Q1: What is horticulture?
ANSWER Horticulture is the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables,
flowers, and ornamental plants.
Q2: What does the word 'horticulture' derive from?
ANSWER It derives from the Latin words 'hortus' (garden) and 'cultura'
(cultivation).
Q3: What are the main branches of horticulture?
ANSWER The main branches are pomology (fruit), olericulture (vegetables),
floriculture (flowers), and landscaping/ornamental horticulture.
Q4: What is pomology?
ANSWER Pomology is the branch of horticulture dealing with the study and
cultivation of fruit crops.
Q5: What is olericulture?
ANSWER Olericulture is the branch of horticulture that deals with the
production of vegetables.
Q6: What is floriculture?
ANSWER Floriculture is the branch of horticulture that deals with the
cultivation and management of flowering plants.
Q7: What is landscape horticulture?
ANSWER It involves the use of plants for aesthetic and functional purposes
in outdoor environments.
Q8: What is arboriculture?
ANSWER Arboriculture is the science and practice of caring for individual
trees and woody plants.
Q9: What is viticulture?
ANSWER Viticulture is the study and cultivation of grapevines, primarily for
wine production.
Q10: What is the difference between horticulture and agronomy?
ANSWER Horticulture focuses on garden crops (fruits, vegetables,
ornamentals) while agronomy focuses on field crops like grains and cereals.
,Q11: What are the two major plant groups based on seed structure?
ANSWER Monocots (one seed leaf) and dicots (two seed leaves).
Q12: Name three differences between monocots and dicots.
ANSWER Monocots have parallel leaf veins, fibrous roots, and petals in
multiples of 3; dicots have net-like veins, tap roots, and petals in multiples of 4
or 5.
Q13: What is photosynthesis?
ANSWER Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert sunlight,
water, and CO2 into glucose and oxygen.
Q14: What is the chemical equation for photosynthesis?
ANSWER 6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2
Q15: What is respiration in plants?
ANSWER Respiration is the process by which plants break down glucose to
release energy for growth and metabolism.
Q16: What is transpiration?
ANSWER Transpiration is the loss of water vapor from plant leaves through
stomata.
Q17: What are stomata?
ANSWER Stomata are tiny pores on leaf surfaces that regulate gas
exchange and water vapor loss.
Q18: What is the function of chlorophyll?
ANSWER Chlorophyll absorbs light energy (mainly red and blue
wavelengths) to power photosynthesis.
Q19: What are the two major pigment types in plants?
ANSWER Chlorophylls (green) and carotenoids (yellow, orange, red).
Q20: What is the growing point of a plant called?
ANSWER The meristem — specifically the apical meristem at shoot and root
tips.
Q21: What are the three major plant organs?
ANSWER Roots, stems, and leaves.
Q22: What is the primary function of roots?
ANSWER Roots anchor the plant, absorb water and minerals, and store
food.
Q23: What is the primary function of stems?
ANSWER Stems support leaves and flowers, transport water and nutrients,
and sometimes store food.
, Q24: What are the two vascular tissues in plants?
ANSWER Xylem (transports water and minerals upward) and phloem
(transports sugars from leaves to rest of plant).
Q25: What is the epidermis of a plant?
ANSWER The outermost layer of cells covering all plant organs; it serves as
a protective barrier.
Q26: What is a node on a plant stem?
ANSWER A node is a point on the stem where leaves, branches, or flowers
attach.
Q27: What is an internode?
ANSWER An internode is the stem section between two successive nodes.
Q28: What is an axillary bud?
ANSWER An axillary bud is a bud located in the axil (angle) between a leaf
and the stem.
Q29: What is the function of root hairs?
ANSWER Root hairs greatly increase the surface area for water and nutrient
absorption.
Q30: What is the difference between a tap root and a fibrous root system?
ANSWER A tap root has one main root with smaller laterals; a fibrous root
system has many roots of similar size.
Q31: What are the three mineral particle sizes in soil?
ANSWER Sand (largest), silt (medium), and clay (smallest).
Q32: What is loam soil?
ANSWER Loam is an ideal soil mixture containing roughly equal parts sand,
silt, and clay.
Q33: What is soil pH?
ANSWER Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the soil on a
scale of 0–14.
Q34: What pH range do most horticultural plants prefer?
ANSWER Most plants prefer a slightly acidic to neutral pH of 6.0–7.0.
Q35: What is soil organic matter?
ANSWER Soil organic matter is decomposed plant and animal material that
improves soil structure, fertility, and water-holding capacity.
Q36: What is humus?
ANSWER Humus is the stable, dark organic matter formed from fully
decomposed organic material.
ANSWER Horticulture is the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables,
flowers, and ornamental plants.
Q2: What does the word 'horticulture' derive from?
ANSWER It derives from the Latin words 'hortus' (garden) and 'cultura'
(cultivation).
Q3: What are the main branches of horticulture?
ANSWER The main branches are pomology (fruit), olericulture (vegetables),
floriculture (flowers), and landscaping/ornamental horticulture.
Q4: What is pomology?
ANSWER Pomology is the branch of horticulture dealing with the study and
cultivation of fruit crops.
Q5: What is olericulture?
ANSWER Olericulture is the branch of horticulture that deals with the
production of vegetables.
Q6: What is floriculture?
ANSWER Floriculture is the branch of horticulture that deals with the
cultivation and management of flowering plants.
Q7: What is landscape horticulture?
ANSWER It involves the use of plants for aesthetic and functional purposes
in outdoor environments.
Q8: What is arboriculture?
ANSWER Arboriculture is the science and practice of caring for individual
trees and woody plants.
Q9: What is viticulture?
ANSWER Viticulture is the study and cultivation of grapevines, primarily for
wine production.
Q10: What is the difference between horticulture and agronomy?
ANSWER Horticulture focuses on garden crops (fruits, vegetables,
ornamentals) while agronomy focuses on field crops like grains and cereals.
,Q11: What are the two major plant groups based on seed structure?
ANSWER Monocots (one seed leaf) and dicots (two seed leaves).
Q12: Name three differences between monocots and dicots.
ANSWER Monocots have parallel leaf veins, fibrous roots, and petals in
multiples of 3; dicots have net-like veins, tap roots, and petals in multiples of 4
or 5.
Q13: What is photosynthesis?
ANSWER Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert sunlight,
water, and CO2 into glucose and oxygen.
Q14: What is the chemical equation for photosynthesis?
ANSWER 6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2
Q15: What is respiration in plants?
ANSWER Respiration is the process by which plants break down glucose to
release energy for growth and metabolism.
Q16: What is transpiration?
ANSWER Transpiration is the loss of water vapor from plant leaves through
stomata.
Q17: What are stomata?
ANSWER Stomata are tiny pores on leaf surfaces that regulate gas
exchange and water vapor loss.
Q18: What is the function of chlorophyll?
ANSWER Chlorophyll absorbs light energy (mainly red and blue
wavelengths) to power photosynthesis.
Q19: What are the two major pigment types in plants?
ANSWER Chlorophylls (green) and carotenoids (yellow, orange, red).
Q20: What is the growing point of a plant called?
ANSWER The meristem — specifically the apical meristem at shoot and root
tips.
Q21: What are the three major plant organs?
ANSWER Roots, stems, and leaves.
Q22: What is the primary function of roots?
ANSWER Roots anchor the plant, absorb water and minerals, and store
food.
Q23: What is the primary function of stems?
ANSWER Stems support leaves and flowers, transport water and nutrients,
and sometimes store food.
, Q24: What are the two vascular tissues in plants?
ANSWER Xylem (transports water and minerals upward) and phloem
(transports sugars from leaves to rest of plant).
Q25: What is the epidermis of a plant?
ANSWER The outermost layer of cells covering all plant organs; it serves as
a protective barrier.
Q26: What is a node on a plant stem?
ANSWER A node is a point on the stem where leaves, branches, or flowers
attach.
Q27: What is an internode?
ANSWER An internode is the stem section between two successive nodes.
Q28: What is an axillary bud?
ANSWER An axillary bud is a bud located in the axil (angle) between a leaf
and the stem.
Q29: What is the function of root hairs?
ANSWER Root hairs greatly increase the surface area for water and nutrient
absorption.
Q30: What is the difference between a tap root and a fibrous root system?
ANSWER A tap root has one main root with smaller laterals; a fibrous root
system has many roots of similar size.
Q31: What are the three mineral particle sizes in soil?
ANSWER Sand (largest), silt (medium), and clay (smallest).
Q32: What is loam soil?
ANSWER Loam is an ideal soil mixture containing roughly equal parts sand,
silt, and clay.
Q33: What is soil pH?
ANSWER Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the soil on a
scale of 0–14.
Q34: What pH range do most horticultural plants prefer?
ANSWER Most plants prefer a slightly acidic to neutral pH of 6.0–7.0.
Q35: What is soil organic matter?
ANSWER Soil organic matter is decomposed plant and animal material that
improves soil structure, fertility, and water-holding capacity.
Q36: What is humus?
ANSWER Humus is the stable, dark organic matter formed from fully
decomposed organic material.
