants can use
45
Rhizobia
organism that lives on nodules of legume plant roots
46
What is the deficiency symptom of Nitrogen (N)?
1. Stunted growth
2. yellowing of upper leaves
3. spindly stalks
4. pale green color
47
What is the deficiency symptom of Potassium (K)?
1. Scorching/browning of leaf margins on lower leaves
2. weak stalks
48
What is the deficiency symptom of Phosphorus (P)?
1. purplish color on lower leaves/stems
2. dead spots on fruits/leaves
49
what is the deficiency symptoms of Boron (B)?
1. terminal buds die
2. thick, brittle leaves with curling
50
What are the deficiency symptoms for Iron (Fe)?
1. interveinal chlorosis of upper leaves
51
What are the deficiency symptoms for Molybdenum (Mo)?
1. Pale green color
2. yellow older leaves
3. stunted growth
4. spindly stalks
52
What are the deficiency symptoms for Sulfur (S)?
1. yellow upper leaves
2. stunted growth
53
what factors affect nutrient avaliability?
1. nutrients need to be in the right chemical form
2. the right chemical form must come in contact with the plant
3. pH
4. Water
5. Nutrient interactions
54
What is the difference between active and passive uptake?
Active- the usage of energy to move nutrients
Passive- doesn't need energy to move nutrients
55
What is the difference between mobile and immobile in the plant?
mobile-can be moved to areas of plant with the greatest need
immobile-must stay where they are initially placed
56
Why do you do a soil test?
Helps you know the correct amounts of fertilizer to apply to your soil
57
How do you do a soil test?
1. shovel out small sections from different parts of your selected area
2. mix samples in clean bucket
3. fill out sample box/bag for shipment
58
What are some soil test "rules"
1. use same lab if comparing
2. do your soil tests around the same time of year
59
What is a plant tissue analysis?
the total elemental content of plants or of certain plant parts
60
What are fertilizers?
Fertilizers are materials that provide one or more nutrients for plant use
61
What is fertilizer grade? and which nutrients does it report?
guaranteed analysis of the material expressed in percent by weight as total nitrogen (N), available phosphate (P2O5) and soluble potash (K2O)
62
what are the "rules" of fertilizer placement?
1. keep it in the root zone
2. keep it consistant
3. apply when young
4. make sure to moisturize soil
5. don't be excessive
63
What is foliar fertilization and why would you do it?
Process of feeding nutrients to plants through their foliage
1. it's considered supplemental
2. good for frequent low doses
3. often used in micronutrient deficiencies.
64
What are factors to consider when using animal manures as fertilizer?
1. plant nutrient content is low
2. age of animal
3. what the animal consumed
4. kind of animal
5. the amount/kind of bedding used
6. manner in which manure was handled
65
What's the difference between synthetic and organic fertilizers?
Organic- minimally processed, or not processed at all, organically sourced
synthetic- manufactured, refined,
66
What is anhydrous ammonia?
it is a gas that lacks water but contains nitrogen
67
Pros and cons of using anhydrous ammonia
pros
- nitrogen sufficient
- lacks water so it 'seeks' water and that makes it a good fertilizer
Cons
-can be toxic
68
What is compost?
recycled organic matter
69
How do you make compost?
1. green material (nitrogen)
2. brown material (carbon)
3. water
4. air
70
Why add compost to soil?
1. good way to add organic matter
2. aids in nutrient and water retention
71
Who are soil microbes, where do they live and what do they eat?
1. microscopic organisms
2. live in soil & compost
3. they eat organic carbon from digesting organic matter
72
what do soil microbes do for plants?
1. fixing nitrogen from air
2. dissolving soil minerals
3. decomposing organic matter
73
what do soil microbes do for the soil?
1. help maintain good soil structure
2. creation and stabilization of aggregates in soil
74
what are some ways to manage soil to encourage lots of soil microbes?
1. Timely and appropriate tillage
2. Irrigation and drainage practices
3. Liming to maintain a near-neutral pH
4. Frequent addition of organic
(carbon-containing) residues
75
what is cover cropping?
the practice of growing plants to improve soil health and water quality between cash crops
76
why cover crop?
1. keeps soil covered
2. incorporating into the soil
3. can be used for other sections of farm
77
What is the difference between microclimates and macroclimates?
microclimates are a small scale like a yard, and are influenced by a house or a slope
macroclimates are large areas such as the midwest, and are effected by things like moutains and seasons
78
What is affected in plant life by temperature?
1. photosynthesis
2. respiration
3. absorption of minerals and water
79
what is a cool season plant?
1. can survive a mild frost
2. may be planted in early spring/fall
3. ex: lettuce, fescue, radish
80
what is a warm season plant?
1. usually killed by frost
2. require warmer temps
3. plant late spring
4. ex: tomatoes, corn, soybeans
81
define hardiness zones
climate classification based on average minimum temperatures
82
what is Growing Degree Days and why is it used?
used to estimate the growth and development of plants
and insects during the growing season
83
what is high temps linked to?
1. scalding
2. desiccation
3. kill protoplasm of cells
84
what are cold temps linked to?
1. freezing
2. winter injury
3. death due to frost
85
what is the first frost date?
oct 20th
86
what is the last frost date?
april 21th
87
what is shade?
area under a closed tree canopy that receives no direct sun
88
what is partial shade?
area under a lone or limited
number of trees receiving only 1-5 hours of dappled sun during the day
89
what is partial sun?
an area that receives approximately 3-5 hours of full sun per day
90
what is full sun?
area receiving 6 or more hours of full sun per day
91
what is photoperiodism
the plants response to day length
92
where are meristems, and what happens there?
1. tip of each stem and root
2. formation of new cells
93
germination definition
the sprouting of a seed
94
how does water effect germination?
there must be water for germination to occur and continue
95
how does light effect germination?
it stimulates/inhibits germination of some seeds
96
how does oxygen affect germination?
respiration is happening, oxygen is required
97
how does heat affect germination?
favorable temperature is important
98
what are some chemical inhibitors of seed dormacy?
1. abscisic acid which induces dormancy
2. phenolic compounds if there's not enough water in desert, the compound will restrict seed germination
99
determinate plants
plant grows vegetatively for a certain period of time, then flower clusters form at the shoot terminals
100
indeterminate plants
plants bear the flower cluster laterally along the stem and in the axils of the leaves, so the shoot terminals remain vegetative
101
annual plants
1. complete life cycle <1yr
2. must be replanted
102
biennial plants
1. complete life cycle in 2 growing seasons >1 yr
2. reproductive phase in second season
103
perennials
1. continue to grow past 2yrs
2. continue to grow vegetatively before & after reproductive phase
104
senescence
deterioration with age
105
what is permaculture?
A holistic, ethical design approach that aims to reduce waste, prevent pollution, and improve sustainability through land management and settlement design
