1 Grain & Oil Crop Production What is a Crop? Plants grown & utilized by Humans for economic gain.

2 Competencies:  define important terms used in crop production  identify major crops grown for grain, oil, and special purposes  classify field crops according to use

3 Competencies:  prepare proper seedbeds for grain, oil, and specialty crops  plant field crops  describe current irrigation practices for field crops to meet their water needs  control pests in field crops  harvest and store field crops

4 Terms to Know  Field Crops  Grain Crops  Malting  Forage  Cover Crops  Oilseed Crops

History of Crop Production Began about 10,000 years ago Changed early humans from hunters to farmers. Observed what animals were eating Trial and error and thousands of years of selection

In the United States Occupies more than 450 million acres Acreage represents about 20% of the U.S. About 1% of American workers are in production agriculture 11% of personal income in U.S. spent on food Helps to maintain balance of trade

Major Field Crops in the United States Seven major grain crops in the United States Are grasses grown for their edible seeds Major Grain Crops: CornOats WheatRye BarleyRice Grain Sorghum

8  Most important field crop in the U.S.  35-40% of total production from Midwest.  50% of corn produced in the world.  60 Million acres planted in the U.S  Origin in Central America

9  Less than 10% of U.S. production is for human consumption  Major classifications: Dent corn Flint corn Popcorn Sweet corn Flour or soft corn Pod corn

11   Embryo – the new plant is contained within the seed   Radicle – develops into the primary root   Coleorhiza – a protective sheath for the hypocotyls that the roots bust through   Plumule – primary bud of the embryo which develops into the stem and leaves   Epicotyl – the embryonic stem of the plumule

12 Coleoptile – (monocots) first leaf which protects the terminal bud and penetrates the soil surface. Endosperm – food source for monocots, used until the young plant can manufactor its own food. Cotyledons - Cotyledons - In monocots it secretes enzymes to breakdown the endosperm Hypocotyl – connects the radicle and the plumule

Corn Crop Stats  Ideal yield 200 bu/acre  Moisture 13-15% for shelled corn  Harvest in Late September  Chopping  High Moisture Corn – Harvest 20-30% moisture  Harvest in late July - August

17 Triticum  Most important grain crop in the world  2nd to corn in U.S.  Primarily for human consumption  Ground into flour: breadcakescerealmacaroni/noodles

18 Wheat  Types of Wheat: Common Poulard DurumPolish ClubEmmer Spelt Spelt  Classes of Common Wheat: Soft red winterHard red winter Hard red springWhite

19 Wheat Concentration in U.S

20 Major Contributions to Wheat  Norman Borlog - introduced disease resistant wheat. Increased wheat production by 50% introduced disease resistant wheat. Increased wheat production by 50% - McCormick Reaper – harvest faster & efficiently - Green Revolution – ’s in India - Production Doubled – Problems?? - Fly Safe Date – 1 st practiced in 1900’s Earliest to plant in Ohio Oct -1 st – 5 th (Hession fly)

21 Vegetative Growth Stages of Wheat 1. Tillering Stage 2. Jointing Stage 3. Boot Stage 4. Heading & Flowering

22 Tillering Stage Tiller – production of stems and heads from crown buds. Winter wheat is sensitive to heat – has to reproduce Usually smaller than main stem. Usually smaller than main stem. Good tiller growth = higher yields Good tiller growth = higher yields Wheat goes into dormancy – up to 90 days

23 Identify Wheat Seed & Plant Parts

24 Jointing  Stem growth just above the node  Should produce 2 nodes  Small grains start to grow rapidly.  Leaves begin to spread out.  Freezing or hail would permanently damage plant

25 Boot Stage  Grain plant continues to grow.  Reproductive parts develop  Flag Leaf is produced  The boot surrounds itself around the seed head.  Once seed head is visible plant growth has stopped

26 Heading & Flowering  Head is fully developed & self-pollinated  Goal 70 bu/acre  Harvest late June – early July

27 Wheat & Flour Teminology

28 Wheat & Flour Terminology

Crops grown for the production of oil from their seeds Growing in importance each year Important crops are: SoybeansSafflower PeanutsFlax CornSunflower Cottonseed Oil Seed Crop

60 million acres in U.S. Gross $11 billion/year Oil and grain products are major uses Meal fed to livestock U.S exports 20-30% of its meal Brazil is U.S #1 competitor 100’s of other uses Glycine Max

Soybeans Legumes - A plant that is able to produce nitrogen and release it into the soil and for its own use. - Rhizobia bacteria – infects the root cells 1-2 weeks after germination and forms nodules

Rhizobia Nitrogen fixation Picture of Rhizobia on soybean nodules

Soybean Growth Stages 1. Unifoliate 2. Single Trifoliate (3 leaf) 3. Fourth Trifoliate (3 leaf) 4. Flowering 5. Seed Produced

36 Oats  Fourth in acres produced in the United States  Value is well documented for livestock: Adding bulk to the diet Adding protein to the diet  5% is made into oatmeal and cookies  Used in production of plastics, pesticides, and preservatives  Important in paper and brewing industries

37 Sorghum  In U.S. used primarily for livestock feed  About equal to corn in food value  Other uses include: Forage Manufacture of syrup or sugar Making of brooms  Third most important U.S. grain crop

38 Sorghum  Types of sorghum: GrainForageSyrupGrassBroomcorn

39 Classification of Field Crops  Three ways of classifying field crops: Use Thermo requirements Life span  Classification by use: Cereal crops-grown for their edible seeds Seed legume crops-nitrogen-fixing crops that produce edible seeds Root crops-grown for their thick, fleshy storage roots

40 Classification of Field Crops Forage crops-grown for hay, silage, or pastures for livestock feed Sugar crops-grown for their ability to store sugars in their stems or roots Oil crops-produced for the oil content of their seeds Tuber crops-grown for their thickened, underground storage stems Stimulant crops-grown for their ability to stimulate the sense of the user

41 Classification of Field Crops  Thermo classifications: Warm season Cool season  Warm season crops must have warm temperatures in order to live and grow  Cool season crops often need a period of cool weather in order to attain maximum production

42 Seedbed Preparation  Purpose is to provide conditions favorable for germination and growth  Eliminating competition from weeds and crop residues is a consideration

43 Seedbed Preparation  Can increase availability of soil nutrients  Should not be overworked  Fineness of seedbed is dependent on size of seed  Should contain enough fertility to encourage germination and growth  Control and elimination of weeds, insects, and diseases is an important consideration

44 Seedbed Preparation  Three categories of tillage preparation: Conventional tillage-land is plowed with a moldboard plow Minimum tillage-seedbed is prepared only enough so that the seed can make contact with the soil and germinate No-till-planting seeds directly into the residue of the previous crop

45 Planting Field Crops  Three general types of planters: Row crop planters-plant seeds in precise rows with even spacing within the rows Drill planters-plant seeds in narrow rows at high population rates Broadcast planters-scatter the seed in a random pattern on top of the seedbed

46 Planting Field Crops  Other considerations include: Date to plant Germination rate of seeds Uniformity of seed Weather conditions Insect and disease control problems

47 Meeting Water Needs of Crops  Ideally 1/2 of pore space is filled with water  About 1/2 of the water in the pore spaces are available for plant use  Factors affecting water availability include: Type of soil Natural rainfall Water-table levels Prevailing winds

48 Soil Texture Triangle

49 Meeting Water Needs of Crops  Irrigation may be the answer to obtaining profitable yields  Irrigation has been practiced for over 5,000 years Egyptians used water from the Nile River for irrigation Chinese and Native Americans used irrigation

50 Meeting Water Needs of Crops  Major methods of supplying irrigation water to crops: Sprinklers-spray water through the air, much like rainfall Surface irrigation-water gets to the crop by gravity, flowing over the surface of the soil or in ditches or furrows Subsurface irrigation-supplies water to the roots of crops underground

51 Pest Control in Field Crops  Control of pests in field crops often determines profits  Pests include: DiseasesWeedsInsectsAnimals  Economic losses total billions of dollars each year

52 Pest Control in Field Crops  Three main categories of losses: Reduced yields Reduced quality Spoilage  Methods of controlling pests in field crops: Mechanical pest controlGenetic control Cultural pest controlChemical control Biological pest control

53 Mechanical Pest Control  Anything that affects the environment of the pest or the pest itself  Cultivation is the normal mechanical control of weeds  Other types include: Pulling or mowing weeds Use of screens, barriers, traps, and electricity

54 Cultural Control  Adapting farming practices to control pests  Includes: Timing farming operations to eliminate pests Rotating crops Planting resistant varieties Planting trap crops that are more attractive to insects than is the primary crop

55 Biological Control  Involves the use of predators or diseases as the control mechanisms  Examples: Release of sterile male insects Uses of baits and repellents  Important that the control be specific to the intended pest

56 Genetic Control  Development of varieties of crops that are resistant to pests  May involve making the crop less attractive to pest because of: TasteShape Blooming time

57 Chemical Control  Involves the use of pesticides to control pests  Excellent management practices must be exercised  Care in pest identification and selection of the chemical are important  Dosage, runoff, and pesticide residues need to be monitored

58 Harvesting and Storing Field Crops  Harvesting at proper stage of maturity is a key to maximizing profits  Culmination of a growing season of work and anticipation of the rewards of a job well done

59 Harvesting and Storing Field Crops  Development of mechanical harvesting equipment  Primary harvesting machine is the combine which performs the tasks of: Cutting the crop Threshing the crop Separating crop from debris Cleaning the crop

60 Harvesting and Storing Field Crops  Threats to quality of stored crops include: HeatMoistureFungiInsectsRodents  Production of field crops generates more income for American agriculturists than any other production enterprise