Plant Science

1
Plant Science

• Introduction
• Standards and Objectives

2
Definition

• Plant science is first and foremost the science
  and technology of the production of crops.
• A crop is any plant used by human beings.

3
Other related areas

• Agronomy - field crops, wheat, corn, soybeans
• Horticulture - fruits, veggies, woody ornamentals
• and floriculture crops
• Forestry - wood and pulp production, recreation,
  wildlife and watershed management
• Weed science - deal with controlling and
  management of unwanted plants.

4
Where did our crops originate?

• Southwestern and central Asia
• Mediterranean region
• Southwestern Asia
• Highlands of tropical America
• Why is this important to know?
• So, as research continues they can use the plants
  origin to improve its genetics!

5
What crops originated in America?

• Cranberry
• Blueberry
• Pecan
• Plum
• Grape
• Strawberry

6
Why study Plant Science?

• List on your own sheet of paper 5 reasons
  explaining in detail why you as a high school Ag
  student are studying plant science.
• Be prepared to share these with the class.

7
What should we study?

• As a class we have determined why we should study
  plant science, but now list 5 things that we
  should study.
• Be prepared to share your list with the class.

8
Major Uses of Plants as FOOD

• Grains
• Starchy Foods
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Sugar Crops
• Oil Crops
• Nut, Spice and Beverage Crops

9
GRAINS

• Grain yielding grasses are a major source of
  human food.
• In temperate regions, WHEAT is primary source.
• Warmer regions, RICE is primary source.
• Other major grain crops in grass family
• Corn, oats, rye, barley, millet and grain sorghum.

10
STARCHY FOODS

• In addition to cereal grains, starchy roots and
  other plant parts have served as a food staple
  for centuries. EXAMPLES
• Potatoes
• Sweet potato
• Cassava
• Yam
• Banana (in tropical regions of the world)

11
VEGETABLES

• Sweet corn
• Snap bean
• Pea
• Bean
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• These all contribute variety to the human diet as
  well as vitamins and minerals.

12
FRUITS

• Tropical Regions Important Fruit Crops
• Banana
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Papaya
• Orange
• Lemon
• lime

13
FRUITS cont.

• Popular fruit in temperate zones
• Apple
• Pear
• Peach
• Cherry
• Plum
• Apricot
• Small fruits
• Grape, raspberry
• Strawberry, blackberry, blueberry and currant

14
Sugar Crops

• In spite of its lack of protein, vitamins and
  minerals, sugar is a major dietary component,
  especially in developed countries.
• Sugarcane - grown in tropical and subtropical
  climates
• Sugar beet - grown in temperate climates
• Many other plants contain starch that can be
  converted to sugar such as CORN SYRUP

15
Oil Crops

• Because of the relationship between heart disease
  and animal fats, plant oil crops especially
  soybean production has skyrocketed in the last 50
  years
• Major sources of oil crops are
• Soybean
• Sunflower
• Peanut
• Corn
• Cottonseed
• Olive
• Coconut
• Safflower
• Certain Palms

16
Nut, Spice and Beverage Crops

• Other components of a human diet
• Nuts
• Walnut
• Pecan
• Spices
• Vanilla
• Pepper
• Allspice
• Oregano
• Beverages
• Coffee
• Chocolate
• Tea
• Cola

17
Nonfood Uses of Plants

• Fiber Crops
• Timber, Fuel and Pulp
• Aesthetic Uses (?????)

18
Fiber Crops

• Plant fibers have been used since prehistoric
  times to make cloth.
• Major sources
• Cotton and Flax
• Natural fibers have been replaced with
  synthetics.
• Nylon, rayon, polyester
• Common to see a blend of natural and synthetic
  fibers together.
• Cotton/polyester blend

19
Timber, Fuel and Pulp

• Forests provide us with timber for lumber
  products.
• Forest Management has been a major concern in the
  past 20 years.
• Forests provide for recreation such as hiking,
  camping, 4-wheeling, hunting.
• Forests stabilize watershed areas, which affect
  fishing and boating activities.

20
Aesthetic Uses of Plants

• Aesthetic the way something looks
• Using plants for beauty dates back to the
  dynastic EGYPTIANS.
• Today, we use cut flowers, turf grasses, green
  foliage.
• All of these take into account other aspects of
  plant science such as seeds, fertilizer,
  equipment and care.

21
Other Plant Products

• Medicines
• Drugs
• Perfumes
• Cosmetics
• Insecticides
• Industrial chemicals

22
Careers in Plant Science - (with a high school
diploma)

• Greenhouse caretaker
• Plant propagator
• Orchard Care Taker
• Pesticide Applicator
• Groundskeeper
• Tractor Operator
• Combine harvester

23
Careers in Plant Science with a 2-year
(associate's) degree

• Greenhouse manager
• Golf course manager
• Pesticide dealer
• Crop supply salesperson
• Greenhouse supply salesperson

24
4-year degree job opportunities in Plant Science

• Crop marketing specialist
• Crop production specialist
• Fertilizer technologist
• Erosion control scientist
• Soil conservationist
• Seed technologist
• Turf grass specialist

25
Graduate level careers in Plant Science

• Plant geneticist
• Plant breeder
• Biotechnologist
• Genetic engineer
• Plant pathologist
• Plant physiologist
• Statistician
• Weed scientist

26
Review

• WHAT IS PLANT SCIENCE?
• IN WHAT WAYS DO PLANTS AFFECT YOU ON A DAILY
  BASIS?
• WHAT ARE SOME JOBS IN PLANT SCIENCE?
• WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE AND THE PLANT
  SCIENCE INDUSTRY?