WIS492 VEGETABLE CROP SCIENCE 02/26/1990 09:29 AM D1 489 Lines Agriculture Science/Production Management Vegetable Crop Science (30-45 days) This unit deals with the aspects of vegetable production in Wisconsin. Topics include employment and career opportunities, soils and soil conservation, plant structure and processes, plant propagation, land preparation, planting, cultivation, irrigation, weed identification and control measures, insect control, disease control, harvesting, storage, marketing, and shipping. Objectives To acquaint student with employment information and career opportunities in the vegetable crop industry To increase student understanding of the scope and importance of the vegetable industry To enhance student comprehension of the relationship of various soil factors and soil management practices to vegetable production To develop student understanding of basic plant morphology and plant processes To provide students with information on approved practices for planting, cultivating, and irrigating vegetable crops To familiarize students with the control and treatment of weed, insect, and disease problems in vegetable crops To give students opportunities to examine the methods used to harvest and store vegetable crops To develop student understanding of procedures for marketing and shipping vegetable crops Competencies At the conclusion of this unit, the students will be able to explain current employment information such as job descriptions, job availability, personal and educational requirements, working conditions, opportunity for advancement, and other factors relative to potential employment in the vegetable crop industry and relate it to their personal needs and aspirations; locate fresh and processed vegetable crop production areas in the United States and Wisconsin; explain the economic importance of the canning industry and the fresh market industry in Wisconsin; describe the physiochemical requirements of the most desirable soil for major vegetable crops; discuss the typical kinds of soil erosion and control; differentiate the types of soil moisture and loss; describe the three essential phases of plant growth and development; distinguish between monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous vegetable crop seeds; identify the types and parts of the flower; develop a written plan for seedbed preparation, planting, and cultivation of selected vegetable crops; classify common vegetable crop insects; list common diseases and the methods for their control; describe the factors that determine the time and method of harvest; discuss the storage methods for fresh market vegetables; identify the major factors related to transportation of fresh market vegetables; and be familiar with the locations of vegetable processing plants and markets. Subject Matter (Basic skills integration areas are shown in brackets following title.) Careers - Current and future employment needs - Job descriptions - Training requirements - Working conditions - Opportunities for advancement - Other factors Occupations [Social Studies] - Production - Harvesting - Processing - Marketing - Engineering Scope and economic importance [Social Studies] - Foreign - National - State - Local area - Vegetable crop statistics Soil selection [Science] - Physical requirements - Chemical requirements - Specific crop requirements Soil and moisture conservation [Science] - Erosion Water Wind - Factors influencing soil erosion Soil structure and texture Climate Vegetative cover Slope Land use - Erosion control methods Management practices 1.land usage 2.water disposal systems 3.cover crop 4.fertilizer and lime use 5.gully control Mechanical practices 1.terracing 2.strip cropping 3.crop rotation 4.water outlets 5.diversion 6.row direction - Soil water losses Soil water types 1.capillary 2.hydroscopic 3.gravitational Soil water estimation Soil water loss methods 1.surface run-off 2.evaporation 3.transpiration 4.percolation - Soil sampling and testing Proper timing Proper procedure Soil test results pH testing NPK testing Organic matter content Minor elements - Fertilization Analysis formula and ratios Nutrient requirements Application of fertilizer 1.purposes 2.common types commercial animal manure green manures and crop residue 3.time of application 4.methods broadcast drilled foliar knifed 5.macronutrients 6.micronutrients Plant structure [Science] - Plant cells - Roots - Stems - Leaves Seed germination [Science] - Seed functions - Dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous seeds - Germination conditions Moisture Temperature Oxygen Seed storage Seed treatment Seed dormancy Plant processes [Science] - Photosynthesis - Absorption Diffusion Osmosis - Distribution - Respiration - Transpiration - Plant food usage - Plant food storage Annuals Biennuals Perennials Plant propagation and improvement [Science] - Sexual reproduction Floral parts and functions Types of flowers Pollination - Fertilization - Asexual reproduction Specific crops Economics of reproduction - Genetic improvement Cells, chromosomes, and genes Segregation and recombination Variations Cultivar improvement methods Land preparation [Science] - Tillage - Crop residue disposal - Seed characteristics Specific crops Economic factors - Seedbed preparation implements Planting - Seed selection Seed examination Seed characteristics Seed germination tests - Equipment and methods Planting equipment Planting methods Planting and harvesting dates (indoor and outdoor) 1.market price and availability 2.climate Cultivation [Science] - Methods - Efficiency factors - Equipment - Labor requirements Irrigation [Science, Social Studies] - History - Methods of irrigation Sprinkler types Surface Trickle Subsurface - Water sources Cost Accessibility Government and industry regulations - Peak demands - Economics of irrigation Crop production costs Market price Volume requirements Crop quality Weed identification [Science] - Annual - Biennial - Perennial Weed control methods [Science] - Mechanical Equipment types Application factors - Chemical Safety Chemical laws and regulations Application rates Application factors Sprayer calibration Insect control methods [Science] - Chemical Insect identification Insecticides Government application rules and regulations Application factors Sprayer calibration - Biological Effectiveness Economic factors Disease control methods [Science] - Disease identification - Seed treatments - Fungicides - Antibiotics - Chemical safety - Sprayer calibration - Crop rotation factors Vegetable crop harvest - Methods Crop uses 1.fresh market 2.processing Storage or shipping requirements Land characteristics Labor supply Crop perishability Harvest time Vegetable crop storage - Perishability - Market location - Transportation requirements - Market price - Cost factors Marketing [Social Studies] - Market demands - Distance from production area - Transportation requirements - Marketing strategy - Storage requirements Shipping - Marketing distance - Equipment - Custom or private Motivational Activities Take a field trip to - a local canning factory, - a wholesale produce warehouse, - an urban fresh vegetable market, - a commercial greenhouse that grows vegetable or plants for truck gardeners, and - experimental or demonstration plots at a nearby college or experimental station. Visit farms that grow vegetables for food-processing plants and ones that grow vegetables for the fresh market during planting and harvesting. Post bulletin board displays featuring topics related to this unit. Learning Activities Participate in a Supervised Agricultural Experience program. Identify different vegetables and varieties. Grow vegetables in demonstration plots, greenhouses, or plant stands to show nutrient deficiencies. Experiment with germinating seeds and identify the conditions that they need to grow. Test soils for acidity and nutrient content. Design a specific five-year vegetable crop rotation plan for a farm. Identify insects common to vegetables grown in the area. Identify various weeds common to the production area. Develop a written plan for the commercial production of a vegetable common in your area. This plan should include the type of soil required, plant growth and development, cultural development, pest control, types of harvesting and shipping, and a thorough outline of the different types of marketing involved with the production of that crop. Instructional Materials Textbooks and References All About Vegetables by Ken Burke and Walter Dotty. rev. ed. San Francisco: Ortho Books, 1981. How to Grow Vegetables and Berries. Menlo Park, CA: Sunset Books/Lane Publishing, 1982. Available from National Farm Book Company. How to Know the Insects by Roger G. Bland and H.E. Jaques. Dubuque, IA: William C. Brown, 1978. Keeping the Harvest: Home Storage of Vegetables and Fruits by Gretchen Mead. rev. ed. Charlotte, VT: Garden Way Publishing, 1983. Available from National Farm Book Company. Knott's Handbook for Vegetable Growers by Oscar A. Lorenz and Donald N. Maynard. 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1980. Modern Marketing of Farm Products by W.P. Mortenson. 3rd ed. Danville, IL: Interstate, 1977. Our Soils and Their Management by Roy L. Donahue. 5th ed. Danville, IL: Interstate, 1983. Producing Vegetable Crops by George W. Ware and J.P. McCollum. Danville, IL: Interstate, 1980. Available from National Farm Book Company. Westcott's Plant Disease Handbook by Cynthia Westcott. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1971. Bulletins and Pamphlets The following are available from the Cooperative Extension Service. Annual Broadleaf Weed Identification. NCR90. Disease Resistant Vegetables for the Home Garden. A3110. General Plant Disorder: Slugs. A3186. Glossary of Insecticides for Vegetable Crops. A2301. Growing Vegetables at Home - Questions and Answers. A2801. Harvesting Vegetables from the Home Garden. A2727. Managing Insects in the Home Vegetable Garden. A2088. Organic Soil Conditioners. A2305. Sweetcorn Pest Management in Wisconsin - 1988. A2345. Storage Requirements of Produce. A3108. The Vegetable Garden. A1989. Vegetable Insects. A2093. The following is available from the Meister Publishing Company. 1979 Weed Control Manual and Herbicide Guide Periodicals American Vegetable Grower Minnesota Horticulturist Packer Rodale's Organic Gardening Computer Software The following are available from Midwest Agribusiness Services, Inc. Agri-ID: The Plant. Apple II. Agri-Quiz: Soils. Apple, IBM. The following is available from Hobar Publications. Soil Evaluation, Fertility and Related Review. Apple, IBM, TRS, Macintosh. On-line Computer Networks The following are available from Ag Ed Network, AgriData Resources, Inc. Vegetable Analysis and Outlook. HS537. Vegetable Cooperative Membership. HS114. Vegetable Farm Machinery Needs. HS94. Vegetable Transportation Facts. HS531. Films, Videotapes, and Slides The following are available from the Bureau of Audio Visual Instruction. Food and Jobs: Wisconsin Agriculture. 11370 (VHS videotape, color, 25 minutes) or 11627 (16mm film, color, 25 minutes). University of Wisconsin, Department of Agricultural Journalism, 1987. The Insect Alternative. (Nova Film Series.) 02490 (16mm film, color, 57 minutes). Time Life, 1978. Integrated Pest Management. 10125 (16mm film, color, 22 minutes) or 11350 (VHS videotape, color, 22 minutes). University of Wisconsin, Department of Agricultural Journalism, 1984. Vegetables For All Seasons. 09392 (16mm film, color, ten minutes). Barr Films, 1972. Wisconsin's Central Sands. 00451 (16mm film, color, 27 minutes). University of Wisconsin, Department of Agricultural Journalism, 1976. The following are available from Teaching Aids, Inc. Save Handling of Pesticides. R75023 (VHS videotape, color, seven minutes). Vegetable Gardening. R-VT1026 (VHS videotape, color, 55 minutes).