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This student manual is presented in its first revision, providing a current, basic text for those preparing for greenhouse and floriculture work. Its fourteen chapters are: Overview of the Greenhouse Industry; Greenhouse Structures; Controlling the Greenhouse Environment; Greenhouse Equipment and Lighting; Greenhouse Irrigation Systems; Root Media and Containers; Nutrition; Integrated Pest Management; Plant Height Control by DIF; Bedding Plant Production (including Geraniums); Flowering Potted Plant Production--Poinsettias, Chrysanthemums, and Easter Lilies; Minor Potted Crops; Cut Flower Production; and Greenhouse Perennial Production. Listed at the beginning of each chapter are competencies that can be achieved as the result of studying information in that chapter. Related math and science concepts are also included at the beginning of each chapter. The list of "terms to know" provides familiarity with the industry terms used in that chapter and improves communication. At the end of each chapter, students can take a self-check on the information they have learned by using review questions. Page references are included for the information needed. Appendixes include 18 references, a glossary of terms, and an index. (YLB)

This publication contains the three numeracy units of the three levels of Support Materials for Agricultural Training (SMAT) in agricultural production: Level 1 (starting), 2 (continuing), and 3 (completing). The units are designed to help the learner improve his or her numeracy skills needed to deal with agricultural production. SMAT materials can be used by the individual, with a mentor, or in a group or class. An introduction describes how to use the materials, types of activities, and materials needed. Each level contains agriculture-related mathematics activities. Model answers are provided. Topics covered in Level 1 are yield (or production), conversion, consumption, and application rates. Topics covered in Level 2 are cost/benefit analysis, cropping, costing, and whole farm change. The topic covered in Level 3 is collecting information. (YLB)

This publication contains the three communication skills units of the three levels of Support Materials for Agricultural Training (SMAT) in agricultural production: Level 1 (starting), 2 (continuing), and 3 (completing). The units are designed to help the learner improve his or her written and spoken communication skills needed to deal with agricultural production. SMAT materials can be used by the individual, with a mentor, or in a group or class. An introduction describes how to use the materials, types of activities, and materials needed. Four types of activities are found in the communication unit: key word activities, reading activities, writing activities, and spoken communication activities. Model answers are provided. Topics covered in Level 1 are commodities, discussions, yellow pages, a census form, and information sheets. Topics covered in Level 2 are exports to Asia, crop information, fertilizers, mind your language, and land care. Topics covered in Level 3 are conservation and land care, gathering information, consulting the experts, and negotiating with the bank. (YLB)

This Ohio Competency Analysis Profile (OCAP), derived from a modified Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) process, is a current comprehensive and verified employer competency program list for fertilizer/chemical sales and service workers. Each unit (with or without subunits) contains competencies and competency builders that identify the occupational, academic, and employability skills needed to enter this occupation. Within that outline are three levels of items: core, advancing, and futuring. Core items are essential to entry-level employment. Advancing items are needed to advance in a given occupation. Futuring items are needed to enter and remain in a given occupation 3 to 4 years from now. This profile contains eight units: (1) general safety precautions; (2) customer services; (3) merchandise delivery; (4) business management; (5) inventory; (6) agricultural mechanics; (7) fertilizer/chemical formulation and application; and (8) employability skills. (NLA)

This manual is designed to help agricultural education students to determine and provide the proper kinds and amounts of nutrients for the field crops they produce. The manual provides many learning situations regarding field crops--for example, determining nutrient needs, diagnosing nutrient shortages, and selecting and applying fertilizer and lime. The manual contains seven chapters that cover the following topics: crop nutrient requirements; soil chemistry and plant nutrient absorption; determining nutrient needs of crops; nutrient sources; fertilizer selection; fertilizer application; and lime selection and application. Each chapter includes objectives, practical applications, student exercises, science and mathematics concepts, and key terms, as well as information sheets illustrated with line drawings. A bibliography lists 12 suggested readings and 6 slide sets covering course content. (KC)

This packet contains six science learning activities that can be used in agricultural education courses. The activities cover these topics: (1) determining the effects of soil drainage on plant growth and development; (2) determining the effect of soil compaction on plant growth and development; (3) inoculating legume seeds to promote nodule formation; (4) propagating plants; (5) determining the effects of rhizobium japonicum and nitrogen fertilizer on nodulation and plant growth; and (6) determining effects of frost/hail damage on plant growth. The lesson plans for the activities consist of the following elements: agricultural subjects and science principles included in the lesson, agricultural applications, student objectives, activity length, group size, vocabulary, materials required, instructional strategies and procedures (overview and results), key questions, and evaluation. One to three references are given for each activity, and each includes a data record and observation sheet. (KC)

This training manual, the third volume in a four-volume series of curriculum guides for use in training Peace Corps agricultural development workers, deals with crops. The first chapter provides suggested guidelines for setting up and carrying out the crops component of the agricultural development worker training series. Included in the second chapter are lesson plans covering the following skill areas: the agricultural environment, crop production management principles, units of measure, soil management and fertilizer use, water management, insect control, disease and nematode control, weed control, vegetable production, and traditional field crops. The third chapter consists of a series of technical resources covering basic vegetable production practices from garden planning through harvest. Provided in the appendix are skill goals and objectives, a supply and equipment list, sample planting instructions, a sample field notebook page, and an exam. (MN)

This manual, developed for use by Peace Corps volunteers, attempts to help development counselors to understand the needs of remote-area groups and to provide for those needs through effective self-help projects. The projects covered are those that can solve most effectively, on the village level, the most pressing problems. The manual is written in as nontechnical language as possible and provides background information and step-by-step directions for many projects, illustrated with line drawings. Topics covered by the manual are agronomy, horticulture, entomology, animal husbandry, veterinary medicine, agriculture, home industries, self-help engineering (making tools and equipment), and measurements and conversations. In addition, a background information section is provided for the counselor, dealing with cultural anthropology, sociology, education, and the effects of climate on plant and animal growth. (KC)

This document is the first volume of a state curriculum guide on vocational agriculture for use in the 9th and 10th grades in Louisiana. Three instructional areas are profiled in this volume: orientation to vocational agriculture, agricultural leadership, and soil science. The three units of the orientation area cover introducing beginning students to the total program in vocational agriculture, introducing students to the advanced program options (designed to prepare for occupational choices), and developing the individual supervised occupational experience program. The four units of the agricultural leadership area cover introduction to Future Farmers of America (FFA), awards and contests, leadership training, and participation in FFA activities. The soil science instructional area contains seven units covering soil formation, soil properties, soil acidity and liming, soil classification and land use evaluation, soil fertility and fertilization, soil water, and soil judging. Each unit contains one to several individual lessons, with student objectives (terminal and specific), suggested teaching materials, special arrangements for the teacher to make, tips on presenting the lesson, content outlines, and suggested student activities. An extensive section of transparency masters and accompanying scripts as well as student materials completes the units. Soil science tests are appended. (KC)

This manual presents a simple, step-by-step description of irrigated rice production in Sierra Leone. It is geared specifically to the role and needs of Peace Corps volunteers who, since the mid-1970s, have worked as agricultural extension agents in the Sierra Leone Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The manual is designed to serve both as a training manual, complementing the curriculum taught during preservice training, and as a field guide that contains a ready source of technical information during the growing season. The 18 chapters in the manual cover the stages of rice plant growth, seed selection and preparation, land preparation, fertilizer, insect pest prevention, diseases of rice, weed control, harvesting, threshing, drying, and storage. References and a glossary complete the manual. (KC)

This manual, prepared for use by Peace Corps volunteers in developing countries, has been designed as an on-the-job reference for soil management and fertilizer use at the small farmer level. It provides information on yield-boosting techniques, especially in the areas of soil conservation, organic and chemical fertilizer use, and the safe and appropriate use of agricultural chemicals. The text is written in a "how to" format, in as nontechnical language as possible, and takes a problem-solving approach to soil management and fertilizer use. Organized into nine sections, the text covers the following topics: soil basics, spotting and fixing soil physical problems, seedbed preparation, soil fertility basics, determining fertilizer needs, how to use organic fertilizers and soil conditioners, chemical fertilizers, liming soils, and salinity and alkalinity problems. An appendix to the manual provides conversion tables, composition of common fertilizers, information on soil moisture content, erosion control approaches, and hunger signs in common crops. (KC)

This manual, prepared for use by Peace Corps volunteers, provides background information and practical knowledge about crop production. The manual is designed to convey insights into basic crop production, principles, and practices. Primary emphasis is given to providing explanations and illustrations of soil, plant, and water relationships as they affect crop production. The content is presented in as nontechnical language as possible. Each of the seven units of the text are complete, substantially self-contained, and provide information, tables, and illustrations. The units cover the following topics: soils, plants, entomology, cereal crops, pulse crops, sugar and fiber crops, and oil crops. A glossary of terms used in agronomy completes the manual. (KC)

This manual, primarily designed to help Peace Corps volunteers develop and strengthen their agricultural skills, deals with traditional field crops. The focus of the manual is on surveying and interpreting local agricultural environment and individual farm units, developing agricultural extension techniques and practices, and providing basic hands-on and technical skills for extension workers in operations from farm land preparation through harvest. Covered in the individual chapters of the guide are the agricultural environment; reference crops; planning and preparation; soil fertility and management; pest and disease control; and harvesting, drying, and storage of crops. Appendixes to the manual include a list of common units of measurement and conversion; guidelines for conducting field trial result tests and demonstration plots, structural analysis, and soil samples; directions for using pesticides and herbicides; suggestions for troubleshooting common crop problems; lists of hunger signs in reference crops; and a discussion of planting skills for field extension workers. Concluding the manual are a glossary, bibliography, and list of references. (MN)

This book provides the basic knowledge and guides for the construction and operation of a small-scale, family-size biogas unit. The first chapter discusses the benefits of biogas production and the Chinese biogas model. The second chapter shows the components, design formulas, and sizing units of the biogas model. Chapter 3 describes actual construction methods. The last chapter outlines the operation and maintenance of the biogas digester. Appendices include: (1) an introduction to the process; (2) design and plan; (3) feasibility study; (4) estimated costs of materials; (5) daily slurry quantities; (6) manure and urine estimates; (7) gas production estimates; (8) masonry; (9) manual tools for construction; (10) formulas and conversions; (11) biogas lamp construction; (12) background for biogas production in the People's Republic of China; and (13) vocabulary. Lists 16 references. (YP)

This guide outlines what should be taught to provide training for high school students in agricultural sales and services, and to some degree how and with what resources. The general framework of this 1-year course outline is presented as a problemsolving approach wherein objectives spell out the expected outcomes. After an introductory section on use of the guide, 10 units of instruction--four supportive and six functional--are presented. The supportive units are Orientation to Agricultural Sales and Services, Basic Selling, Farm Supply Store Management, and Business Procedures. The functional units are Feed Sales and Services, Seed Sales and Services, Fertilizer Sales and Services, Pesticide Sales and Services, Petroleum Products Sales and Services, and Hardware Sales and Services. Each unit contains objectives, learning activities, topics, and resources. A bibliography, a list of recommended materials for equipment, and the names and addresses of professional or technical organizations are appended. (HD)

This curriculum guide in agricultural supplies and services is one of 10 guides developed as part of a vocational project stressing agribusiness, natural resources, and environmental protection. The scope of this guide includes four occupational subgroups: feeds, fertilizers, seeds, and chemicals. It is meant as an aid to all who are involved in the curriculum planning phases prior to classroom instruction. Each unit has seven elements to be used for developing specific curriculum and curriculum materials: unit concept, student performance objectives, instructional areas, examples of learning activities, examples of evaluation processes, instructional materials or equipment, and references. Appendixes list recommended materials and equipment, additional references, and selected professional and technical societies. (Author/JC)

The course of study represents the fifth of six modules in advanced crop and soil science and introduces the agriculture student to chemical features of the soil. Upon completing the four day lesson, the student will be able to: (1) list macro- and micro-nutrients, (2) define pH and its effect on plants, (3) outline Cation Exchange of the soil, (4) understand fertilizer production, (5) recognize plants exhibiting nutrient deficiencies, (6) interpret information on a fertilizer tag or bag. The course outline suggests teaching procedures, behavioral objectives, teaching aids and references, problems, a summary, and evaluation. Following the lesson plan, pages are coded for use as handouts and overhead transparencies. A materials source list for the complete soil module is included. (MW)

The program planning guide for agricultural supplies and services was written to assist Applied Biological and Agricultural Occupations (ABAO) teachers in enriching existing programs and/or to provide the basis for expansion of offerings to include additional materials for the cluster areas of agricultural chemicals, feeds, seeds, fertilizers, and science mechanics. Each guide includes the following components: an introduction (brief discussion of the subject matter); sample job titles and cluster areas (major job titles, D.O.T. numbers, O.E. numbers, and information about salaries, educational requirements, and career advancement opportunities); competencies for cluster areas and for job titles, stated as behavioral objectives; a core course outline (a representative sample of how a curriculum should be constructed, including references); sample teaching plans designed for one to five days in length (comprising cluster areas, unit titles, problem areas, a brief introduction, student performance objectives, a detailed outline of instructional content, learning activities, special materials and equipment, and student references). Also included are: specific and selected references; a brief description of school facilities; lists of equipment, supplies, and audiovisual materials; and a partial list of ways to increase teacher competencies. (BP)

This is the fifth in a set of 36 teacher guides for the Entrepreneurship Training modules and accompanies CE 031 038. Its purpose is to give students some idea of what it is like to own and operate a fertilizer and pesticide service. Following an overview are general notes on use of the module. Suggested steps for module use contain suggestions on introducing the module, a brief discussion of the nine units, responses to learning activities, suggestions for summarizing the module, and responses to the quiz. The units are Planning a Fertilizer and Pesticide Service; Choosing a Location; Getting Money to Start; Being in Charge; Organizing the Work; Setting Prices; Advertising and Selling; Keeping Financial Records; and Keeping Your Business Successful. Each unit contains a case study; responses to individual activities; responses to discussion questions; and a group activity. Suggested readings for the teacher and a list of goals and objectives complete the module. (CT)

This module on owning and operating a fertilizer and pesticide service is one of 36 in a series on entrepreneurship. The introduction tells the student what topics will be covered and suggests other modules to read in related occupations. Each unit includes student goals, a case study, and a discussion of the unit subject matter. Learning activities are divided into individual activities, discussion questions, and a group activity. Units (and subject matter) in this module are planning your business (personal qualities; services, customers, and competition; special services; legal requirements); choosing a location (picking an area; picking a spot); getting money to start (description of your business; statement of financial need); being in charge (dividing the work); organizing the work (planning the work; doing the work; checking the work); setting prices (materials, labor); advertising and selling (designing an ad; promotion); keeping financial records (types of sales; daily cash sheet); and keeping your business successful (profit and loss statement; profit ratio and expense ratio; increasing net profits). A summary and quiz complete the document. (A teacher's guide is available for this module.) (CT)

This competency-based curriculum unit on soils and fertilizers is one of four developed for classroom use in teaching the turf and lawn services area of horticulture. The four sections are each divided into teaching content (in a question-and-answer format) and student skills that outline taking soil samples, testing samples, preparing soil for turf seedbed, and turf fertility. A list of references precedes a section containing visual aids, student skill checklist, and student activities such as handouts, discussion activities, field trips, crossword puzzles, hands-on experiences, worksheets, tests, and quizzes. Answer keys are provided. (YLB)

This second volume of a 2-volume curriculum guide contains 12 problem areas selected as suggested areas of study to be included in a core curriculum for 10th-grade or second-year students enrolled in a metropolitan agriculture program. The 12 problem areas are divided into 5 units: Growing and Managing Horticultural Crops (4 problem areas), Identifying and Controlling Pests of Horticultural Plants (1), Soil Science and Conservation of Natural Resources (1), Agricultural Production (2), and Landscape Design Establishment and Maintenance (4). Each problem area includes some or all of the following components: suggestions to the teacher, teacher's guide (objectives, suggested interest approaches, anticipated student problems and concerns, suggested learning activities, suggested uses of problem area, evaluation, references and aids), information sheets, student worksheets or assignment sheets and key, job sheets or laboratory exercises, transparencies, discussion guide for transparencies, and sample test questions and teacher's key. (YLB)

This guide provides agricultural extensionists with basic information that will help them design plans for the conservation of soils and the management of water runoff in specific agricultural plots. It is based on experiences with small hillside farms in Honduras and takes into account the resources and constraints commonly encountered there. Following the introduction are three sections on soil conservation: traditional Honduran farming techniques and resulting problems, soil conservation strategies, and soil fertility and its maintenance. Section V on extension methodology includes some sample work activities, guidelines for evaluating work, motivating techniques, and types of groups with which one may be involved. A conclusion precedes a listing of suggested references and the following appendixes: an English-Spanish vocabulary list, dichotomous key to the selection of soil conservation practices, results of the Santa Cruz Extension Project, instructions for two simple levels for use in surveying contour lines, and some demonstrations useful in promoting new techniques. Eight tables and 46 figures are provided throughout the text of the guide. (YLB)

This book describes one approach to building and operating biogas systems. The biogas systems include raw material preparation, digesters, separate gas storage tanks, use of the gas to run engines, and the use of the sludge as fertilizer. Chapters included are: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Biogas Systems are Small Factories"; (3) "The Raw Materials of Biogas Digestion"; (4) "The Daily Operation of a Biogas Factory"; (5) "The Once a Year Cleaning of the Digester"; (6) "Tanks and Pipes: Storing and Moving Biogas"; (7) "The Factory's Products: Biogas"; (8) "The Factory's Products: Biofertilizer"; (9) "The ABCs of Safety"; and (10) "Conclusion: Profiting from an Appropriate Technology." Many diagrams are provided throughout this handbook. New ideas, composting, bioinsecticides, ferrocement, facts and figures, sources and resources, feasibility studies, problem solving, and vocabulary are presented in the appendices. (YP)

Written in Spanish, this manual, which deals with traditional field crops, is primarily designed to help Peace Corps volunteers develop and strengthen their agricultural skills. The focus of the manual is on surveying and interpreting local agricultural environment and individual farm units, developing agricultural extension techniques and practices, and providing basic hands-on and technical skills for extension workers in operations from farm land preparation through harvest. Covered in the individual chapters of the guide are the agricultural environment; reference crops; planning and preparation; soil fertility and management; pest and disease control; and harvesting, drying, and storage of crops. Appendixes to the manual include a list of common units of measurement and conversion; guidelines for conducting field trial result tests and demonstration plots, structural analysis, and soil samples; directions for using pesticides and herbicides; suggestions for troubleshooting common crop problems; lists of hunger signs in reference crops; and a discussion of planting skills for field extension workers. Concluding the manual are a glossary, a four-page bibliography, and a list of six references. (CML)

Written in French, this manual, which deals with traditional field crops, is primarily designed to help Peace Corps volunteers develop and strengthen their agricultural skills. The focus of the manual is on surveying and interpreting local agricultural environment and individual farm units, developing agricultural extension techniques and practices, and providing basic hands-on and technical skills for extension workers in operations from farm land preparation through harvest. Covered in the individual chapters of the guide are the agricultural environment; reference crops; planning and preparation; soil fertility and management; pest and disease control; and harvesting, drying, and storage of crops. Appendixes to the manual include a list of common units of measurement and conversion; guidelines for conducting field trial result tests and demonstration plots, structural analysis, and soil samples; directions for using pesticides and herbicides; suggestions for troubleshooting common crop problems; lists of hunger signs in reference crops; and a discussion of planting skills for field extension workers. Concluding the manual are a glossary, a four-page bibliography, and a list of six references. (CML)

This curriculum guide provides the plant science components of the vocational agriculture curriculum for Regional Vocational Agriculture Centers. The curriculum is divided into exploratory units for students in the 9th and 10th grades and specialized units for students in grades 11 and 12. The five exploratory units are: agricultural pest control; care and management of a vegetable garden; greenhouse business management; soils and fertilizer; and plant anatomy, physiology, and classification. production and marketing; floral design; fruit production; greenhouse crop production and marketing; greenhouse structures; interior landscaping; landscape construction; landscape design; landscape maintenance; nursery management; operation and care of horticultural equipment; perennial plant identification, production, and marketing; plant nutrition; plant propagation; retail flower shop management; turf management; vegetable producing and marketing; beekeeping; plant tissue culture; and hydroponic culture. Each unit contains these components: length (time); objectives; related job titles and relevant competencies; content outline; teacher and student activities; evaluation suggestions; bibliography; and individual teacher unit review. Validated competency lists and job descriptions for relevant job titles are appended. (YLB)

This annual report includes major time series that reflect changes in farm production, production inputs, and production efficiency. Time series data are presented for the United States and, in most cases, for 10 farm production regions. The text highlights changes since the previous year or specified time period. In previous reports in this series, data was revised for the year preceding the year in the title, but in this report, a new survey-based labor series on total hours has been incorporated, starting with the year 1947. As a result, all data series in the report start with 1947. By using data from the 1984 Farm Costs and Returns Survey, the report will help analysts assess more accurately the efficiency of farm labor hours. Seventy-two tables are provided. Representative topics include: farm production--indexes of farm output by enterprise groups, by region, by cropland used for crops by region, and by fertilizers; labor--by hours required in various enterprises, by indexes of farm production per required hour by enterprise groups, by region; and indexes of total farm input and major input subgroups by region. (YLB)

Describes an exercise developed to demonstrate the degree to which nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers move through different soils. The results support the common practices of broadcasting nitrogen fertilizer and banding phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. (DDR)

This book contains science projects about seed plants that deal with plant physiology, plant ecology, and plant agriculture. Each of the projects includes a step-by-step experiment followed by suggestions for further investigations. Chapters include: (1) "Bean Seed Imbibition"; (2) "Germination Percentages of Different Types of Seeds"; (3) "Cotyledon Removal and Seedling Growth"; (4) "Determining the Best Sowing Depth"; (5) "Carbon Dioxide Production and Oxygen Consumption by Germinating Seeds"; (6) "Stomatal Density of Different Leaves"; (7) "Environmental Factors Affecting Transpiration"; (8) "Leaching from Potted Plants"; (9) "Acid Rain Injury to Plants"; (10) "Photosynthesis in Leaf Disks"; (11) "Starch Testing of Leaves"; (12) "Plant Carbon Dioxide Deficiency"; (13) "C-3, C-4, and CAM Photosynthesis"; (14) "Plant Growth in Various Potting Soils"; (15) "Fertilizer Cost and Plant Growth"; (16) "Soil pH and Plant Growth"; (17) "Plant Growth with Controlled-Release and Soluble Fertilizers"; (18) "Nutrient Solution Aeration and Plant Growth"; (19) "Plant Growth in Various Nutrient Solutions"; (20) "Plant Mineral Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms"; and (21) "Plant Changes in the Nutrient Solution pH." Appendices contain topics on plastic soda bottles, fluorescent light systems, hydroponic equipment and nutrient solutions, seedlings and rooted cuttings for hydroponics, suppliers, and projects to avoid. (JRH)

This package contains an instructor's manual, an instructor's resource package, and a student workbook for a course in agricultural production and management as it relates to crop production. The module contains 17 units of instruction, each of which contains some or all of the following components: objective sheet, instructor's guide, information sheet, assignment sheet, job sheet and skill test record, written test, answers to assignment sheets and written test, transparency masters, learning activity package (LAP) sheet handouts, and other required media. These components are organized within three sections as follows: (1) instructor's manual--information on measuring student performance gains, required criteria for a competency-based education program, a curriculum and duty-task matrix, a basic skills matrix, one set per unit of the instructor's guide, answers, and test code sheets; (2) instructor's resource section--a LAP sheet, transparency masters, and the written test; and (3) student workbook--objective sheets, information sheets, assignment sheets, and job sheets. Unit components are tied to measurable and observable learning outcomes, and most units of instruction are designed for use in more than one lesson or class period. The following topics are covered in the 17 units: introduction to soil, plant, and crop science; safety; careers; soils; soil sampling; fertilizers and irrigation; soil conservation practices; land uses and classification; land legal descriptions; growth and reproduction; seeds and plants; common pests; controlling pests; native and improved pastures; harvesting; marketing crops and grades; and price trends and cycles. A booklet describes the NPK$PLUS interactive software program on soil testing that is available from the Department of Agronomy, Oklahoma State University. (KC)