1. Intro to Agronomy Agronomy –Specialization of agriculture concerned w/ the theory & practice of field-crop production & soil management. The scientific management of land (The Nature & Properties of Soils).

2. Science of soils & field crops (Agriscience Fundamentals & Applications). The art and science of crop production & soil management (Plant Science: Growth, Development, & Utilization of Cultivated Plants).

3. A Brief History of Agronomy in the Northeast Forests & first settlers European settlement – settlers grow their own food (SUBSISTENCE) Land clearing Livestock are scavengers – fenced out instead of fenced in

4. Crop economy – started to grow extra crops in order to sell them for the next year’s supplies –Exported grains (whiskey and flour) –Livestock fed the byproducts from the grains –Soil Problems (around 1800)- –many farmers were having problems growing wheat due to erosion, diseases, pests, weeds, & poor soil minerals (there was no lime or fertilizer!)

5. This led to the growing of grass for pasturing animals (livestock were now being fed for production) –Solve the Winter Feeding Problem –(around 1800) – corn silage was made, which made it possible for year round milking –Farmers concentrated on farming the “good” land & managing the “bad land as pastures or forests Many fields were abandoned

6. Modern Times Many forage & grass varieties are grown Chemicals play a huge part in production Machinery & technology explosion More emphasis on the environment & management

7. Seeds 3 Main Parts of a Seed –Embryo (young plant) –Food Supply –Seed Coat

8. Seeds Seed Parts/Functions Monocot –Seed Coat – encloses seed parts & protects them –Endosperm – portion of food supply that is stored outside of the embryo & serves as a food supply during germination (dicots have no endosperm)

9. Embryo – the young plant formed when an egg cell is fertilized by pollen, sometimes an embryo may be dormant until germination occurs Dicot –Radicle – develops into the primary root –Primary Root – grows out of the uppermost root hair & grows downward into the soil

10. Hypocotyl – also grows out of the uppermost root hair, but grows upward through the soil & develops into a cotyledon Stem – the part of the plant which grows out of cotyledon Germination –When a seed goes from a dormant stage into an active one; there must be favorable conditions

11. Favorable Conditions for Germination Temperature of soil Moisture of soil Oxygen & air in soil Depth of planting Type/make up of soil Erosion/slope Past growing history

12. Stages of Germination Favorable conditions Swelling of the seed due to absorbing water from the soil Starches in the seed are changed into sugars, the plant uses these sugars as a food source until it can make its own food

13. VOCABULARY Monocot- have one cotyledon, or seed leaf –Ex: corn, oats, rye, bromegrass, wheat, barley, timothy Dicot- have 2 cotyledons or seed leaves –Ex: alfalfa, peas, cotton, clover, soybeans, potatoes

14. VOCABULARY Cotyledon- leaf-like structures at the first node on a seedling stem Node- Enlarged portion of a stem where leaves are attached and buds are located Internodes- region between nodes

15. CLASSES OF PLANT FEEDS 1.Forage- leaves and stems of grasses, legumes, and cereals 2.Grains- seeds of cereals 3.Roots and Tubers- turnips, beets 4.Byproducts- cereal seed coats, animal by products

16. FORAGE Also called roughages Course feeds that are high in fiber and low in energy Less digestible than concentrates Make up most of a ration, most likely as hay or silage

17. FORAGES BROKEN DOWN INTO… 1.Grasses –Characteristics: Monocots, long narrow leaves, endosperm with a seed coat –EX: corn, wheat, barley, oats, rye, orchard grass, timothy

18. FORAGES BROKEN DOWN INTO… 2. Legumes – Characteristics: Dicots, have three leaves, no endosperm, bacteria (rhizobia) in roots able to help make nitrogen –EX: clover, alfalfa

19. CONCENTRATE Also called grains Feed that are high in energy and low in fiber Contains a lot of starches Can be high in protein as well