1. The Role of Cultivated Plants in the Living World Crop Science 1 Fall 2004

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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

6. Feeding the World’s Population Cereal Crops Roots and Tubers Oil Crops Sugar Fruit Crops Vegetable Crops

7. Cereal Crops Wheat Maize (Corn) Rice Barley Oats Sorghum Rye Millet Over ½ the world’s food supply comes from these

8. Roots and Tubers Potatoes Sweet Potatoes Cassavas

9. Oil Crops Soybeans Corn Peanuts Palm Coconut Sunflowers Olive Safflower

10. Sugar Sugar Cane Sugar Beets

11. Fruit Crops Bananas Oranges Apples Pears Etc.

12. Vegetable Crops Lettuce Carrots Broccoli Asparagus Etc.

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. Non-Food Benefits Industrial –Latex from rubber tree –Pitch, turpentine and resin from pine trees Aesthetic –Perfumes and spices Environmental –Erosion control –Oxygen

18. 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

19. 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