FLORICULTURE
Floriculture is simply defined as the production and management of ornamental plants such as trees, shrubs and flowers. In other words, floriculture involves the growth, care, uses and marketing of some flowering plants, trees and shrubs. Beautiful trees or flowering plants which can be used to decorate our environments are called ornamental plants. Ornamental plants could be trees, shrubs or flowers. The person who grows and sells flowers is called a florist. IMPORTANCE/USES/BENEFITS OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTS Ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers are very important in a number of ways. These include: Sources of Employment or Income: Ornamental plants and flowers provide employment or income to horticulturists or florists. Expression…
ALLEY CROPPING
This is a system which involves the growing of food crops in spaces between hedge-rows of trees or shrubs, which must undergo regular pruning every five or six weeks. The species of plants that can be used for alley cropping include: nitrogen fixing Gliricidia and Leucaena. The spacing of these plants is put at 4 metres between rows, to allow enough space for the growing of food crops. The soil nutrients are recycled through the decomposition of the organic residue. Advantages of alley cropping The pruned leaves help in the feeding of ruminants in the dry season as fodder. The branches or stems are cut and used as yam…
CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS
Plants are generally classified based on three major criteria. These are: Botanical classification. Agricultural classification. Classification based on life cycle. BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS Plants are generally classified through the botanical method and the use of binomial system. The botanical classification has been discussed below, where the plant kingdom is divided into: Schizophyta, Thallophyta, Bryophyta, Pteridophyta and Spermatophyta. Read the characteristics and examples of these groups below under the sub-topic: “Kingdom plantae.” Kingdom: Plantae The plant kingdom consists of three main divisions (Phyla). These are: Thallophyta (e.g. Green brown, red algae). Bryophyta (Liverworts and mosses). Tracheophyta (Vascular plants). Thallophyta This group can further be subdivided into three…
SUPPORTING TISSUES IN PLANTS
Plants generally are known to possess supporting tissues which give them definite shape, strength, rigidity and resistance against external forces such as wind and water to which they are continuously subjected. Types of Supporting Tissues in Plant The main supporting tissues in plants are parenchyma, collenchyma, sclerenchyma (fibre) and wood (xylem). Parenchyma Tissues Location: Parenchyma tissues are found in the cortex of stem, phloem, root, leaf, mesophyll, storage tissues and xylem. Structure: They are composed of cells with large vacuoles and relatively thin wall. They are living cells with cellulose and many air spaces within them. Parenchyma tissue is the most common and abundant plant tissues. Functions…
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