Plant Science

Career Areas Forest careers are related to

growing, managing, and harvesting trees for wood and wood by-products

Forest career examples Forester- is a service-oriented career

that helps with the science of growing trees

Forest ranger- finds employment primarily with the government to manage forests on state and federal lands but may also assist with fire prevention on private lands as well.

Forest career examples Logging foreman- will supervise

a crew involved in the harvesting phase

Career Areas Horticultural careers are as varied as the

industry itself

Floriculture careers are related to flower production and use

Floriculture careers Floral designer- designs flowers for

florist or business Flower grower- produces flowers used

in floral design Greenhouse manager- manages the

production process for a flower grower

Floriculture careers cont. Retail florist- floral business that

furnishes flowers to the general public

Wholesale florist- floral business that furnishes flowers and supplies to retail florist

Landscaping and nursery careers Landscaping and nursery careers

are related to the use and production of plants for aesthetic purposes. Plants may be used around homes, businesses, parks, etc.

Landscaping and nursery careers Greenskeeper- takes care of golf course

turf Landscaper- installs plants in various

locations Landscape architect- designs plans for

plant installation Nursery operator- grows trees and shrubs

needed for landscaping Turf farmer- grows turf grass for sale

Plant Science TOOLS

Tools used in the plant science industry A bush axe is used for clearing

undergrowth

http://soshel.home.mindspring.com/gsu/brushaxe/brushaxe.htm

Tools used in the plant science industry A grafting tool is

used to prepare woody parts of two plants to be joined together Fruit stock grafting knife

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Tools used in the plant science industry A planting bar is

a forestry tool used for setting out seedlings

           

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Tools used in the plant science industry

A pruning saw is used to saw limbs

http://www.stihlusa.com/handtools/PS40.html

Tools used in the plant science industry A soil thermometer

is used to determine soil temperature

A soil tube is used to obtain a soil sample

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~crawshaw/itmidx1.htmhttp://www.keyaginc.com/toppage5.htm

Tools used in the plant science industry Chain saws are

either electric or gasoline powered. Gasoline powered chain saws are used for cutting trees and large limbs

http://www.vannattabros.com/tools.html

Tools used in the plant science industry Hand lopping

shears are used when pruning shrubs or trees to cut large branches in hard to reach places

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Tools used in the plant science industry Hedge shears are

used when trimming and shaping shrubbery into a continuous row or hedge

Pruning shears are used to cut small limbs when shaping shrubbery www.frostproof.com

What do plants grow in?

Types of plant growing media Soil is the top layer of

the Earth’s surface and is the primary medium for cultivated plants

Sphagnum moss is used for encouraging root growth under certain conditions

http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=761576446

Types of plant growing media Perlite is a volcanic glass material used for

starting new plants and in media mixes Vermiculite is a mineral mica-type material

used for starting plant seeds and cuttings and in media mixes

Peat moss is used in media mixes of various types

http://www.fafard.com/html/g-peat.html

Amending the pH of Plant Growing Media

Improper soil/media pH will have the most impact on the availability of nutrients in the soil/media

Soil/media with high alkalinity are made more acidic by lowering the pH value with sulfur or aluminum sulfate

Amending the pH of Plant Growing Media

Soil/media with a high acidic level is made more alkaline by raising the value with lime

Lime is usually applied as finely ground limestone that supplies both calcium and magnesium

Fertilizers A complete fertilizer must contain the

three primary nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium

Fertilizers come in various forms, but most nutrients within a fertilizer must come in a liquid form (soluble) to be used by plants

Fertilizers Organic fertilizers include animal

manures and compost made with plant or animal products. Some examples are: Dried and pulverized manures Bone meal (phosphorus is the primary

element) Soybean meal

Fertilizers Organic fertilizers are usually slow

acting and long lasting forms of nitrogen but lacking in the other primary nutrients (except bone meal)

Inorganic fertilizers have a higher analysis of soluble nutrients that have been blended together for a specific purpose.

Fertilizer applications Broadcasting or spreading evenly over the

entire surface is used on turf and home lawns Side-dressing is done by placing fertilizer in

bands about 8 inches from the row of growing plants

Foliar application is the spraying of fertilizer directly onto the leaves of plants, usually organic

Roots: take in the nutrients and water from the soil Taproot: main root

of a plant and generally

Fibrous roots: thin, thread-like, usually without a primary root present

Stem

Woody stems are tough and winter hardy. They often have

bark around them

Herbaceous stems are succulent, often green, and will not survive in cold climates

Supports the leaves, flowers, and fruit Two basic types of aboveground stems: woody

and herbaceous

Stem modifications Tuber: underground stem enlarged for

storage of food

Stem modifications Rhizome: underground stem, often has

buds which sprout to form new shoots

Stem modifications Stolon: above ground stem, has buds

which sprout to form new shoots

Stem modifications Bulb: underground

stem with fleshy leaves which store food, for example an onion

Corm: fleshy underground stem wit papery leaves, for example a gladiolus

Leaves The leaf manufactures the food for the

plant by using light energy

Leaves are useful for identification of the plant. The leaf edge (margin), shape, and arrangement are all important in plant identification

Flowers The primary

function of flowers is the production of seed

A perfect flower contains all male and female parts

Other Seed develops in

the female part of the flower (pistil)

The pistil then enlarges and becomes the fruit

The photosynthesis process Photosynthesis is a series of processes in

which light energy is connected to chemical energy in the form of a simple sugar Chlorophyll and chloroplast are essential Plants used carbon dioxide to manufacture

food for plant and releases oxygen necessary for animal life at the same time

The photosynthesis process The rate at which the

photosynthesis (food making) process occurs depends on and varies with light intensity, temperature, and concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

The photosynthesis process A shortage of carbon dioxide causes a

low rate of photosynthesis An enclosed greenhouse can have a

shortage of carbon dioxide A carbon dioxide generator might be

used to correct a shortage of carbon dioxide in the greenhouse

The photosynthesis process Low light hinders plant growth

A dark room reduces the rate of photosynthesis and plants will have stunted growth and yellow leaves

Plants adapt to various levels of light brightness (intensity) but all plants have a preferred range of light intensity

The photosynthesis process Temperature affects the process of

photosynthesis The best rate of photosynthesis

occurs between 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit

Extremes of temperature can completely stop the process

Parts of the Flower The male part is the stamen and consists of the:

Filament that supports the anther Anther that manufactures pollen Pollen that is the male reproductive cell

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/case4/c4facts1a.html

Parts of the Flower The female part is the pistil and consists of the :

Stigma that receives the pollen Style that is the connection to the ovary Ovary that contains the ovules (female reproductive

cells)

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/case4/c4facts1a.html

Parts of the Flower Petals are the colored

part of the flower that attract insects or other natural pollinators

Sepals function as a protection for the developing flower

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/case4/c4facts1a.html

Parts of the seed

http://www.netusa1.net/~gwmager/SeedLbl.html

Parts of the seed Seed coat- protects the seed

Sometimes the seed coat is very hard and difficult to germinate

Horticulturalists assist germination by scarifying the seed coat or damaging the seed coat to promote germination

Parts of the seed Endosperm- supplies food for the

germinating seed Embryo- is the young plant itself

Propagation Increasing the number of a plant

species or reproduction of a species Sexual propagation is the use of a seed

for reproducing plantsOnly way to obtain new varieties and

increase hybrid vigorOften times is less expensive and quicker

than other methods

Propagation Asexual propagation is the use of

a part or parts of a plant for reproducing plants Also called vegetative propagation The new plant is an exact

duplication of the parent plant

Methods of asexual propagation Cuttings are vegetative parts that the

parent uses to regenerate itself. Some examples include leaf, root, and stem cuttings

Air layering

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/ornamentals/airlayer/airlayer.html

Layering is a method where the stem is encouraged to root while still attached to the parent plant. Some examples include: simple, tip, and air layering

Methods of asexual propagation Division is a

method that divides or separates the main part of the plant into smaller parts

T bud grafting

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/propagation/budding/budding.html

Grafting is a method that joins two plants together as they grow as one (T budding is most common)

Methods of asexual propagation Tissue culture or

micro propagation is the use of a very small and actively growing part of the plant to produce a high number of new plants (cloning)

Micropropagationhttp://www.micropropagation.co.uk/

THE END

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