Thursday Lecture – Legumes, continued; Leaf, Stem and Root Crops Reading: Textbook, Chapter 7

Roundup Ready Wheat The Latest Battlefield in the “Biotech Wars”: Roundup Ready Crops: corn, soybeans, cotton None of these have major use in human consumption Roundup Ready Wheat: produced and marketed by Monsanto - major use of wheat = human food - major export crop (  Japan, Europe) Worry: if any farmers grown GM Wheat, some importers (Japan) will ban all wheat from U.S.  all farmers will lose this market

Quiz

1.Name on Old World legume and a New World legume 2.Where exactly in a legume plant does nitrogen fixation occur. Be specific.

New World Beans – 1. Lima Beans Phaeolus lunata – Mexico to Peru, independently domesticated in the two areas. Mostly used dry. Wild plants and some cultivars contain cyanogenic glycosides – release toxic cyanide (cooking destroys compounds)

New World Beans – 2. Common Beans Phaseolus vulgaris – source of many types Another independent domesticate in Mexico and South America

New World Beans – 2. Common Beans Phaseolus vulgaris – source of many types Another independent domesticate in Mexico and South America

Beans, Beans, Beans Selection for the variations in the seed in color and size have produced a bewildering number of variants, several of which have widespread use in our country. Kidney beanBlack beanPinto bean

Another New World Legume - Peanut Arachis hypogaea – peanut, ground nut, goober central South America

The Underground Crop

Forage Legumes – Sitting in the Clover Alfalfa – Medicago sativa - king of forage crops – associated with horse husbandry

Forage Legumes – Sitting in the Clover Alfalfa – Medicago sativa - king of forage crops – associated with horse husbandry Clovers – Trifolium Lespedeza Sweet Clovers - Melilotus

Leaf Primordium Leaf Primordium Procambium Cell Elongation and Differentiation Cell Elongation and Differentiation Bud Primordium Bud Primordium Ground Meristem Ground Meristem Apical Meristem Apical Meristem Coleus stem apex – from side See Text Fig. 7.4, p. 157

Coleus stem apex – from top See Text Fig. 7.4, p. 157

Cole Crops – Cabbage and its Relatives See Fig. 7.13, p. 168

Brassica – The Pungent Genus See Fig. 7.12, p. 167 Biennial Habit Brassicaceae = Cruciferae

Cole Crops – Cabbage Structure Leaf Lateral bud Stem See Fig. 7.15, p. 169

Cole Crops – Stems and Axillary Buds kohlrabi Brussels sprouts See Fig. 7.13, p. 168

Cole Crops – Modified Inflorescences Cauliflower Broccoli See Fig. 7.13, p. 168

Turnips – Brassica campestris See Fig. 7.16, p. 170

Lettuce Lactuca sativa – Asteraceae (Compositae) See Fig. 7.18, p. 172

Cichorium – Endive & Chicory

Wild Chicory

Artichoke Cynara scolymus - Asteraceae See Fig. 7.24, p. 176

Celery – Petioles in your Soup See Fig. 7.19, p. 173

Celeriac – Celery Root See Fig. 7.20, p. 173

Carrots

Carrots Gone Wild - Queen Anne’s Lace See Fig. 7.21, p. 174 Apiaceae = Umbelliferae

Baby carrots – a product of the “Soccer Mom” age Baby carrots are produced by using specially bred forms that produce a long, thin storage root. The roots are carefully selected to eliminate discolored or malformed ones, and then are sliced into short pieces (2-3 inches). The pieces are further checked for color (they must have no hint of green) and are sent through a lathe device that smoothes the ends. The final product is ready to eat in a convenient form.

Asparagus – Eat Your Lilies See Fig. 7.25, p. 177

Onions – Allium cepa See Fig. 7.27, p. 179

Leeks – Another Allium See Fig. 7.27, p. 179

Bulbs Big buds on short stems Adventitious Roots Succulent Storage Leaves Stem Bulbs

Corms: short fat underground stems Corms

Rhizomes: simple underground stems Hydrocotyle Petioles reach above the sand Nodes Adventitious Roots Apex of Rhizome Rhizomes

Tubers: swollen ends of rhizomes Tubers

Bulb - onion Tuber - potato Corm - Crocus STEMS

Irish Potato Solanum tuberosum

The Amazing Spud - The potato is a short duration crop that produces a large amount of calories in a short period of time - The potato produces more protein and calories per unit area per unit time and per unit of water than any other major plant food. - The ratio of protein to calories, the quality of the protein and the high levels of vitamins and minerals are assets greatly needed in many countries.

Potatoes – South American Staple

Potatoes Travel to Europe Frederick the Great encouraging peasants to grow more potatoes Vincent van Gogh painting: “The potato eaters” (Belgium)

Potato Blight Healthy leaf Blighted leaf Potatoes damaged by blight Potato Blight: Phytophthora infestans (fungus)

The Irish Potato Blight Ireland – potato became staple crop in 1800s functionally monoculture – political & cultural considerations 1840s – potato blight hit: population 8 million  6 million - 1 million people died; 1.5 million people immigrated to Australia & U.S.A.

Potato Culture – Increasing Mechanization Holland Potato Farms 100 years apart

Improving Potato Yields Despite appearances, not yet a priority for the Green Revolution

Tuesday Lecture – Stem and Root Crops Reading: Textbook, Chapter 7