09.04.2018 Views

Horticulture Principles and Practices

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

3. Apical dominance (pinching). Obtain young poinsettia plants. Pinch off the apical<br />

buds in some plants <strong>and</strong> leave others unpinched. After a period, observe the<br />

changes in the plants’ branching.<br />

4. Fruit ripening. Obtain two bunches of green bananas. Place one bunch in the open<br />

air in the laboratory <strong>and</strong> tie up another bunch in an airtight plastic bag. The latter<br />

will trap the ethylene gas in the bag <strong>and</strong> accelerate ripening.<br />

OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT<br />

1. Discuss how a horticulturalist may apply the sigmoid growth curve in managing<br />

crop production.<br />

2. What crop production management practices may be adopted to optimize photosynthesis?<br />

3. Distinguish between, giving examples plants that use the C 3 <strong>and</strong> C 4<br />

carbon dioxide fixation in food manufacture.<br />

4. Discuss the roles <strong>and</strong> importance of aerobic respiration <strong>and</strong> anaerobic respiration<br />

in plant growth <strong>and</strong> development.<br />

5. Define the following terms, giving their importance in horticultural industry:<br />

a. Physiological dormancy<br />

b. Physiological maturity<br />

c. Vernalization<br />

d. Transpiration<br />

6. Discuss the occurrence of physiological plant disorders in crop production <strong>and</strong><br />

their economic importance.<br />

7. Discuss the physiological role of ethylene in plant growth <strong>and</strong> development, <strong>and</strong><br />

its application in the horticultural industry.<br />

8. Describe the characteristic features of the embryonic stage of plant development,<br />

pointing out how they impact management of plant production.<br />

184 Chapter 5 Plant Physiology

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!