NOTES IN BOTANY

Prepared by: N.R. Bautista

USES OF PLANTS
Plants are either used in the field of Horticulture, Agronomy and Forestry. Generally speaking, plants are cultivated in order to be used as (1) Food & spices; (2) Clothing & basketry; (3) Housing; (4) Medicines; (5) Fuel; (6) Medicines / Pharmaceuticals; (7) Ornamental Decoration; and (8) Environmental Purposes. Horticulture means garden crops. Their main division or branches of Horticulture includes: 1. Olericulture- the production of vegetables including storage, processing, and marketing. Vegetable crops are grown for their succulent and edible parts such as the roots, stems, leaves, young tops, flowers, fruits, or seeds for use in culinary preparations either fresh or preserved in the fresh state. 2. Pomology- the branch of horticulture which deals with fruit crop production. Fruit crops are grown for their edible fruits which, as a rule, are consumed raw. 3. Floriculturethe cultivation and management of cut flowers, flowering plants, and foliage plants including their use in ornamental construct such as flower arrangement. A term that is used interchangeably with floriculture is ornamental horticulture. 4. Plant Propagation/Nursery Crop Culture- the propagation and production of seedlings, young trees, shrubs and vines, as well as ground covers, turf, ornamental plants and other crops in nurseries for landscaping, interior plantscaping, or outplanting.

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(Top Picture) Various cutflowers sold in a flowershop. (Bottom) Various Local tropical fruits in a fruit stand. 5. Landscape horticulture- the branch of horticulture which includes the design, construction and care of landscapes taking into consideration proper choice of plants and aesthetic effects for homes, businesses and public places. The following crops are likewise generally included within the domain of the branches of horticulture: perennial bush and tree nuts; and aromatic and medicinal foliage, seeds and roots . Note: 1. Horticulture differs from agronomy in many ways but some crops can be classified as both horticultural and agronomic depending on use (e.g. sweet corn is horticultural, grain or forage corn is agronomic). In the tropics, however, the distinction between horticulture and agronomy is not clear. 2. Horticulture is intensive. It deals with high-value crops which are intensively cultivated with high infusion of capital in terms of production inputs, labor and technology per land area. 3. Protected cultivation, as in glasshouses and plastic tunnels, and irrigation are common. 4. The following terms are used to refer to production units for horticultural crops: gardens, orchards, groves, vineyards, greenhouses, nurseries, and sometimes plantations. 5. Horticulture supports environmental enhancement through a special branch of horticulture called environmental or urban horticulture which includes home gardening, landscaping, arboriculture (growing of trees), and interior decorating with the use of plants. These activities have been applied in horticultural therapy in which horticultural plants are used as therapeutic tools. Uses of Plants Page 2

AGRONOMY Agronomy (or field crops is a branch of agriculture dealing with various physical and biological factorsincluding soil management, tillage, crop rotation, breeding, weed control, and climaterelated to crop production. Agronomy commonly refers to field crops, e.g. wheat, rice, corn, sorghum, soybean, cotton, as well as pasture, sugar, and forage crops; while horticulture is concerned with fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants; silviculture, or forestry , with forest trees; and agroforestry, with mixtures of trees with other crops. Divisions of Agronomy includes: 1. 2. 3. 4. Cereals wheat, rice, corn, sorghum, soybeans Forage crops grasses planted as feed for horses, goats, sheep, cattle. e.g. paragrass; Sugar crops sugarcane, sugar beet, maple trees. Fibercrops cotton, ramie, abaca, cotton, pandan, buri, pineapple, kapok.

Corn is a major cereal crop for non-irrigated fields.

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FORESTRY / SILVICULTURE 1. Production of Timber / Firewood 2. Use for Other purposes cordage, packing material, basketry 3. Use as Food (Fruits, Nuts, Vegetables) 4. Medicinal Use 5. Protection of Natural Habitat (Environmental) AGRONOMY Field Crops (usually planted in wide open spaces, uses machines in planting, usually produced in industrial scale) a. Cereal crops rice, corn, sorghum, soya beans, wheat b. Oil Crops coconut, African oil palms c. Fiber Crops cotton, Pineapple, Buri, giant Pandan, Forage Crops grasses used as feeds for cattle, horses, goats e.g. para grass. Medicinal / Poison Crops Fuel Crops e.g. ipil-ipil, kakawate, acacia, Sugar Crops sugarcane, maple trees, sugarbeet. Root crops cassava, kamote, potato, sinkamas. Green manure leguminous crops used to be planted and to be plowed under. (Left) Coconut trees are major oil crops which produced nuts for making cooking oil, coconut milk for food and young coconut water and meat for the beverage industry. HORTICULTURE Garden Crops (planted intensively, with high capital and inputs) Plantation Crops - plants grown in large quantities intended for industrial purposes. a. Oil Crops - crops grown for their oil content. e.g. Coconut, African oil palm, lumbang, castor. b. Fiber Crops - grown for their fibers which is used for textiles, cordage, pulp, paper, twines, sacks, bags, mats, decorations, etc. e.g. abaca, buri, maguey, cabo negro, kapok, cotton.

d. e. f. g. h. i.

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c. Beverage crops - crops grown for brewing non-alchoholic drinks. e.g. coffee, cacao, tea, turmeric (yellow ginger), ginger, and avocado leaf. d. Spices, condiments and essences -- crops used to provide special flavors, scnets and colors to food, perfume, soaps, and body dressings (sprays, splashes, and rubbing ointments) e.g. black pepper, vanilla, citronella, canella (or cinnamon), turmeric, eucaliptus. e. Latex and resins - crops grown for their sap (latex) e.g. rubber, chico, pili, rimas, papaya f. Medicinal and poison crops - crops with curative, laxative or pesticidal properties. e.g. Bunga (Areca catachu L.) and ikmo (Piper betle L.), Lagundi

Fruits in a local market . Fruits like bananas, papayas, pineapples, melons and mangoes are major food items sold in markets Ornamental Crops a. Cutfoliage or Florist's greens - plants grown for its its foliage (as background in floral arrangements) e.g. Kamuning (Murraya paniculata) ferns, asparagus (Asparagus plumosus), Fortune plant (Draceana fragrance).

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b. Cutflower or Florist's crops - plants grown for its flowers e.g. carnations, gladiolus, roses, daisies, lilies, chrysanthemums, anthuriums, sampaguita, orchids, heliconias, bird of paradise. c. Flowering Pot Plants - plants grown in containers for their beautiful flowers, usually used for display purposes. d. Foliage plants - plants grown in containers for their attractive foliage (these plants are usually shade loving) e.Landscape plants - plants used for landscaping e.g. palms and trees (as canopy), border plants, accent plants (flowering center of attention); foundation plants; background/blinds; hedge/wall; barriers; creepers; foliage / foliar epiphytes; . f. Turf grasses - usually plants belonging to the Grass family, used for lawns or greens. e.g. Manila grass, Bermuda grass, Carabao Grass & Blue grass. g. Others Bonsai (minature trees) ; Topiary plants shaped into certain shapes; plant arts - dish gardens, zen waterfall gardens, lei, corsage, FRUIT CROPS (POMOLOGY) a. Tree Fruits fruits borne on trees (e.g. manga, santol, sampaloc, apple, starapple, guava) b. Small Fruit fruit not borne on trees, but grows on vines, or small shrubs. e.g. strawberry, grapes, watermelon, melon, dragon fruit. c. Nut Fruits fruits with hard shell. e.g. walnut, cashew nut, Pili nut, Pistachos, SIGNIFICANT APPLICATION OF BOTANY Botany is a foundation and pure science. Its branches includes: Plant Anatomy, Plant Physiology, Genetics, Plant Pathology, Taxonomy or Systematics, PaleoBotany (Plant Evolution), Plant Geography; Crop Protection; Cytology, Histology, Plant Ecology, Ethnobotany, and others. Its Disciplines includes: Plant breeding; Micropropagation (plant tissue culture); Nursery management; Seed Technology; Biochemistry; Post-Harvest Technologies; Farming systems; Botany has tremendous applications in Agriculture (agronomy & horticulture); Forestry; Environmental Science; Biotechnology; Medicine; among others. 2013 Norberto R. Bautista c/o The Biology Department, College of Arts & Sciences, Rizal Technological University, Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City, Philippines. Uses of Plants Page 6