Agriscience Fundamentals and Applications 6th Edition Burton Solutions Manual
Agriscience Fundamentals and Applications 6th Edition Burton Solutions Manual
Competencies
Define terms in soils, hydroponics, and other plant-growing media management.
Identify types of plant-growing media.
Describe the origin and composition of soils.
Discuss the principles of soil classification.
Determine appropriate amendments for soil and hydroponics media.
Discuss fundamentals of fertilizing and liming materials.
Identify requirements for hydroponics plant production.
Describe types of hydroponics systems.
Terms to Know
The following terms are used in this unit and defined in the text glossary. Spanish translations of
the terms also appear in the glossary.
medium — surrounding environment in which a living organism functions and thrives.
hydroponics — the practice of growing plants without soil.
compost — mixture of partially decayed organic matter.
sphagnum — pale and ashy mosses used to condition soil.
peat moss — a type of organic matter made from sphagnum moss.
perlite — natural volcanic glass material having water-holding capabilities.
vermiculite — mineral matter used for starting plant seeds and cuttings.
horizon — layer.
profile — a cross-sectional view of the soil.
residual soils — parent materials formed in place.
alluvial deposits — soils transported by streams.
lacustrine deposits — soils deposited by lakes.
loess deposits — soils deposited by wind.
colluvial deposits — soils deposited by gravity.
glacial deposits — soils deposited by ice.
percolation — movement of water through the soil.
capability classes — soil classifications indicating the most intensive but safe land use,
designated by a Roman numeral.
O horizon — the soil layer that is on the surface that is composed of organic matter and a
small amount of mineral matter.
A horizon — layer near the soil surface that is made up of desirable proportions of
mineral and organic matter.
clay — smallest of soil particles; less than .002 mm.
silt — intermediate soil particles; .05 to .002 mm.
sand — largest soil particles; 1 to .05 mm.
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accessible website, in whole or in part.
topsoil — desirable proportion of plant nutrients, chemicals, and living organisms
located near the surface which support good plant growth.
B horizon — soil below the A horizon or topsoil and generally referred to as subsoil.
subsoil — a soil layer that corresponds to the B horizon that is composed almost entirely
of mineral matter with generally large chunky soil structure.
C horizon — soil below the B horizon; it is important for storing and releasing water to
the upper layers of soil.
bedrock — the area below C horizon consisting of large soil particles.
loam — a relatively even mixture of sand, silt, and clay.
soil structure — the tendency of soil particles to cluster together and function as soil
units.
decomposer — an organism that breaks down material that was once living.
soil amendment — in addition to; change in.
pH — measurement of acidity or alkalinity from 0 to 14.
acidity — sourness.
alkalinity — sweetness.
neutral — neither acid or alkaline.
fertilizer grade — percentages of primary nutrients in fertilizer.
active ingredients — components that achieve one or more purposes of the mixture.
starter solutions — diluted mixtures of single or complete fertilizers used when plants
are transplanted.
nitrate — a form of nitrogen used by plants.
nitrogen fixation — conversion of nitrogen gas to nitrate by bacteria.
aeroponics — the plant roots hang in the air and are misted regularly with a nutrient
solution.
Instructor Resources
Computerized test bank in ExamView®
Instructor slide presentations
Correlation guides (National AFNR, CCTC, and Green Sustainability)
Image Library
CourseMate materials for Unit 9
Instructor Notes:
Assign each student words from the Terms to Know list to research. They should be
prepared to present a brief report in class about the meaning of these terms and how they
are used in agriculture.
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accessible website, in whole or in part.
Assist the students in constructing a working model of a hydroponics planter from
everyday materials such as plastic pipe and a water pump. Select a variety to plant, and
monitor its growth.
Choose an available area to dig a hole approximately 3 feet deep and show students the
soil profile of topsoil and subsoil. Study the soil structure and determine its textural class.
Study how to take a soil sample and allow groups of students to collect a sample from
various school lawns and ball fields. Send the sample to the state university or a soil-
testing laboratory. Be prepared to discuss the results upon their return. Share the results
with the school maintenance personnel.
Discuss land capability maps and the land classes. Introduce students to topo maps and
point out some similarities between these maps.
Allow time to review Unit 9 and complete the self-evaluation.
Essay Questions
1. Identify and describe three media other than soil that can be used to grow plants.
Compost is a mixture of partially decayed organic matter such as leaves, manure, and
household plant wastes. Decaying plant matter should be mixed with lime and
fertilizer in correct proportions to support plant growth.
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accessible website, in whole or in part.
There is a group of pale or ashy mosses called sphagnum. These are used extensively
in horticulture as a medium for encouraging root growth and growing plants under
certain conditions. Peat moss consists of partially decomposed mosses that have
accumulated in waterlogged areas called bogs that are saturated with water. Both
sphagnum and peat moss have excellent air- and water-holding qualities.
Many other sources of plant and animal residues may be used as plant-growing
media. For instance, a fence post or a log may rot on its top and hold moisture from
rainfall. Horse manure mixed with straw is used extensively as a medium for growing
mushrooms. In this instance, both animal residue (manure) and plant residue
(straw) combine to make an effective medium.
Some mineral matter can also become plant-growing media. For instance, volcanic
lava and ash eventually accumulate soil particles on their surface. Seeds settle into
cracks, and moisture causes the seeds to germinate. Roots then penetrate and break up
the volcanic residue. As time passes, the area that once was only lava and ash
becomes covered with plant life. Horticulturists use certain mineral materials in plant-
growing areas, too. Perlite is a natural volcanic glass material that has water-holding
capabilities. Perlite is used extensively for starting new plants. Vermiculite, a
mineral matter from a group of mica-type materials, is also used for starting plant
seeds and cuttings.
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accessible website, in whole or in part.
The A Horizon is located near the surface and consists of mineral matter and organic
matter. It contains desirable proportions of organic matter, fine mineral particles
called clay, medium-sized mineral particles called silt, and larger mineral particles
called sand. The appropriate proportion of these soil components creates soil that is
tillable, or workable with tools and equipment. With the presence of desirable plant
nutrients, chemicals, and living organisms, the A horizon generally supports good
plant growth. The A horizon is frequently called topsoil.
The B horizon is below the A horizon and is generally referred to as subsoil. The
mineral content is similar to the A horizon, but the particle sizes and properties differ.
Because organic matter comes from decayed plant and animal materials, the amount
naturally decreases as distance from the surface increases.
The C horizon is below the B horizon and is composed mostly of parent material. C
Horizon is important for storing and releasing water to the upper layers of soil, but it
does not contribute much to plant nutrition. It is likely to contain larger soil particles
and may have substantial amounts of gravel and large rocks. The area below the C
horizon is called bedrock.
Textbook
Complete Self-Evaluation for Unit 9
Read Unit 10
CourseMate
Review the Study Guide
Complete the assignments for Unit 9 (09-01 and 09-02)
Complete worksheets for Unit 9 (09-01 and 09-02)
Study the Flashcards
Explore the Web links
Complete the pre-assessment quiz for Unit 10
Complete the post-assessment quiz for Unit 9
Review engagement tracker to track student progress and time spent on each activity.
Lab Manual
Exercise 11: Talking Dirty—Soil Fertility
Exercise 12: Hold the Soil Please—Growing Plants without Soil
Online Resources:
Learn about the classification system for soils from the United States Department of
Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Search for “USDA, soils,
technical.”
Learn about the Twelve Soil Orders (multimedia). Search for “University of Idaho, soil
orders.”
Explore the mapping of soils through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations. Search for “FAO land soils.”
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accessible website, in whole or in part.
Answers to Self-Evaluation
A. Multiple Choice
1. d 2. d 3. c 4. a 5. c
6. a 7. b 8. b 9. a 10. d
11. c 12. d 13. a 14. d 15. b
B. Matching (Group I)
1. d 2. i 3. a 4. b 5. j
6. h 7. g 8. c 9. e 10. f
C. Completion
1. plants
2. roots; fungi; algae; actinomycetes
3. plant feeders; predators; microanimals
4. supply nutrients; improve water-holding capacity; provide food for organisms; decrease
leaching; improve structure; make soil more porous; store minerals (nutrients)
5. oxygen
6. nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur
7. iron, manganese, boron, zinc, copper, molybdenum, chlorine
© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publically
accessible website, in whole or in part.