Plant production

• The main function of the root system is to anchor the plant, absorb water and minerals from the soil.
• Classification of living organisms:

  • Domains: Archaea and bacteria are Prokaryotes, Eukarya are Eukaryotes
  • Phylum in Plantae: Thallophyta, Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, Spermatophyta
• Spermatophyta:

  • Seed plants comprising Angiosperms and Gymnosperms
  • Angiosperms: flowering plants with seeds within an ovary
  • Gymnosperms: non-flowering plants with undeveloped seeds
• Examples of Angiosperms:

  • Trees, shrubs, vines, flowers
  • Vines
  • Palms
• Differences between crops and plants:

  • A plant has leaves, stem, roots, flowers, and seeds
  • A crop is a plant bred by man for food or fiber
  • Agriculture originated in various areas of the world
• Origin of cultivated crops:

  • Domestication of plants originated in Central Africa
  • Crops that originated in Africa: Cowpea, coffee, Sorghum, African rice, millet, watermelon, yam
• The big four crops that feed the masses of the world:

  • Wheat, Rice, Maize, Potatoes
• Modes of the origin of crops:

  • Natural selection
  • Artificial breeding
• Classification of plants:

  • Scientific Classification (Taxonomy)
  • Taxonomic categories: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
• Scientific Classification example: Maize (Zea mays)

  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Phylum: Spermatophyta
  • Class: Liliopsida
  • Order: Cyperales
  • Family: Poaceae
  • Genus: Zea
  • Species: mays
• Non-scientific Classification:

  • Classifications according to uses, leaf retention, duration of life, flowering stimulus, edible portions, climate
• Specialized Areas in Plant Production:

  • Agronomy
  • Horticulture (pomology, olericulture, floriculture, landscape design, viticulture)
  • Pasture Science
  • Forestry
  • Plant Breeding, Plant Protection (Plant Pathology, Plant Nematology, Entomology, Weed Science)