Lab 1: Minor Crops

Question 1

Fagopyrum esculentum

Answer 1

Buckwheat

Question 2

Buckwheat

Answer 2

Fagopyrum esculentum

Question 3

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)
-stems, leaves, flowers, seeds

Answer 3

-specialty crop
-very sensitive to heat/drought when setting seed
-sensitive to frost
Stems:
-very upright, thick
-ocrea at each node
-some degree of striping
Leaves:
-large
-arrowhead shape
Flowers:
-white and showy
Seeds:
-large and triangular shaped

Question 4

Carum carvi

Answer 4

Caraway

Question 5

Caraway

Answer 5

Carum carvi

Question 6

Caraway (Carum carvi)
-use, growth habit, leaves, seeds

Answer 6

-spice crop
Growth habit:
-biennial
-indeterminate growth
-slow growing
-poor competition
=difficult to grow
Leaves:
-green
-very fern like
Seeds:
-slender
-slight curve

Question 7

What spice crop look similar to a carrot in the first year?

Answer 7

Caraway (Carum carvi)

Question 8

Coriandrum sativum

Answer 8

Coriander

Question 9

Coriander

Answer 9

Coriandrum sativum

Question 10

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
-use, growth habit, leaves, seeds

Answer 10

-spice crop
-grown in SK
Growth habit:
-annual
Leaves:
-round
-coarsely toothed
Seeds:
-very round
-yellow-beige colour
-larger than mustard
-smaller than pulse

Question 11

Coriander vs Cilantro

Answer 11

-same plant
cilantro: use fresh leaves
Coriander: harvested seeds

Question 12

Fenugreek

Answer 12

Trigonella foenum-graecum

Question 13

Trigonella foenum-graceum

Answer 13

Fenugreek

Question 14

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graceum)
-use, family, leaves, seeds, soil, planting in SK

Answer 14

-spice crop
-grown in SK
Family:
Legume
Leaves:
-very similar to clover
-trifoliate
Seeds:
-large
-yellow
-can have door
Soil:
-best suited dark brown and brown zones
Growth cycle in Sk:
-needs to be seeded early to avoid yield loss due to early fall frost

Question 15

Alfalfa

Answer 15

Medicago spp.

Question 16

Medicago spp.

Answer 16

Alfalfa

Question 17

Alfalfa (Medicago spp.)
1.stem growth habit
2.leaves
3. fruit/flowers

Answer 17

Stem:
-erect growth
Leaves:
-trifoliate
Flowers/fruits:
-clusters of purple flowers
-form twisted legume fruits

Question 18

What is the Latin name of the most important forage legume grown in SK?

Answer 18

Medicago spp.

Question 19

Why is Medicago spp. harvested for livestock feed?

Answer 19

-highly nutritious
-high protein content

Question 20

What part of an alfalfa crop is harvested?

Answer 20

The vegetative growth

Question 21

How should Medicago spp. be seeded in SK?

Answer 21

-shallow seed bed
-early in spring

Question 22

What growing condition will Medicago spp. NOT tolerate?

Answer 22

Saturated soils
-otherwise adapted to a wide range of growing conditions

Question 23

What must occur for Medicago spp. to be harvested for seed?

Answer 23

Leaf cutting bees must pollinate the flowers