SCSC 105 Exam 1 Review

• Graph American Agriculture in the 1600-1700s, 1800s,1900s-2000s using:

• Farm size 

  • 1600-1700s: Small farm size 

  • 1800s: Small to medium farm size

  • 1900s-2000s: Larger farm size (200 acres)

• % of labor force in agriculture

  • 1600-1700s: 90% of US labor force

  • 1800s: 58% of US labor force

  • 1900s-2000s: 38% of labor force 

• What is the name and acronym of the agency that represents agriculture interests in the US Federal Government?

• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Compare the dictionary definition of a farm to the USDA definition.

• Dictionary: Any plot of land devoted to agriculture and to the raising of crops and domesticated animals 

• USDA: Any place which $1000 or more of agriculture products are sold annually

• How many farms are in the US and what is the average size?

• 2 Million farms - Average size of 446 acres (185.5 hectares)

• 1 Acre = 43,560 ft squared = .404 ha       1ha = 2.47 A

List the 3 types of financial assistance provided by the USDA

• Commodity Payments - Direct payments or price supports

• Conservation Payments - Reduce production on environmentally sensitive lands 

• Disaster Payments - Emergency payments, low or no yield

• List the top 5 crops: Worldwide, in the United States, and in Texas (Highest to lowest)

• Worldwide: Sugarcane, corn, rice, wheat, potatoes

• US: Corn, cotton, fruit, tree nuts, rice

• Texas: Cotton, hay, corn, wheat, sorghum 

• What is the difference between morphology and anatomy of a plant?

• Morphology: The form and structure of the plant 

  • Seeds, leaves, stems, roots, flowers

• Anatomy: The internal tissues of the plant 

  • Dermal tissues, vascular system, meristems, ground tissues 

• Compare and contrast monocots and dicots in terms of: # of cotyledons, leaf structure, type of root system, and type of germination

• Monocots 

  • # of cotyledon: 1

  • Leaf structure: Linear with parallel lines

  • Root system: Fibrous 

  • Germination: Hypogeal

• Dicots

  • # of cotyledon: 2

  • Leaf structure: Netted or branched venation 

  • Root system: Taproot

  • Germination: Epigeal (usually)

• List the 5 general morphological structures in plants

• Seeds, roots, leaves, stems, flowers

• Briefly describe the function of each structure 

• Seeds: Unit of reproduction for a flowering plant (embryonic plant)

• Roots: Anchor the shoot in the soil and support upright growth; absorb minerals and water from the soil; provide storage of energy reserves

• Leaves: Where photosynthesis and transpiration occur

• Stems: Provide vertical support

• Flowers: Reproductive structures in plants 

List the 4 types of anatomical plant tissues

• Dermal tissues, vascular (xylem and phloem), ground tissues, meristems 

• Briefly describe the function of each tissue 

• Dermal Tissues: epidermis- outer protective cell layer on the stem and leaves of plants, covered by cuticle, contain stomata (small openings in epidermis of leaf and stem)

• Vascular Tissues: Moves water, nutrients, and photosynthate through the plant

• Ground Tissues: Provide structure, storage, and support in the plant

• Meristems: Areas of actively dividing cells- growth; produce cells that differentiate and form other tissues

• Why are legumes unique in the plant world?

• Form symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria Rhizobia

• FIX NITROGEN 

• Name 5 crops and their scientific names (spelling counts for this question)

• Corn: Zea mays

• Hemp: Cannabis sativa

• Sorghum: Sorghum bicolor 

• RIce: Oryza sativa 

• Soybean: Glycine max 

• What is photosynthesis? Write the general equation that represents the process.

• Process by which plants use sunlight water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar (glucose)

• Carbon dioxide + water —--> (Photosynthesis) —-> Glucose + Oxygen 

• What is respiration? Write the general equation that represents the process.

• Conversion of sugar to energy (ATP) for use in metabolism by living cells 

• Glucose + Oxygen —--> Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy 

• Compare and contrast the equations, products, and reactions of photosynthesis and respiration.

• Photosynthesis and respiration are opposite reactions 

What is transpiration and which direction does it occur?

• Transpiration moves water and nutrients (in the xylem)

  • Along gradient from roots to leaves 

• Upward direction 

• What is photoperiodism? 

• Developmental responses of plants to the length of day (light and dark)

• Describe the general pattern of dry matter partitioning for early, mid, and late season plant growth.

• Early plant growth

  • DMP goes to vegetative growth 

• Mid season

  • DMP shifts from vegetative to reproductive growth

• Late season 

  • DMP to mostly reproductive growth but maintains some vegetative growth 

Describe the following growth cycles: annual, biennial, perennial

• Annual: Complete cycle in one year

• Biennials: Complete in two years 

• Perennials: Plants that persist for three or more growing seasons

• What are the 4 components in the “package of practices” that caused Green Revolution crops to have higher yields?

• High Yielding Varieties 

• Synthetic fertilizers

• Pesticides

• Irrigation 

• Name 3 of Norman Borlaug’s major accomplishments 

• Father of Green Revolution

• Developed semi- dwarf wheat varieties

• Saved a BILLION people 

• Awarded the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize

• What factor causes 9.9% of the world's population to face food insecurity?

• Food Distribution 

• List 4 reasons that International Agricultural Research institutes are needed 

• Improve locally important crops

• Improve production practices

• Train scientists 

• Maintain genetic diversity (seed banks)

• Name one International Agricultural Research Institute (acronym is acceptable)

• IRRI (International Rice Research Institute)

• IIMI (International Irrigation Management Institute)

• List the 6 solutions to ensuring sustainable agriculture production in the future

• Preserve existing land

• Practice water conservation

• Use ALL approaches to crop production 

• Increase funding for agricultural research 

• Maintain genetic diversity (seed banks)

• Reduce fossil fuel reliance  

• What are the 2 reasons for the significant advances in crop production over the last 100 years?

• We understand the fundamental principles of genetics (Mendel)

• Understand trait inheritance 

• What % of yield improvements can be attributed to these reasons?

50%

• Name the ancestor of modern corn.

Teosinte

Define the following terms:

• Self- pollination: Pollen transferred to stigma on the same flower or another flower on the same plant. Parents are the same genotype. 

• Cross- pollination: Pollen fertilizes the ovule on another plant. Combining two different genotypes.

• Homozygous: Same allelic form on both homologous chromosomes 

• Heterozygous: Different (or both) allelic forms on homologous chromosomes 

• Phenotype: Physical expression of the genotype. What you see.

• Genotype: Total genetic makeup of the plant (genome)

• Selection: Process by which breeders recognize and select individual plants with superior characteristics from a larger, variable population

• List 2 self- pollinating crops, 2 cross- pollinating crops, and 2 crops that use both methods of pollination.

• Self pollinating: Corn, carrot

• Cross pollinating: Tomato, watermelon 

• Both Methods: Wheat, potatoes

• Compare and contrast qualitative traits and quantitative traits in terms of:

  • How many genes control expression 

  • How expression occurs

  • Give an example

• Qualitative: Controlled by one or few genes

• Quantitative: Controlled by many genes

• Qualitative: Distinct classes

• Quantitative: Continuous spectrum of expression

• Qualitative: Flower color 

• Quantitative: Plant height, yield

Briefly describe the two steps involved in hybridization

• Develop inbred lines: To self pollinate selected corn plants 

• Cross two inbred lines: First hybrid typically has superior traits to either inbred parent. Superior traits are called hybrid vigor or heterosis

• List the 11 GMO approved crops available in the US

  • List how they are modified 

• Corn, Soybeans, Cotton, Potatoes, Papaya, Alfalfa, Apples, Sugar beets, Canola, Squash, Pink pineapple

  • (IR) insect resistant

    • Corn, Soybeans, Cotton, Potatoes 

  • (HT) herbicide tolerant 

    • Corn, Soybeans, Cotton, Alfalfa, Sugar beets, Canola 

  • (VT) virus resistant 

    • Potatoes, Papaya, Squash 

• Identify 4 techniques used for modifying plants 

  • Describe the process, the time required for development and indicate if it is a true GMO or not.

• Selective Breeding, Grafting, Mutagenesis, Genetic Engineering 

  • Selective Breeding: Science of changing the genotype of plants to express a desired trait. Time: 10- 12 years. Not a GMO 

  • Grafting: Plant tissues of two different genotypes are joined to grow together. Time: NA. Not a GMO

  • Mutagenesis: Exposing plants or seeds to mutagenic agents which induces random changes in the DNA sequence. Time: 5-10 years. Not a GMO

  • Genetic Engineering: Adding a gene into the plant DNA to transfer a specific trait at an intended and specific change in the plant genomes. Time: 5-10 years. True GMO

• What is the newest GMO available in the US markets?

• Arctic Apples

• Define organic agriculture

• A production system with certain restrictions

  • No synthetic fertilizers or pesticides 

  • Organic fields have had no prohibited substances for 3 years 

• What are the top 3 myths about organic production? Briefly describe each.

• It does NOT use pesticides

• It is healthier for you

• It is better for the environment

• What percentage of total cropland in Texas is organic certified? In the US?

• Texas: 1.1 %

• United States: 1.0%

• Identify the two main crops discussed in the documentary, what pests threatened them, and where they were grown.

- Papaya: Ringspot Virus, Hawaii

- Banana: Banana wilt (virus), Uganda

 Match the primary individuals featured in the documentary to their qualifications/associations and their position on GMOs.

• AGAINST GMOS

  • - Margaret Wille - Hawaii County - Council Member - M.Ed Education JD Law - AGAINST GMOs

  • Jefferey Smith - Institute for Responsible Technology - Author/filmmaker - Attended Maharishi Univ of Management - AGAINST GMOs

  • Zen Honeycutt - Moms Across America - Founder of MAA - B.A. Fashion design - AGAINST GMOs

  • Vani Hari - "The Food Babe" - Author/Advocate - B.S. Computer Science - AGAINST GMOs

  • Charles Benbrook - Previous (U of Wash) - Former Professor - PhD ag economics - AGAINST GMOs

  • Andrew Kimbrell - Center for Food Safety - Executive Director - JD Law - AGAINST GMOs

• FOR GMOS

  • Dennis Gonsalves - Cornell University - Professor Emeritus - PhD Plant Pathology - FOR GMOs

  • Alison Van Eenennaam - U of California Davis - Professor/Science communicator - PhD Plant Biology - FOR GMOs

  • Pamela Ronald - U of California Davis - Professor - PhD Plant Biology - FOR GMOs

  • Robert Fraley - Monsanto - Chief Technology Officer - PhD microbiology and biochemistry - FOR GMOs