Agriculture

Various terms are used to refer to the parts of leaves in angiospermous plants. These leaf parts are reviewed, including some modified parts in certain plants.

Parts of Leaves

A typical complete plant leaf consists of a broad, flat portion called blade or lamina, a leaf stalk or petiole which connects the blade to the stem, and a pair of stipules at the base of the petiole or at the nodes.

Stipules are outgrowth that may appear leaf-like, scale-like, or may even be represented by leaf sheaths or by spines.

Leaf sheaths are tubular structures at the base of certain leaves which clasp the stem, as in grasses.

In bananas, the erect pseudostem consists of overlapping leaf sheaths.

In most grasses, there is a thin appendage called ligule at the apex of the leaf sheath.

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Synthetic urea refers to the urea that is produced artificially as distinguished from biosynthetic or natural urea.

It is an industrial product that has found many applications but primarily as nitrogen fertilizer.

Also described as synthetic or chemical fertilizer, it is an organic compound that is manufactured following an industrial process independent of living organisms.

Natural and manufactured urea have the same chemical formula CO(NH2)2.

However, natural urea is produced by living organisms, specifically, humans, other mammals, and other ureotelic organisms (excretes most nitrogen as urea; Mathews and Van Holde 1990) and subsequently excreted mostly in the urine.

Pure urea was isolated from urine many years ago.

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Photosynthesis is relevant in climate change mitigation.

With the growing concerns about global warmingand its causal effect on climate change, it is important to enrich one’s understanding about photosynthesis and its application in mitigating climatic change.

Increased concentration of atmospheric CO2 due to human activities, such as the use of coal in industries and the use of petrochemical fuels in locomotives, is largely recognized as responsible for global warming through greenhouse effect.

This rejects the criticism coming from the so-called “skeptics” notably Singer and Avery (2007).

The authors argue that global warming is a natural event that occurs every 1,500 years.

They also claim that any panic against perceived disastrous effect of global warming on plant and animal survival and on biodiversity is misplaced, arguing that living organisms have the natural ability to adapt.

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Hereunder is a partial list of monocot families and other information relevant to plant classification.

It has already been discussed that the classification of plants into various groupings is important in agriculture.

For example, having leaves with penni-parallel venation is a useful guide in identifying crops under the order Zingiberales (gingers and bananas).

Agricultural crops belonging to the same family also possess common characteristics knowledge of which may become useful in their culture.

They may have similar adaptations or be a host to the same pest or pathogen.

In conventional plant breeding, hybridization within the same family through interspecific and intergeneric crosses has yielded successful results.

This list was made largely by Simpson (2010).

Supplementary information from other references is attached such as alternative common names of families and representative crops.

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What is Deadwood?

For the benefit of readers who are not privy to the terminology, deadwood is exactly that. It is dead, and it is wood.

But in the world of bonsai, it is something else more than just a wood that is dead.

It is a part of a bonsai tree, often created deliberately to enhance aesthetic effects primarily by portraying that the tree is aged even if it is not.

It also suggests to the viewer that the tree has gone through difficult times as evidenced by that scar or scars which mark its body.

It tells that the tree has endured a long fight with the harsh elements of nature and fortuitous events like fire, lightning, and typhoons.

Deadwood should look naturally weathered and ought to be located right to complement the artistic replica of the tree.

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The properties of light with marked influence on plant growth and development are light quality, light intensity, and light duration or photoperiod.

A substantial understanding of light in relation to plant growth and development is essential in crop production.

Visible light is just a small fraction of the entire electromagnetic spectrum

But first, its dual attributes of continuous wave and discrete particles as described by Hopkins (1999).

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1. Land clearing and Soil preparation – These farmers practice zero tillage, a necessary requisite of no till farming in which crops are grown without cultivating the soil.

In conventional farming the land is prepared by plowing and harrowing using animal- or tractor-drawn implements, but in this farming community the practice has drastically waned and is getting close to becoming extinct in favor of no-till farming.

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The planting of seeds is an essential operation in growing peanut. It’s what the production guides, both online and printed, require.

Peanut technicians and graduates in agriculture say the same.

Seasoned farmers do it without thinking of any other way. And peanut cannot be ratooned.

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Finding the right crop is a huge concern for enterprising farmers.

To many marginal hill farmers, making the right choice is even more made difficult by scant financing and lack of access to direct buyers.

It is in relation to profitability and financial sustainability that I am sharing this piece.

Yes, I decided to grow peanuts on the farm.

I was prepared though to settle for a little profit or even a slight loss because my main concern was to make better use of the portion of the farm that had been cleared, maintain minimal weed growth, and still allow me to plant more coconut and fruit trees.

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Various factors should be considered in crop selection.

This is a requisite that must be undertaken before actually starting a farming venture.

Even without a predetermined location and site of a farm, the crop to be grown can be decided based mainly on its marketability and profitability.

However, there are many cases, especially in countries with agriculture-based economies in which the farm lot is already available.

It could have been acquired through inheritance, or by purchase, or otherwise transferred through other means.

Whatsoever, crop and varietal selection is the first consideration in starting or developing the farm.

The right decision in the selection of crop or crops to be grown, particularly perennial types, will ultimately convert into a successful farming venture.

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