BPSC021 Midterm 1 2026 Exam Questions and Answers (180 Questions) – Sustainable Agriculture, Citrus & Avocado Biology, Plant Families, Climate Change & Biofuels

This document contains 180 verified exam questions and answers for BPSC021 Midterm 1 (2026), covering sustainable agriculture, California crop systems, citrus and avocado biology, plant reproduction, plant classification, macronutrients, greenhouse gases, and biofuel production. The material integrates lecture-based definitions, applied agricultural examples, and conceptual questions focused on plant structure, physiology, domestication, crop productivity, and environmental sustainability. The document provides comprehensive coverage of California agriculture, including top crops by value and acreage, the historical importance of navel oranges in Riverside, the origin of UCR as a Citrus Experiment Station, and the economic dominance of specialty crops such as almonds, grapes, and avocados. It explores citrus grafting and chimeras, scion and rootstock function, vascular tissue (xylem and phloem), pathogen-free certification, HLB disease transmission by ACP, and the development of modern citrus cultivars. Avocado biology is addressed in depth, including protogyny, dichogamy, Type A and Type B cultivars, climacteric ripening, alternate bearing, monoculture risks, and floral structure using the KCAG formula. The material also examines plant classification and evolution, distinguishing angiosperms, gymnosperms, and true plants, and comparing monocots and eudicots through cotyledon number, leaf venation patterns, and floral part organization. Major plant families covered include Rutaceae, Lauraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, and Vitaceae. Topics such as fruit types (berry, drupe, legume, achene, grain), floral formulas, zygomorphic versus actinomorphic symmetry, and reproductive strategies (monoecy, dioecy, self-compatibility, outcrossing) are thoroughly reviewed. A significant section focuses on plant biochemistry and human nutrition, including macronutrients and micronutrients, CHONS composition of proteins, insulin regulation of glucose, diabetes types, saturated versus unsaturated versus trans fats, LDL and HDL cholesterol, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, fermentation, and biofuel categories (biodiesel and ethanol). The environmental component addresses greenhouse gases (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, water vapor), global warming potential, methane from enteric fermentation and manure, agriculture’s direct and indirect climate impacts, carbon cycles, the Paris Agreement, water footprint, food waste, and dietary carbon intensity. This study guide is especially relevant for: Students enrolled in BPSC021 or introductory plant biology courses Agriculture, crop science, and environmental science majors Sustainability and food systems students Biology and life science undergraduates preparing for Midterm 1 Students reviewing climate change and agricultural systems interactions It serves as a structured, exam-focused revision resource that consolidates plant science, agricultural economics, environmental biology, and nutrition concepts into a comprehensive and organized study tool. Keywords: sustainable agriculture, California agriculture, citrus grafting, scion and rootstock, HLB disease, Asian citrus psyllid, avocado biology, alternate bearing, climacteric fruit, monoculture, plant classification, angiosperms, gymnosperms, monocots, eudicots, floral formula KCAG, Rutaceae, Lauraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, Vitaceae, legume fruit, berry fruit, drupe fruit, achene, grain, macronutrients, insulin regulation, diabetes, LDL HDL cholesterol, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, greenhouse gases, methane emissions, enteric fermentation, biofuels, biodiesel, ethanol production, carbon footprint, sustainability