Crops Test 2

• What can legumes do with nitrogen in the air that other families of crops can’t?

Legumes can fix atmospheric nitrogen N2, converting N2 gas in the air into plant-usable forms of nitrogen—such as nitrate and ammonium that plants absorb through their roots.

• Legumes fix nitrogen in partnership with what?

They fix nitrogen in a symbiotic partnership with soil bacteria in the genus Rhizobium (Rhizobia) that live in nodules on the plant's roots.

• Can we inoculate legumes with the correct Rhizobia?

Yes, seeds can be inoculated for maximum nitrogen-fixation potential.

• What’s the #1 use of soybeans grown in the US?

Animal feed (accounting for 76% of global/US production).

• What’s the #1 human food use of soybeans grown in the US?

Soybean oil, which represents the primary ingredient in commercial "vegetable oil" in North America.

• When green soybeans are picked to be cooked and eaten directly as a snack by humans, that is called _________?

Edamame.

• Where does the peanut pod develop, compared to other legume crops?

Underground, even though the flowers bloom above ground.

• Where in the USA are peanuts grown?

Southeastern United States—led by Georgia (54%), Alabama (10%), Florida (10%), and North Carolina (9%)—as well as in Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.

• What happens to most of the peanuts grown in the USA (80-90%) – where are they sent for processing?

They are sent to a shelling processor where they are cleaned, de-hulled, and sorted.

• What are aflatoxins? Why do we care about high levels of them?

Naturally occurring toxins produced by fungi that grow on crops like peanuts, corn, cottonseed, and tree nuts. High levels are dangerous because they can cause serious liver damage and can be fatal to humans and animals.

• Know the four types of peanuts discussed in class:

1. Runner: Uniform kernel size; dominant in the US and primarily used for peanut butter.

2. Virginia: Largest kernels; mostly roasted in-the-shell or sold as snack nuts.

3. Spanish: Smaller kernels with reddish-brown skin and high oil content.

4. Valencia: Three or more small, sweet kernels per pod with bright-red skin; frequently used for boiled peanuts.

• Which type of peanut is the dominant one grown in AL?

Runner peanuts

• Why have forage legumes – benefits for animals?

Provide high nutritional value for grazing livestock and for hay production.

• One very small use of forage legumes, for direct human consumption, is?

Alfalfa sprouts.

• What is the difference between a cover crop and a green manure?

A cover crop is grown primarily to protect soil against erosion, suppress weeds, and retain moisture (it may or may not be tilled into the soil or be a legume). A green manure is grown specifically to be tilled into the soil while still actively growing in order to supply nutrients (especially nitrogen) to the subsequent crop.

• What is a bast fiber? Know which crops we talked about are grown for bast fibers.

Fibers harvested from the plant stem. Includes jute, kenaf, ramie, papyrus, flax, and hemp.

• What is a seed/fruit fiber? Know which crops we covered are seed/fruit fibers

Harvested directly from the plant's seeds or fruits. Crops covered in this category include cotton (seed fiber) and coir (fruit/husk fiber).

• What is a major use of jute?

Cordage (rope, twine, cord), textiles, and sacks/packaging for agricultural products.

• Where is the majority of the world’s jute grown?

Production is centered in South Asia (with India having a major domestic industry).

• What is retting?

An extraction process where harvested plant stems are steeped in water so that bacteria dissolve the gummy materials holding the fibers together (to loosen fibers and separate).

• What is scutching?

A processing step where dried plant stalks are beaten against a board with a blunt wooden knife to loosen and remove unwanted woody stem material.

• Besides fibers, what is the flax plant grown for?

Pressed for oil, known as linseed oil for industrial applications or flaxseed oil when consumed directly or used as a dietary supplement.

• Is ramie fiber widely produced worldwide? Why or why not?

No, it is not widely produced worldwide compared to other fibers because it is expensive and its processing is highly complex.

• Is the wild ancestor of domesticated cotton an annual or perennial plant?

A perennial crop.

• How do we manage the vast majority of cultivated cotton today?

As an annual crop.

• Which invention made growing cotton profitable in the USA?

Eli Whitney’s 1793 patent of the mechanical cotton engine, known as the "Cotton Gin," sparked a massive expansion of cotton production across the Southeastern US.

• What crop was always co-produced with cotton in the old South, to feed the people and the livestock?

Corn

• The invasion of what pest of cotton caused crop diversification in the South?

The boll weevil.

• Who was Dr. George Washington Carver?

A researcher at the Tuskegee Institute who quietly worked on developing peanuts ("the lowly groundnut") as a viable alternative cash crop for the sandy soils of South Alabama following the boll weevil invasion.

• Ninety percent of cotton grown in the USA is what type?

Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum).

• From what plant do we get coir?

From the coconut plant.

• Is coir a bast fiber or a seed/fruit fiber?

It is a seed/fruit fiber (extracted from the fibrous inner husk of the coconut fruit).

• Know the common uses for coir:

Brown coir (from ripe coconuts): Used for upholstery padding, sacking, and horticulture.

White coir (from unripe coconuts): Used for fine brushes, string, rope, and fishing nets.

• Why did the US government promote domestic hemp growing during World War 2?

Japan's conquest of the Philippines cut the U.S. off from its primary overseas sources of imported fiber, forcing the government to issue special permits for domestic fiber hemp production (e.g., the "Hemp for Victory" campaign).

• Hemp grown for fiber must test low in what?

Must test low in THC (specifically certified to contain less than 0.3% THC).

• What plant was originally used to make canvas?

Hemp (Cannabis)—in fact, the word canvas itself derives from the word cannabis.

• Botanically, what is a fruit?

A seed-bearing structure that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant.

• Botanically, what is a vegetable?

All other plant parts—such as roots, leaves, bulbs, and stems—that do not derive from a flower and do not contain seeds.

• From a culinary view, how do we often define fruits and vegetables?

Culinary vegetables are defined as plant parts that are savory or used primarily in savory dishes. This culinary grouping frequently includes botanical fruits such as eggplants, bell peppers, cucumbers, squashes, and tomatoes.

• How is head lettuce harvested and packaged?

It is harvested by hand, then trimmed, inspected, and packaged either directly in the field or at a processing facility.

• What are the two major types of lettuces?

Head lettuce (e.g., iceberg) and leaf lettuce (which includes romaine, butterhead, and others).

• What’s the number one state for lettuce production?

California, which accounts for approximately 70% of total U.S. production.

• Why is spinach such a popular/useful food?

It is one of the most nutrient-dense foods available, providing high levels of essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin K, and folate.

• The wasabi you get in stores and restaurants – is it real wasabi? What is it, if it’s not?

No, real wasabi (Wasabia japonica) is a rare, expensive aquatic plant. Most wasabi served in restaurants and grocery stores is actually a blend of horseradish, mustard powder, and food coloring.

• What is bolting? Why does it occur?

When a plant rapidly shifts its growth energy from leaves/roots to flowering quickly and going to seed. It occurs when cool-season plants experience warming soil and air temperatures. Once it occurs, leaf growth permanently stops and the foliage often becomes bitter and unpalatable.

• What crops are in the crucifer family?

Cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, mustard, and cauliflower.

• In general, crucifers grow in what season?

They are cool-weather vegetables. In warmer regions like Alabama, they are planted in the fall and harvested during winter and early spring (or spring/fall for broccoli), whereas in northern regions they can be grown during the summer.

• What part(s) of crucifers is/are commonly eaten?

Commonly eaten parts include the leaves, flowers, immature buds, and stems (as well as seeds, which are used as spices for mustard).

• Where was watercress widely grown in Alabama?

Huntsville, Alabama, especially in the early 1920s through the 1960s.

• When crucifers are used for cover crops, which element are they particularly good at adding to the soil?

Returning sulfur to the soil when used in cover crop rotations.

• Are pumpkins and squash in the same family?

Yes, both belong to the Cucurbit (melon) family (Cucurbita genus).

• How do winter and summer squash differ?

Summer squash are harvested while still immature and eaten fresh during summer.

Winter squash are allowed to fully mature and harden off on the vine, allowing them to store well for winter consumption.

• What are the “Three Sisters?” Why are they grown together?

What they are: A traditional companion-planting combination of corn, pole beans, and squash.

Why they are grown together: They complement each other structurally and nutritionally, allowing farmers to grow more food on the same land area while the legume (beans) enriches the soil with fixed nitroge