Study Questions for Introduction to Crop Science III

Warning: The following questions may be poorly worded and subjective. Exam questions will be worded differently. Exams may also contain questions not listed here.

1. Name the 4 most important general environmental factors for plants
2. Identify and describe the 3 important characteristics of light.
3. Why do plants look green?
4. What is the importance of light Intensity?
5. Name a general effect of temps on plants.
6. Name 4 ways in which water is important to plants
7. Name the three ways that water can physically move.
   1. Define Mass Flow, Molecular movement and Imbibition.
8. What is meant by Active Transport?
9. Explain what happens when salty water gets into a plants root system.
   1. Why is this important with fertilizer applications?
10. Define Transpiration.
11. Why do plants transpire? (What is the purpose)
12. Describe in sequence how transpiration causes the flow of water out of the soil and through the plant
13. How is water movement out of the leaf physically controlled?
14. What environmental factor primarily controls Stomates?
15. What is the primary purpose of stomates?
16. Indicate 3 ways in which soils are important to plants.



17. What 2 factors ultimately define what a plant is and how it behaves?
    1. What is the role of genetics?
    2. What is the role of the environment?
18. Define Plant Development.
19. Define Growth.
20. Define Differentiation.
21. What is a Plant Growth Regulator (PGR)
22. Name the 5 most important PGR’s.
23. How is Ethylene different from the other PGR’s


24. What is meant by plant ‘movement’?
25. From where does most plant movement originate.
26. Name 3 types of movement that are caused primarily by internal stimuli.
27. Define Phototropism, Heliotropism, Gravitropism and Thigmotropism
    
28. Name 3 temporary movements
29. What is a possible mechanism for temporary (non-growth) movements (what plant function makes it happen?)
30. What is phytochrome?  
31. Name 3 roles that phytochrome plays in a plant growth or development
32. Define photoperiodism
33. What is meant by a short-day plant, long-day plant and a day-neutral plant?  Give an example of each
.
34. What is "Thermoperiodism"?
    1. Name one crop for which it is important
       
       
35. What is the essence of Respiration (Rs)?
36. Identify 3 types of Rs.
37. Write the generalized equation for aerobic respiration.
38. Generally describe the 2 parts of the respiration rxn.
39. Generally describe what happens in the energy transfer & release part of Rs?
40. How much ATP and CO₂ is produced from one Glucose molecule?
41. Identify three environmental factors affecting Rs and their specific effects.
42. What is meant by Assimilation?
43. How is that all of the different processes can occur in a cell and not interfere with each other



44. Name 4 levels of an ecosystem organization and give an description or example of each
45. What distinguishes an agricultural ecosystem from a natural one?
46. Give 3 reasons why agricultural ecosystems are NOT self-regulating.
47. Indicate 4 Ecological consequences of high intensity agricultural ecosystems
48. Indicate 3 sources for Nitrogen additions to the soil for plant uptake. List 3 possible ways for losses from the soil.



49. Identify the 6 features of every crop production system.
50. Name a couple of major improvements to crop production techniques from the past 100 years
51. Define 'Cropping System'.
52. Describe the difference between Monoculture and Multiple Cropping systems.
53. Name and describe 2 common Monoculture and 2 common Multiple cropping systems.



54. Give a definition of Precision Farming.
55.  Indicate a good reason for why Site-Specific Management has evolved into a farming tool.
1.  How do computers help?
56. Why is Precision Farming needed?
57. Name at least 3 variations found in most farm fields
58. Theoretically, why should Precision Farming improve profits.
59. Indicate the usual process  followed in Precision Farming