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The Role of Cultivated Plants in the Living World Crop Science 1 Fall 2004
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Who are Plant Scientists? The first plant scientists were those who: –Observed how plants grew –Developed ideas about the process and how to improve it –Tested those ideas –Came to conclusions
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What if there were no Plants? Without animals plants would survive and/or flourish Without plants all animals would die Without humans most farmed plants would become extinct
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Plants as a Food Source Plants – autotrophic use sun energy to create food Animals – heterotrophic depend upon plants for their food Photosynthesis – Carbon dioxide (air) + water (roots) = carbohydrates Photosynthesis occurs in leaves and other green parts (chloroplasts)
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Cultivation Definition: the growing or tending of crops Cultivation came into use about 18,000 years ago (10,000 years after modern humans) 18,000 years ago – Egypt - Cereals (Wheat, Barley) 6,000 years ago – Europe – Cereals 5,000 years ago – Mexico – Corn 3,500 years ago – South America – Potatoes 3,500 years ago - Far East - Rice
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Feeding the World’s Population Cereal Crops Roots and Tubers Oil Crops Sugar Fruit Crops Vegetable Crops
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Cereal Crops Wheat Maize (Corn) Rice Barley Oats Sorghum Rye Millet Over ½ the world’s food supply comes from these
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Roots and Tubers Potatoes Sweet Potatoes Cassavas
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Oil Crops Soybeans Corn Peanuts Palm Coconut Sunflowers Olive Safflower
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Sugar Sugar Cane Sugar Beets
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Fruit Crops Bananas Oranges Apples Pears Etc.
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Vegetable Crops Lettuce Carrots Broccoli Asparagus Etc.
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Energy Transformation 22 pounds of grain to produce 2.2 pounds of beef Bushel of grain = protein requirement for 23 people –If fed to chickens energy for 2 and protein requirement for 8 people Animals consume grain that is not edible to humans and produce protein of a higher quality and provide necessary minerals and vitamins
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Past and Present 1970’s brink of famine, ecological disaster 1980’s reversal of projection Reversal was achieved by: –Agricultural research available to developing countries –New Cultivars – cultivated varieties (wheat, corn, rice) By 2009, food consumption in nearly ½ of the developing countries will not meet nutritional standards
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Non-Food Benefits Wood and wood products –Building material, fuel, landscape, paper, etc. Textiles from fiber-producing crops –Clothing, rope, twine, burlap and etc. Drugs and medicines –Aspirin from willow trees, codeine from poppies, tobacco
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Non-Food Benefits Industrial –Latex from rubber tree –Pitch, turpentine and resin from pine trees Aesthetic –Perfumes and spices Environmental –Erosion control –Oxygen
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Challenges for the Future New challenges more social than production Starvation Exists – social, political reasons Increased GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) –Round-up Ready, Flavr Savr, Rice w/vitamin A
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Lab Assignment Divide into Groups of 3-4 Using the internet research: –World Food Supply – 1800-2010 –World Population – 1800-2010 –U.S. Corn Yield – 1700-2010 –Average U.S. Farm Size – 1700-2010 –Average World Farm Size – 1700-2010 –Top 25 Commodities in U.S. 2000 –Pick 3 California Counties – top 10 commodities Email clintcowden@westhillscollege.com
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