PLSC Final

Corn (Zea mays)

Maize

Major Uses of Corn

Food, animal feed, sweetener, biofuel, alcohol, industrial products.

Is Corn a Monocot or Dicot?

Monocot.

Meaning of Monoecious in Corn

Male and female flowers are on the same plant.

Location of Male Flower on Corn

Tassel at the terminal end.

Location of Female Flower on Corn

Ear in the leaf axil.

Types of Corn

Dent, Flint, Flour, Popcorn, Sweet, Pod.

Characteristics of Dent Corn

Starchy top dents when dried.

Main Use of Dent Corn

Animal feed.

Characteristics of Flint Corn

Soft starch center with hard outer layer.

Characteristics of Flour Corn

Soft starch throughout kernel.

Characteristics of Popcorn

Small kernels with expansion ability.

Characteristics of Sweet Corn

High sugar, little/no starch.

Characteristics of Pod Corn

Each kernel enclosed in a husk.

What Are Brace Roots?

Roots from stem nodes that stabilize plant.

What Are Coronal Roots?

Main uptake roots formed below soil surface.

South Louisiana Corn Planting Dates

Feb. 25 – March 20.

North Louisiana Corn Planting Dates

March 20 – April 1.

Last Day for Maximum Corn Yield Potential

April 15.

Yield Reduction After May 1

About 30%.

Minimum Germination Temperature for Corn

50°F.

Temperature Range That Can Kill Corn

32°F–45°F.

Ideal Average Summer Temperature for Corn

70°F–80°F.

Water Usage During Tasseling Stage

During 5 weeks after tasseling.

Soybeans (Glycine max)

China.

Most Important Legume Crop

Soybean.

Are Soybeans Annual or Perennial?

Annual.

Seeds in a Soybean Pod

3–5.

Are Soybeans Short-Day or Long-Day Plants?

Short-day plants.

Function of Soybean Nodules

Fix nitrogen.

Development of Nitrogen-Fixing Nodules

10–14 days after germination.

Two Major Soybean Uses

Human consumption and processing/crushing.

Major Uses of Soybean Oil

Cooking oil, salad dressing, margarine, inks, paints, cosmetics.

Main Use of Soybean Meal

Livestock feed.

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)

Cotton.

Cotton Type Grown in the U.S.

Upland cotton.

Which State Produces the Most Cotton?

Texas.

Major Products of Cotton

Cotton lint and cottonseed.

Is Cotton Annual or Perennial?

Perennial treated like an annual.

Cotton Planting Season

Late March – early May.

Effect of Excess Nitrogen on Cotton

Delays flowering.

Change of Cotton Flowers After Pollination

They close and turn pink/purple.

What is a Cotton Boll?

Fiber fruit after flowering.

Time from Flowering to Mature Boll

7–8 weeks.

Why Are Defoliants Sprayed on Cotton?

Remove leaves before harvest.

Minimum Rainfall for Cotton

20 inches.

Maximum Rainfall for Cotton

75 inches.

Is Cotton Photoperiod Sensitive?

No, it is day neutral.

What Does the Boll Weevil Do?

Lays eggs in cotton bolls.

When Was the Boll Weevil Eradication Commission Established?

1992.

Rice (Oryza sativa)

Annual grass.

Percentage of the World Relying on Rice

Over 50%.

Which U.S. State Produces the Most Rice?

Arkansas.

Rice Type Mainly Grown in the U.S.

Long-grain rice.

What is a Hydrophyte?

Plant adapted to aquatic environments.

How Do Rice Roots Receive Oxygen Underwater?

Oxygen transported from leaves.

Best Soil pH for Rice

5.5–6.5.

Effect of Flooding on Rice Soil pH

Raises pH by 0.5–1.5 units.

Southwest Louisiana Rice Planting Dates

March 15 – April 20.

North Louisiana Rice Planting Dates

April 5 – May 10.

Three Rice Seeding Methods

Drilled, broadcast water-seeded, broadcast dry.

Which Rice Seeding Method Uses Airplanes?

Broadcast water-seeded.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Temperate climates.

Ideal Rainfall for Wheat

10–20 inches/year.

What Increases Wheat Disease Development?

High heat and humidity.

Wheat Root System Type

Fibrous.

Difference Between Hard and Soft Wheat

Kernel hardness.

Main Wheat Type Grown in Louisiana

Soft red winter wheat.

North Louisiana Wheat Planting Dates

Oct. 15 – Nov. 5.

South Louisiana Wheat Planting Dates

Nov. 1 – 30.

Recommended Wheat Planting Depth

1–1.5 inches.

What Happens with Deeper Wheat Planting?

Emergence sharply decreases.

Is Wheat a Long-Day or Short-Day Plant?

Long-day.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.)

Sugarcane.

Is Sugarcane Annual or Perennial?

Perennial grass crop.

What is a Ratoon Crop?

Regrowth from previous crop stubble.

Sugarcane Planting Materials

Whole stalk cane and billets.

Sugarcane Planting Season

August – September.

Sugarcane Harvest Season

October – January.

What Determines Harvest Timing?

Sugar accumulation.

Fruits in Louisiana

Long growing season, humidity, rainfall, heat stress.

What Are Fruit Crops Generally Classified As?

Woody perennials.

What Breaks Dormancy in Fruit Crops?

Chill hours.

What Happens with Poor Chill Accumulation?

Poor yields.

Main Louisiana Peach Region

North Louisiana.

Official Louisiana State Fruit

Strawberry.

Soil pH Requirements for Blueberries

4.5–5.5.

Dominant Blueberry Type in Louisiana

Rabbiteye.

Blackberry Fruit Development Cane

Floricane.

Muscadine Grapes' Tolerance

Heat and humidity.

Warm-Season Vegetables

Spring through first freeze.

Ideal Soil pH for Warm-Season Vegetables

6.0–6.8.

Reason for Crop Rotation

Reduce insects/disease and maintain soil health.

Cause of Blossom End Rot

Calcium/water imbalance.

Tomato Transplant Age

About 8 weeks.

Summer Squash Maturity Time in Spring

45–50 days.

Ideal Okra Pod Harvest Size

2–4 inches.

What Happens If Okra Pods Stay Too Long?

Become woody/fibrous.

Watermelon Harvest Indicators

Ground spot, tendrils, skin texture, sound test.

Why Are Southern Peas Often Not Side-Dressed?

Usually grown on residual fertilizer.