Unit 8 Plants

• Plant Cultivation-• Agriculture-– Growing plants and

raising animals for human use

Food Crops

• Cereal-• Grasses that contain

grains• Ex. wheat, corn, rice,

oats, sorghum

Food Crops

• Root Crops• Roots or underground

stems rich in carbohydrates

• Ex. beets, carrots, radishes, rutabagas, turnips

Food Crops

• Legumes• Members of the pea

family, bear seeds in pods

• Return nitrogen from air to soil

• Ex. soybeans, alfalfa, clover, peanuts

Food Crops

• Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts• Ex. apple, bean, pea,

asparagus, walnut

Food Crops

• Spices, Herbs, Flavoring• Add variety & pleasure

by flavoring water, beverages, & food

• Ex. caffeine, sage, dill, vanilla, coconut, quinine

Non Food Uses of Plants

• Medicine– Aspirin (pain) from white

willow– Taxol (cancer)- from Yew

• Clothing/Fabric Dyes– Cotton– Indigo (blue), onion

(yellow), peach (green)

Non Food Uses of Plants

• Fuels– Fossil fuels- stored

photosynthetic energy from millions of years ago

– Wood- burning– Gasahol-

Non Food Uses of Plants

• Other uses-• Ornamental plants• Landscaping• Building Materials• Lipstick• Hair dye• Rubber• Tourism

Plant Ecology

• Interactions between plants and the environment

• Plant-Animal• Flowers & pollinators• Plant-Microbe• Bacteria “fixing”

nitrogen with legumes

Plant Ecology

• Plant-Human• Protect and care for

plants that give us food, shelter, etc.

• Introduced plants• Dandelion, crabgrass

Plant Ecology

• Weeds-• Undesirable plants that

crowd out crop plants or native plant species

• Water hyacinth• Dandelion• Crabgrass

Harmful Plants

• Rash- – Poison Ivy, Poison Oak

• Ill/poison– Leaves, berries of some

house and garden plants

• Hay Fever– Pollen allergies