Plant Science: Terms and Concepts, Exams of Gardening and Horticulture

Download Plant Science: Terms and Concepts and more Exams Gardening and Horticulture in PDF only on Docsity! Louisiana Landscape Horticulture A-M Exam Questions with Verified Solutions. Acid Soil - ANS Soil with a pH of less than 7.0. Agricultural lime is used to raise the pH and correct a very acid soil condition. Acre - ANS A land containing 43,560 square feet and measuring approximately 210' x 210' square Actual - ANS The part of the formula of any product, containing several ingredients, which refers to a specific ingredient. For example, a 5-pound box of a general purpose plant food (10-10-10) would have 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphate and 10% potassium. 10% of 5lbs is 1/2lb. Therefore, the actual content of the three major ingredients in the mixture is 1/2 lb. each. Adventitious Root or Shoot - ANS Produced on stem tissue after removal from the mother plant. These tissues developed on cuttings are identical to those found during seedling development. Alkaline Soil - ANS Soil with a pH of more than 7.0. The pH of alkaline soils are reduced by the application of iron sulfate, aluminum or large amounts of sawdust, peat moss, or ground pine bark. Annual Plant - ANS A plant living one year or less, usually planted in spring after the last frost and dying at time of killing frost. During this time, the plant grows, blooms, produces seeds and dies. Anther - ANS The upper part of a stamen that produces pollen. Apical Dominance - ANS The suppression of growth of lateral buds by the terminal bud of a stem. Arboretum - ANS an area devoted to the display of a variety of living trees and shrubs for study and comparison. Asexual - ANS Without sex; refers to reproduction not involving the fusion of gametes. Axim - ANS A plant hormone that influences and regulates plant growth. Balled and Bur lapped - ANS Plant prepared for transplanting by digging them so that the soil adjacent to the roots remains undisturbed; the ball of earth is then wrapped in burlap or similar mesh fabric. Bare Root - ANS In the winter or early spring, many varieties of deciduous plants are sold with their roots bare. Dormant plants dug from the soil have their roots cleaned and trimmed, and are prevented from drying out until the time they should be planted. Bedding Plants - ANS Refers to small plants sold in flats or packs. They may be planted in beds, borders or wherever desired. Biennial - ANS A plant that produces a rosette of leaves the first year of its life, and sets flowers, fruit and seeds the second year and then dies. Ex: beet carrot, sweet William. Binomial - ANS A system of naming plants using two names. First name is the genus and the second the species. Botanical or scientific name. Biodegradable - ANS Any material than can be readily decomposed in the soil by the action of each microorganisms as bacteria and fungi. Bolting - ANS The production of a seed stalk by vegetative plants such as ornamental cabbage, spinach, lettuce or radish. Bolting by vegetable crops is undesirable. Bolting usually occurs when days are long and temperatures are warm. Broadcasting - ANS Scattering a material such as fertilizer or seed evenly over a soil surface. Bud - ANS an embryonic stem tip bearing young leaves, one or more flowers or both leaves and flowers. Bulb - ANS A bud, usually subterranean, consisting of a short, thick stem emitting roots from below and bearing overlapping, scale like leaves. Caliper - ANS In landscape and nursery usage, the diameter of a tree measured six inches above the ground line if up to a four-inch caliper; larger caliper trees are measured twelve inches above the ground line. In forestry, the caliper is measured for and a half feet above ground line. Cambium Layer - ANS The layer of actively dividing mass between the outer bark and the inner wood of woody plants. Capillary Action - ANS The attraction of soil particles to water molecules, causing an up or downward movement of the water into the soil. Becoming popular in container watering. Carbohydrate - ANS Any group of chemical compounds (including sugars, starches and cellulose) containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen only. Culture - ANS A specialized activity used in growing plants. (E.g. pruning, watering, cultivation) Cutting (or slip) - ANS Asexual propagation of plants; propagated by breaking or cutting off a portion of a branch or root and planting it in soil or water so that it can grow roots and in time become a plant exactly like the parent. Cutting height - ANS In mowing lawns, the measurement from grass clipped to soil line. Damping Off - ANS A fungus that causes seedlings to die immediately before or just after they break through the soil. Careful watering, good drainage and sterilizing seed bed soil help in preventing damping off. Day-neutral - ANS A term applied to plants which are not affected by the relative length of dark and light periods. Deciduous - ANS Plants that shed all their leaves at the end of the growing season and remain leafless during the winter or dormant period. Deep Rooted - ANS Plants with deeply growing roots as contrasted with roots growing on or close to the soil surface. Determinate Tomato - ANS Terminal bud sets fruit, stops stem growth. The plant is self- topping. Seldom needs staking. Dethatching - ANS Removal of the thatch layer of turf by machine, garden rake, or dethatching rake to increase air flow and penetration of fertilizers and water. Dew - ANS Condensed moisture from the atmosphere adhering in the form of small drops to any cool surface. Dew Point - ANS A temperature point below which moisture in the atmosphere is condensed into small drops. Diameter Breast Height - ANS Term used in measuring a tree caliper; the caliper is measured four foot six inches above the ground line. Dibble - ANS A handled, pointed tool for making holes in the soil for planting seeds, bulbs, transplanting, etc. Dioeciously - ANS Plants having staminate flowers on one plant and postulate flowers on another. Dividing - ANS A method for increasing plants such as bulbs, perennials, and other plants that spread by developing roots and tops in clumps (e.g. dahlias, iris, and day lilies). Accomplished by digging up all or a portion of a plant, breaking apart the rooted sections and replanting. Dormancy - ANS Cyclic period when a plant rests; its growth processes is greatly slowed down. This occurs in many species by the coming of winter as days grow shorter and temperatures begin to drop. The period ends in spring when the plant is exposed to higher temperatures for an extended number of hours. Dormancy is a plant's safeguard against extremes of temperature, lack of water, etc. Drainage - ANS A term used to describe how water passes through the soil. Adequate water passage is essential to the proper growth of almost all plants. Drainage (Air) - ANS A term used to describe the circulation of air into the soil and the flow of respiration product out the soil. Compacted soil around roots resist air flow, making it difficult for many plants to thrive. Also refers to movement of air from adjacent areas to affect temperature changes. Drip Irrigation - ANS A system of water at points on or just below the soil surface so that only the immediate areas around the roots are moistened. The irrigation should be made with a very low water pressure over a long period of time to supply plants with only the amount of moisture needed to replace the plant's moisture less. Drip Line - ANS 1) A line drawn around a tree directly under the outermost ends of its branches. Term is used in connection with watering and fertilizing trees. 2) The point at which rain drops off a roof. Dwarf - ANS A normally large plant genetically cultivated for shorter and more compact growth. Espalier - ANS A plant trained to grow flat against a surface such as a wall or trellis. Ethylene - ANS A growth regulator which has various effects on plants. Example: promoting bromeliads to flowers, increasing uniformity of ripening some fruits, and damaging petals of cut flowers such as roses and carnations. Ever blooming - ANS Plants that bloom intermittently during the entire growing season. Evergreen - ANS A plant which does not lose all its leaves at one time. Extension Agent - ANS Cooperative Extension Service Agent located in the county/parish seat of each county/parish of the state to assist the public with information relating to agriculture, home economics, natural resources and 4-H. Fertilization - ANS 1) The successful fusion of two sexually different plant cells to form the embryo of a seed capable of producing a new plant; 2) The application of fertilizer to soil. Fertilizer - ANS A material which provides one or more mineral nutrients in forms which can be used by growing plants. The term generally refers to materials of organic or inorganic origin that are known to increase nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium when added to soil or dissolved in water. Flower - ANS Usually a symmetrical form of colorful growth with the primary purpose of producing seed for plant reproduction. Foliage Plant - ANS Plants grown especially for the beauty of it foliage as contrasted to those plants grown for flowers or fruit. Frond - ANS The leaf of a palm tree or fern. Frost - ANS Temperature below the dew point, causing freezing condition and a covering of minute ice particle on exposed objects. Fumigant - ANS A chemical used in the form of a volatile liquid or gas to kill insects, nematodes, fun, bacteria, seeds, roots, rhizomes, or entire plants; usually released within an enclosure or in the soil. Fumigation - ANS Applying chemicals or gases to control insects within an enclosed area or under a plastic cover. Fungicide - ANS A chemical material used to retard or prevent the growth of fungi. Genus - ANS Describing the classification of a related family of plants consisting of one or more species. Germination - ANS the sprouting of a seed and the commencement of growth. Also used to mean the starting of plants from seeds. Girdle - ANS Cambium growth around a wire or twine which has been tightly wrapped around the trunk, limb or roots of a plant. 2) A piece of bark that has been stripped from around a plant's trunk. 3) Circling roots can also girdle trees or shrubs and cause injury or death. Grafting - ANS The process of joining a scion (shoot) into a stock so that cambium layers grow together and form a union of two plant parts. Ground Cover - ANS Refers to both plants and inert material, used to cover areas to prevent soil erosion or to discharge the intrusion of undesirable plants. Growing Medium - ANS Specifically formulated soil substitute prepared for growing plants.