Plant Reproduction and Breeding

TOPIC 3

BREEDING

Selective Breeding: People choose specific plants with specific characteristics and encourage these plants to reproduce

- Canola was made by the selective breeding of rapeseed

Genes: The part of the cell that controls plants’ characteristics (DNA)

TYPES OF REPRODUCTION

Sexual: Involves the specialized seeds and fruits of two plants.

? ????

TYPES OF REPRODUCTION

Asexual/vegetative reproduction: Occurs when a parent plant grows plants from its roots, stems, or leaves.

-E.g. Grafting – taking the branch of one tree and attaching it to another.

SEED PLANT REPRODUCTION

Cones: The part of the tree that has a series of wooden scales.

Female cones contain ovules (eggs); Pollen grains containing sperm develop on the smaller male cone. When the two meet the sperm swims down the pollen tube and fertilizes the egg.

Pollination: The process of pollen traveling to the female cone.

FLOWERS

A flower’s main job is to attract insects that will spread the plant pollen to other plants.

PARTS OF A FLOWER

Stamen: Male part of the flowerPistil: Female part of the flowerPetals: Usually brightly colouredSepals: Green parts found underneath the flower.

The pistil has 3 main parts…

Stigma: Sticky tip of the pistil that catches pollenStyle: The tube connecting the stigma and the ovaryOvary: A tiny chamber that holds the ovule (eggs)

CONTINUED

The Stamen has 2 parts…

Filament: The stalk

Anther: The tip produces the pollen

PARTS OF THE FLOWER

SEED TO FRUIT

Once a plant is pollinated a seed is formed, inside the seed is a tiny living plant called an embryo which is surrounded by food to keep it alive.

Fruit: A growing ovary of a plant, which swells and protects the seeds until they are ripe.

POLLINATION 3 STEPS

1) Pollen grain lands on the stigma2) A pollen tube grows down the style into the ovary and enters an ovule3) A sperm travels down the tube to fertilize the egg.

PATHWAY FROM POLLINATION TO

GERMINATION

HOW SEEDS ARE DISPERSED

Germination: The development of a seed into a new plant

- Animal Transportation - Caught in fur - In their droppings

- Insects - Bees spread pollen

- Humans - Throwing seeds- Caught on clothes

- Heat Exposure- Trees burn down launch

seeds- Cones explode under heat

- Wind- Blows pollen around- Blow spores and/or seeds

- Water- Seeds / cones fall in water

and swept to other fertile locations

Meeting the Need for Food & Fibre

TOPIC 4

AGRICULTURE

Canada is one of the leading exporters of food and fibre in the world.

Sustainability…Being able to grow food and fibre while keeping our natural systems healthy for long term.

CROPS IN ALBERTA

Wheat: Ground up for flour

Barley: Fed to livestock, Used for making malt

Oats: Mostly fed to livestock some for breakfast cereals

Legumes: Such as peas and lentils, all high in protein.

Canola: Used to make margarine, salad dressing, vegetable oil, etc.

Potatoes: French fries, potato chips

Alfalfa: Feeds livestock, strong root system

Specialty Crops: Ginseng, beans, sunflowers and spices

Wheat

Barley

Oats

Legumes

Canola

Potatoes

Alfalfa

CROPS IN ALBERTA

Name That Crop!

FARMING PRACTICES

Irrigation: Watering crops using a system of large pipes and sprinklers.

Monoculture: Growing only one type of plant in the field for greater efficiency

What are the disadvantages and advantages of greenhouses?

GREENHOUSES

It

Pros Both Cons

- You can control all variables

- Water- Wind- Temperature- Soil (sort of…)

- It can be very expensive

- You cannot grow all crops / plants in any greenhouse

- It can keep bugs out which is good for limiting pesticide use however you cannot have the pollen or seeds spread naturally because of it

FORESTRYForestry in a major industry in Canada.

Diversity: Variety of plants and animals in an ecosystem.

How many different trees can you think of??

COMMON TREES FOUND IN ALBERTA

Lodgepole Pine: Largely used in construction.

White Spruce: Used in plywood, pulp and paper

Black Spruce: Lumber and strong paper

Aspen: Good for furniture, pulp and paper

White Birch: Furniture and firewood

Tamarack (Larch): Has a fungus that resists decay, so it is used on fence posts and railway ties.

STEPS IN HARVESTING TREES

1) Planning the cut (based on careful review of the site)

2) Building a road into the area3) Felling and delimbing trees4) Dragging the logs to a central

loading point5) Hauling the logs to a sawmill6) Preparing the site for reforestation7) Reforestation

GLOBAL PROBLEMS

Erosion: Soil that is blown away by wind and water.

- Is that it? Human Activity!

Desertification: As a result of drought, desert takes over agricultural land.

Sustaining The Soil

TOPIC 5

TOPIC 5: SUSTAINING THE SOIL

Developing Soils – 5 main factors that affect how soil develops.

1) Parent material: piece of matter (non-organic) formed by layers of rock, soil, clay and sand

2) Vegetation: determines the amount and type of organic matter in, and on, the soil

3) Landscape: a healthy area that has a healthy balance of water and nutrients

4) Climate: determines what kind of plants will grow and how fast they will decompose

5) Time: all of these processes happen over time so they occur at different paces in different places

SOIL CONTINUED…

Humus: A dark soil rich in nutrients and holds water well.

Healthy soil needs decomposers to break down dead organisms so plants can use the nutrients. There are 4 key types, which work differently…

1) Bacteria – actively break down dead material2) Fungi – make nutrients available to plants3) Microscopic actinomycetes - special kind of

bacteria that help to create humus4) Earthworms – Grind, digest and mix soil

HEALTHY PLANTS

Healthy plants require six nutrients

1) Nitrogen

2) Sulfur

3) Phosphorous

4) Calcium

5) Potassium

6) Magnesium

CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

Salty Soil: Caused by too little vegetation and too much water (salinization)

Solution??

Replant areas so the water can’t dissolve the salt and leave it behind

Soil Erosion: Caused by too much cultivating mixed with water and wind

Solution??

Leaving a root system in place to hold the dirt, shelter belts, crop rotation

• Different ways of preparing fields

• Using “Seed Drills”• Using “Wide Shovel Cultivators”

• Being Shelterbelts (Rows of trees that surround crops to protect from wind, encourage wildlife and retain moisutre)

• Reshape and seed waterays

HOW DO WE SAVE SOIL

HYDROPONIC TECHNOLOGY

Growing plants without dirt!

Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture and is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, mineral wool, expanded clay pebbles or coconut husk.

Seems good but any cons?

High energy cost!!

High initial start up cost!!

TOPIC 6: PESTS AND PEST CONTROL

Pest: Any organism that humans find annoying or harmful.

Dandelions – the most successful plant pest, here’s why…

1) Powerful roots2) Broad leaves3) Super seeds4) Adaptable5) Chemical weapons

• In normal systems there are pests

• - Insects

- Typically eat crops

• - Fungi

- Cause infections / disease in plants

• - Weedy Plants

- Steal moisture/nutrients/space

• Pests consume, on average, over 50% of Canada’s annual harvest

• Farmers spend millions on eliminating & controlling them

PESTS

INTRODUCED SPECIES

Introduced Species: Species not common to an area (often with no natural enemies)

Pests were controlled by herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and a bunch of other “cides”. Problems are associated with all

of these chemicals

E.g. Bioaccumulation, and poisoning “innocent” species.On top of this, some pests are becoming resistant to chemicals

Biological Control: introducing a pest’s natural enemy to control it

What are introduced species to Canada?

ORGANIC FOOD

Organic Food: Food grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

The need for chemicals is reduced by:1) Sowing good quality seeds2) Removing weeds early3) Cutting weeds along property edges4) Cleaning equipment so that it doesn’t transfer

weeds5) Using biological control