Description

Botany is the branch of biology that deals with the study of plants. It is one of the oldest branches of biology. There are several different branches of botany, including ethnobotany. Agriculture is the practice of raising food for consumption, with most farming in developed countries done by large multinational corporations. The history of agriculture is as old as the history of human civilization. It wasn't until humans learned to plant crops that we were able to move from being hunter/gatherers to forming permanent villages. One of the oldest crops produced is wheat, with early varieties providing the seeds that we needed to make flour and then turn that into bread. Botanists also study how plants produce food we can eat and how to increase yields and therefore their work is important in mankindís ability to feed the world and provide food security for future generations, for example through plant breeding. Botanists also study weeds, plants which are considered to be a nuisance in a particular location. Weeds are a considerable problem in agriculture, and botany provides some of the basic science used to understand how to minimize ëweedí impact in agriculture and native ecosystems. Ethnobotany is the study of the relationships between plants and people. Leaves today are, in almost all instances, an adaptation to increase the amount of sunlight that can be captured for photosynthesis. Leaves certainly evolved more than once, and probably originated as spiny outgrowths to protect early plants from herbivory. The book has been written in simple English & short format. This will be useful for student can easily understand the subject in both undergraduate and post graduate level.