We grow up watching trees around us. Plants are integral part of our life. The site of greenery is very soothing and relaxing. It always will fresh and alive on walking through the greens. While they are silent and straight, trees are very actively doing a lot. Yes, they are having the power to make our life possible on earth. Life on the earth is possible due to plants and trees. They deliver us with oxygen, food and a diversity of raw materials for many domestic and industrial purposes. So our life always been revolving around the earth’s flora.
If you love trees or feel relaxed and alive in their company and are very keen to learn about them and eager to know their diversity then BOTANY is the right stream to choose. It is a branch of Biology which involves the study of plants and other living creatures that resembles them such as algae, fungi etc. Botany involves importance, distribution, structure, physiology, classification, economic significances and ecology. Scientist who studies plants is called as botanists. A botanists study plants in vivo as well as vitro and the work expands to research and development in laboratories.
If anyone opt for career in this field then it will be very rewarding specially for those individuals who are having a keen interest in botany and wish to discover the occurrence of plant to the maximum extent possible. The field of botany is advancing day by day thus creating a number of career opportunity. As we all aware of the fact that environment is of growing concern for governments across the globe. Everywhere you can see campaigns and awareness drives focusing on more plantation. Consequently, there is an urgent need of botanists in the current scenario to protect the environment from additional deprivation. It is one of the oldest natural sciences of the world. It holds a great value as it involves knowledge of plants and plant derived products useful for mankind. By studying different types of plants, their uses, features etc. how we can use them in the fields of science, medicine and cosmetics can be explored.
❖ Significance of botany
- Botany plays key role in the development of biofuels that are convenient alternatives of fossil fuels. Biofuels includes methane gas, biomass etc.
- Botany is significant in sustaining the productivity and is thus very economical. This comes from the fact that having a foreseen knowledge of crops and suitable techniques provide assistances to farmers in increase of the yield of agricultural output.
- The knowledge and research of plants is also imperative in saving the environment. The scientists list the diverse types of plants existing on earth and can forecast when the plant populations may start declining in near future.
❖ Career and Scope
To name a few job prospects and career opportunity for graduates in botany covers naturalist, biotechnologist, molecular as well as computational biologist, plant geneticist, scientific assistant, plant pathologist, ecologist, plant biochemist, field botanist, professor academicians and researcher.
❖ Botany is divided into many branches such as:-
- Horticulture
This branch of botany emphases on cultivating and studying plants for food or medicinal purposes. Under horticulture everything comes from basic gardening techniques to extensive farming practices.
- Taxonomy
This branch of botany categorises plants based on their physical features, such as shape, size, colour of flower as well as leaf plants. Taxonomy is all about grouping plants by family, genus and species.
- Ecology
This branch of botany studies the interaction of organisms with each other and their environment. Scientist studying ecology are called as ecologists. They perform experiments in vivo or vitro (laboratory and field experiments) to know what kind of interaction diverse species have with each other and their surroundings.
- Systematics
Systematics studies the relatedness among plants on the basis of shared traits, such as ancestry or appearance. This branch of botany also takes a look into how new species evolve and how closely different species are related.
- Plant Pathology
It is the study of micro-organisms responsible for causing diseases in plants. It also covers the mode of action of disease occurrence and the means of preventing and regulating and monitoring diseases in plants.
- Plant Ecology
Plant ecology is the study of distribution of plants in any ecosystem. There are so many factors that affects plants and their interaction with plants as well as other organisms. This all comes under plant ecology.
- Palaeobotany
Palaeobotany is the study of fossil remains of plants. It also deals with identification of plant fossil as well as its recovery. This branch of botany gives an insight into the evolutionary history of plants.
- Archaeobotany
Archaeobotany incorporates the study of how the ancient people used the plants. Understanding how a certain plant is used by our ancestors help us understand the spiritual as well as medicinal significance of that plant.
- Forensic Botany
Forensic botany is a new and existing branch of botany. It makes use of plants and their parts of plants involving pollens from flowers, seeds of plants, leaves of plants, etc. to investigate the crime cases that might be criminal, non-criminal, or any legal disputes, identifying crime location etc.
Conclusion
So, if you are interested in making your career in Botany the now, the question arises where to go for Botany course? Which type of degrees are offered in Botany? Remember, you can go for bachelor’s degree in botany and Master’s degree in botany. Students can also choose to do Ph.D. program after completing PG degree in botany.
Various university offer UG and PG in botany. Among them one emerging university is IIMT University, Meerut. IIMT university, Meerut is a leading institution of higher education dedicated to providing the students with a world-class education. It has commitment for academic excellence and dedication for providing students with a supportive and engaging learning environment. With a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs to choose from, you are sure to find the perfect fit for your educational and career goals. Here the Department of Botany run under the School of life Sciences and Technology offer UG, PG and Ph.D. programs. With state-of-the-art technology and comfortable facilities and modern designed classrooms provide you with a conducive learning environment. The labs are well equipped with all required instruments. Hence, come to IIMT University Meerut and make your mark in the field of Botany!