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Botany: Definition and Meaning of Botany, Branches of Botany
Definition and Meaning of Botany
- The branch of biology that deals with the study of plants.
- The term ‘botany’ is derived from the Greek word ‘botane.’
- Botany initially included all the plant-like organisms such as algae, lichens, ferns, fungi, mosses.
- It is also the study of the vital processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, and plant nutrition.
- Botany originated in prehistory as herbalism.
Branches of Botany
Plant Pathology
- A science studies plant disease.
- It attempts to improve the chances for survival of plants.
- It has advanced techniques to protect crops from losses due to diseases.
Plant Ecology
- It is a sub discipline of ecology.
- It studies the distribution and abundance of plants.
- It supplies food to all terrestrial organisms, including humans.
Palaeobotany
- It is the branch of botany dealing with the recovery and identification of plant remains.
- It focuses on plant fossils, including algae, fungi, and related organisms, as well as mosses, ferns, and seed plants.
Archaeobotany
- This tells us the way plants were used by the people in the past.
- This is important from the medicinal and spiritual significances perspective of a plant.
- Archaeobotany is also known as Paleoethnobotany.
Forensic Botany
- It is the use of plants and plant parts.
- Includes pollen, seeds, leaves, flowers, fruits, and wood.
- It plays an important role while ascertaining the cause of death.
- Investigation of criminal cases
- Legal questions
- Disputes
- Non-criminal cases
Modern Botany
Early Modern Botany
- The systems of plant identification were developed during the 18th century.
- New plants for study were arriving in Europe by the 18th century.
Late Modern Botany
- This includes modern techniques of organic chemical analysis.
- Spectroscopy
- Chromatography
- Electrophoresis
- August Weismann (1834 – 1914) proved that inheritance only takes place through gametes.
Importance of Botany
- It helps in studying the characteristics and the uses of plants.
- It plays a crucial role around economic productivity.
- Involvement in the study of crops.
- Helps farmers increase crop yield.
- The study of Botany also influences he fields of science, medicine, and cosmetics.
- It further helps in understanding the environmental challenges more clearly.
- It helps in producing the medicine and materials for treatment of diseases.
- It helps in understanding the fundamental life processes.