Pre Midterm

Question 1

Negative effects of polyhouses

Answer 1

Tough to recycle the plastic
Is affecting local temperature
Negative environmental impact
Can see effluent coming off of them
In Spain it looks like a sea of plastic

Question 2

Crop Management Triangle

Answer 2

Genotype: Species, cultivar, scheduling (at the top)
Chemical control- like hormones (left side)
Mechanical control- tree sector (right side)
Environmental control (bottom)
Then middle of the triangle is variable; things like plant height, flowering

Question 3

Spaghum moss

Answer 3

Not renewable

Question 4

Media/substrate needs to provide:

Answer 4

Sufficient oxygen (gas exchange, aeration via porosity via coarseness/fineness of media)
Hold enough water (texture, coarseness/fineness of media)
Be a source of nutrients
Provide anchorage for the plant

Question 5

Fastest way to kill houseplants

Answer 5

Overwatering because of drowning roots can’t breathe

Question 6

Rock Wool Culture

Answer 6

An artificial growing medium made from basaltic rock, coke and limestone
Available as slabs, blocks starting plugs and granules

Question 7

Horticultural rock wool has the following properties

Answer 7

Low CEC and inert
High water-holding capacity
High initial pH
Sterile, light weight and easy to handle

Question 8

Coir (Coconut Fibre) Culture in Hydroponics

Answer 8

Coir has a pH of between 5.6-6.5
Bulk density (weight per unit volume) is .08g/cm3
It is used the same way as rock wool with the exception of the following: Saturate coir before planting, soak bags of coir with nutrient solution with a slightly higher Ca level but lower K level.

Question 9

Media chemical properties

Answer 9

CEC
pH
Fertility
EC