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Plant Science Chapter #1
Civilization In the beginning, Nomads followed herds of animals and gathered food. When they discovered that they could seed grain and harvest it, they no longer needed to follow a food source. This allowed people to live in one place, thus the beginning of civilization.
Origin of Grain Wheat = Egypt, Iran, Turkey Corn = Mexico Explorers would bring wheat to North America, and return with corn.
Plants as a Food Factory Green plants are the only living things capable of Photosynthesis (using energy from sun to make sugar)
World population: • 1978 = 4 billion • population grows 200,000/day • 60-80% of deaths in world are from undernutrition or malnutrition • average person needs 2200 Kilocalories per day • half the world recieves less than 1500 Kilocalories
Balanced diet • meat and cereals North America = 35% meat, 40% cereal, 25% fruits/veg Asia = 10% meat, 75% cereal (rice)
How can we produce more food? • increase number of acres in production • 3 million acres per year taken out of production in the U.S. for residential and commercial use • increase production per acre (Japan, Canada, Deserts, Jungles)
How has production changed in America? • Civil War: 1 farmer produced enough food for his family (1:6) • 1920 = 1:10 • 1970 = 1:50 • 1990 = 1: 70 • 1998 = 1:128 • Corn production per acre doubled from 1940 to 1960 (hybrid corn & fertilizer) • Research: colleges, USDA, Industry