PLANT GROWTH DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION

Growth – essential proper of plants, helps them gain nutrients from places which are far from
their position.
Photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration – three major functions that drive
Photosyntheis – to put together with light
Produce food: energy, sun, carbon dioxide, air, water, soil.
Oxygen – by product
Formula for photosynthesis: carbon dioxide + water+ sunlight+ = sugar+ oxygen or +
energy =

After producing carbohydrates; a plant either uses them as energy, stores them or builds them
into complex energy compounds such as oils and proteins. All of these foods products are called
photosynthates.

Chloroplasts- incredibly small

Chlorophyll – pigment that makes leaves green
Water- one of the raw materials, taken up into the plant by the roots and move upward through
the xylem
Light- photosynthesis depends on the availability of light. As sunlight intensity increases so does
photosynthesis.
Carbon dioxide- photosynthesis also requires carbon dioxide which enters a plant through its
stomata
Carbohydrates- they are converted to energy.
Oxidation – chemical process by which sugars and starches are converted to energy.
Respiration – controlled oxidation in a living cell
RESPIRATION –
This equation is essentially the opposite of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a building
process, while respiration is a breaking- down process.
Transpiration- a necessary process and uses about 90% to the water that enter plant roots. The
other 10 % is used in chemical reactions and in plant tissues.

Balancing Act- if respiration is much more rapid than photosynthesis, the plant won’t have
adequate photosynthates to produce energy for growth.
Sexual reproduction- requires genetic material (DNA) from two parents.
Gametes- parents plants have male and female sex cells
Offspring- genetic material from the male and female gametes combines to produce it
( offspring) and this called fertilization
Seeds- product of sexual reproduction
Flowering plant- reproduce sexually through a process called pollination
Stamens- male sex organ
Pistils- female sex organs
Anther- part of the stamen that contains pollen
Stigma- pollen must be moved to a part of the pistil for reproduction to take place
Sepals – parts of the flower that are green structures
Petals- inside the sepals
Stamens – within the petals
Filament- each stamen contains it
Carpel – innermost part of the flower
Ovary – carpel contains it
Ovules – this is where the eggs are located
Self pollination- plants own pollen fertilizes its own ovules
Fertilization – next step
Vegetative propagation – does not need seeds or spores offspring grow from a part of the
parent plant
Corms – crocuses reproduce it (corms)
Used up during the growing season
Fragmentation- another from of asexual reproduction, involves new plants growing form small
parts of a parent that fall to the ground

FEATURES OF SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION CONCEPT DIVERSIFICATION

Crop diversification – means growing more than one crop in an area

Diversification – accomplished by adding a new crop species, can also be implemented to
replace low value commodities

Benefits of increasing crop diversity

 Increases income on small farm holdings
 Helps withstand fluctuation incommodity prices
 Provides resilience to highly variable weather conditions resulting from climate change
 Increases profits by reducing cost of production
 Provides more varied and healthful food both for humans and livestock

RESOURCE OF CONSERVATION AND REGENERATION

Direct Seedling – involves growing crops without mechanical seedbed
Crop residues – left on the soil surface, but cover crops may be needed if the gap is too long
Commercial Crops – mainly grown for their effect on soil fertility or as livestock folder

THE SUAN NETWORK HAS FOCUSED ON FIVE SYSTEM PROPERTIES

 Productivity – quantity of food, fuel, or fiber that an agroecosystem produces

 Stability – consistency of production
 Sustainability – maintaining a specifies level of production
 Equitability – sharing agricultural production fairly
 Autonomy – agro ecosystem self sufficiency

AUTONOMY OF SMALL SYSTEMS

If we wish to create production systems based on this principle, four points are
particularly significant:
 1.) The possibility of dividing up larger systems into smaller systems
2.) The possibility of arranging complete manufacturing units into smaller units so that
the need of contacts with adjacent units is reduced
3.) The possibility of arranging for self sufficiency as regards production resources,
operational services, and so on.
4.) The possibility of arranging for less direct management intervention from above, so
that the independence of smaller units is not eroded by control from the upper
levels of the hierarchy.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR PLANT GROWTH