Lab 8: Midterm Review
Rachel Veenstra 
AGRON 220 Lab: Midterm Review
A worksheet to walk you through the eighth lab session
Task 1: Crop Identification
With your group, identify the 20 plant and seed samples that are set out.
1.
11.
2.
12.
3.
13.
4.
14.
5.
15.
6.
16.
7.
17.
8.
18.
9.
19.
10.
20.
Task 2: Farmer Problems - Seeds
With your group, solve the following calculations.
1) Examine the seed bags on display and determine with your group which crop you will plant.
2) Using K-State resources, look up a reasonable plant population for the crop in the seed bag you chose.
3) Find the germination percentage on the tag of the seed bag you chose.
4) Calculate the number of seeds that should be planted from this particular bag to achieve the plant population per acre you found in your research.
5) Calculate the number of seeds that should be planted from this particular bag if you know your emergence will be poor (75%).
Space to think/draw
1) Crop selection:
2) Plant population:
3) Germination %:
4) Seeding rate:
5) Adjusted seeding rate:
Is your seed actually a seed?
If it is NOT, what is it?
If it IS a seed, what type of fruit does your crop have?
Task 3: Seedling Morphology
With your group, draw and label the following components of a dicot and monocot seedling. Dig up some of the reference plants provided, if models are needed for your artistic impressions. :)
dicot seedling:
primary root
cotyledon(s)
secondary root
hypocotyl
seed coat
first true leaf
cotyledonary node
Draw a red line across the lowest point where your seedling could be cut off and still have a chance to recover.
Draw a black/brown line to indicate the soil surface. Based on the presence of your cotyledon(s), what type of emergence is this?
monocot seedling:
primary root
cotyledon(s)
crown root(s)
mesocotyl
pericarp
first true leaf
coleoptile
Draw a red line across the lowest point where your seedling could be cut off and still have a chance to recover.
Draw a black/brown line to indicate the soil surface. Based on the presence of your cotyledon(s), what type of emergence is this?
Task 4: Botany and Anatomy
With your group, answer/identify the 20 root, stem, leaf, and flower samples that are set out.
1.
11.
2.
12.
3.
13.
4.
14.
5.
15.
6.
16.
7.
17.
8.
18.
9.
19.
10.
20.
Task 5: Crop Growth
With your group, draw a typical dry matter accumulation curve for crop plants. Label the 4 key phases.
Dry matter accumulation has four phases, and crop development has two key phases. What are the two key phases of crop development?
Task 6: Crop Development
With your group, find key stages for each crop below in the greenhouse, describing important milestones at each. You can write either indicative or descriptive stages. You must include BOTH V and R stages for each crop.
soybean:
stage
milestone or key features
corn:
stage
milestone or key features
wheat or canola:
stage
milestone or key features
grain sorghum:
stage
milestone or key features
sunflower:
stage
milestone or key features
Task 7: Farmer Calculations - Growing Degree Days
Assume you planted the crop you selected earlier. Based on the forecast for the next week here in Manhattan, how many GDD will your crop accumulate between tomorrow and March 16?
March 10 GDD
March 11 GDD
March 12 GDD
March 13 GDD
March 14 GDD
March 15 GDD
March 16 GDD
Total GDD
Task 7: Farmer Calculations - Irrigation
Assume you have irrigation capacities on a 200-acre circular field.
Your well can pump 720 gallons per minute (GPM).
Remember that an acre-inch is 27,154 gallons of water
How many hours would it take for your pivot to apply 1 acre-inch to your ENTIRE field?
Answer:
hours/field-inch
How much water (in field-inches) could you put on your ENTIRE field in a week?
field-in/week
Assume you are growing corn and it is at the VT development stage. Will you be able to supply all the water your crop needs in a week?
(yes or no)
Other worksheets of Natural science: Plants
