Horticulture Lecture 5: Post-Planting Practices
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Questions and Answers

What is one of the benefits of organic fertilization?

  • Increase the soil's compactness
  • Reduce the plant's nutritional needs
  • Provide the plant with its nutritional needs (correct)
  • Decrease the soil's water holding capacity

What happens to sandy soil when organic fertilization is used?

  • It becomes less fertile
  • It becomes more compact
  • It increases its water holding capacity (correct)
  • It decreases its aeration

What is a result of using organic fertilization on clay soils?

  • Segregations of clay particles, increasing aeration (correct)
  • Reduced water holding capacity
  • Decreased aeration
  • Increased compactness

What is humus a result of?

<p>The breakdown of organic fertilizers (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a benefit of humus in soil?

<p>It increases the soil's water holding capacity (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is green manure an example of?

<p>Organic matter used as fertilizer (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What determines the components of animal manure?

<p>The type of animal and its feeding (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of humus in soil?

<p>It makes the soil darker and increases its absorbance of sunlight (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the preferred size of the feedstock to be grinded?

<p>Particles dimensions do not exceed 5 cm length and 1 cm diameter (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of aeration in composting?

<p>To supply oxygen to microbes (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to microbial diversity when temperatures exceed 71°C?

<p>Microbial diversity decreases (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the optimum moisture percentage for composting?

<p>45-60% (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why are smaller piles preferred in composting?

<p>They allow for greater air flow (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the minimum oxygen percentage required for microbial growth?

<p>5% (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the curing and maturation stage in composting?

<p>To eliminate inhibitors to seed germination (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How long does it take for compost to be ready to use in a well-managed pile?

<p>3-5 months (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of fertilization in horticulture?

<p>To enhance plant growth and productivity (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the minimum number of elements required for plant life?

<p>16 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a micronutrient?

<p>Iron (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the element that plants require in large quantities?

<p>Macronutrient (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of fertilizer is industrially produced?

<p>Chemical fertilizer (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of carbon for plants?

<p>Atmosphere (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Fertilization primarily aims to:

<p>Adjust the growing plant's nutritional status (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a macronutrient?

<p>Iron (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main source of energy for decomposers in the composting process?

<p>Carbon (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the ideal Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio (C:N) for composting?

<p>25:1 - 35:1 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of a high Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio (C:N) in composting?

<p>Slower composting process (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where does the decomposition of organic materials occur in composting?

<p>On the surface of the feedstock (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of microorganisms in composting?

<p>To consume feedstocks and produce heat, accelerating the composting process (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is composting?

<p>The process of biological decomposition of organic materials (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of organic matter used in composting?

<p>It is derived from living organisms (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of controlling the composting process?

<p>To optimize the decomposition of organic materials (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of growing green manure crops?

<p>To enhance soil fertility by fixing nitrogen (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of using green manure crops?

<p>To increase soil compactness (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of Alfalfa meal?

<p>It is a leguminous plant (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary nutrient that fish bone meal is rich in?

<p>Phosphorus (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of planting clover into an established farm?

<p>To provide mulch, fertilizer, and beneficial insect habitat (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe specific plant or crop varieties that are grown and turned into the soil?

<p>Green manure (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the benefit of using Soybean Meal as an organic fertilizer?

<p>It is a leguminous plant, fixing nitrogen (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of using green manure crops in farming?

<p>To improve soil fertility and overall quality (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Fertilization

An agricultural practice supplying nutrients to growing plants.

Fertilizers

Substances containing recognized plant nutrients applied to soil/plants.

Organic fertilizers

Fertilizers derived from natural sources, such as plants or animal waste.

Chemical fertilizers

Synthetic substances that provide nutrients to crops rapidly.

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Bio-fertilizers

Natural fertilizers that enhance nutrient availability by microbes.

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Essential elements for plants

Plants require at least 16 elements including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

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Macronutrients

Elements needed in large quantities for plant growth.

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Micronutrients

Elements needed in small quantities for plant health.

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Organic fertilization benefits

Enhances soil health while providing nutrients to plants.

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Humus

Decomposed organic matter that enriches soil.

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Manure

Organic matter mostly from animal feces used for fertilization.

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Compost

Decomposed organic materials that enrich soil fertility.

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Composting process

Decomposition of organic matter using microorganisms.

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Carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N)

A key factor in the composting process affecting decomposition rates.

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Green manure

Crops grown to be turned into the soil to enhance quality.

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Fabaceae family

Plant family commonly associated with legumes.

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Nitrogen fixation

Process by which certain plants convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form.

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Alfalfa meal

A plant-based fertilizer derived from leguminous plants.

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Soybean meal

A plant-derived organic fertilizer rich in nutrients.

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Fish meal

Natural fertilizer high in phosphorus, a by-product of fish.

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Fish bone meal

A rich source of phosphorus obtained from fish bones.

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Soil aeration

Improvement of soil porosity allowing air, water, and nutrients to penetrate.

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Water holding capacity

Ability of soil to retain water for plant use.

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Decomposition

Natural process of breaking down organic matter.

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Controlled biological decomposition

Managed process ensuring optimal breakdown of organic materials.

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Nutritional needs for plants

Essential elements required for plant health and growth.

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Soil properties

Characteristics of soil that affect plant growth.

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Element uptake

Absorption of nutrients from soil by plants.

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Composting variables

Factors like moisture and aeration that influence compost quality.

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Plant nutrition

Study of nutrients and their effect on plant health.

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Study Notes

Fertilization

  • Fertilization is an essential agricultural practice to supply growing plants with nutrients, enhancing growth and productivity.
  • Fertilizers are natural or synthetic substances containing one or more recognized plant nutrients, applied to the soil or plant to adjust the growing plant's nutritional status.

Types of Fertilizers

  • Organic fertilizers
  • Chemical (synthetic) fertilizers
  • Bio-fertilizers

Elements Needed for Plant Life

  • Plants need at least 16 elements, including carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
  • Plants obtain carbon from the atmosphere and hydrogen and oxygen from water, while other nutrients are taken up from the soil.

Macronutrients and Micronutrients

  • Macronutrients: elements needed in large quantities, including carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.
  • Micronutrients: elements needed in small quantities, including iron, zinc, manganese, copper, boron, and molybdenum.

Organic Fertilization

  • Benefits of organic fertilization:
    • Provides plants with nutritional needs
    • Enhances soil properties, such as increasing water holding capacity in sandy soils and improving aeration in clay soils
    • Forms humus, which increases water holding capacity, provides slow-releasing nutrients, and enhances soil aeration and drainage

Types of Organic Fertilization

  • Manure: organic matter, mostly derived from animal feces, except in the case of green manure, which can be used as organic fertilizer in agriculture.
  • Compost: the product of controlled biological decomposition of organic materials, usually of plant origin.

Composting Process

  • Microorganisms are used to decompose organic materials, consuming feedstocks to obtain energy and nutrients, and producing heat that accelerates the composting process.
  • Key variables for controlling the composting process:
    • Type of organic matter (feedstock) used
    • Carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N)
    • Pile moisture
    • Pile aeration
    • Pile size
    • Temperature
    • Time

Green Manure

  • A term used to describe specific plant or crop varieties that are grown and turned into the soil to improve its overall quality.
  • Mainly belongs to Fabaceae family (legumes), such as clover.
  • Nitrogen fixed by these cover crops (legumes) helps increase soil fertility.

Other Common Organic Fertilizers

  • Alfalfa meal (a fertilizer of plant origin, leguminous plant)
  • Soybean meal (a fertilizer of plant origin, leguminous plant)
  • Fish meal and fish bone meal (natural by-product of the fish industry, rich in phosphorus, especially the fish bone meal)

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This lecture covers post-planting horticultural practices, focusing on fertilization as an essential agricultural practice to enhance plant growth and productivity.

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