ORIGINS OF PLANTSIAFNR Plant and Soil Sciences Module

WHERE DID OUR FOOD COME FROM?

Old World Pre 1492

Asia Asia minor Europe

New World Post 1492

Central Mexico Chile United States

Botanists agree that the places below are where most of our food was first found. As explorations increased more food items were discovered around

the world!

VEGETABLES

Let’s use your bell-ringer answers to make a list of all the vegetables we know!

1)

FRUITS

Let’s make a list of all the fruits you know of!

GRAINS AND OIL CROPS

Sunflower Corn Peanut Cotton Tobacco Rye Oats Barley

Wheat Clover Alfalfa Flax Soybean Rice Sugarcane

Image retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-barnes/repurposing-ideas-5-new-uses-vegetable-oil_b_1495961.html

Image retrieved from: http://onebuffmama.me/tag/grains/

THE BEGINNING OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

American Farmers had a keen interest in learning more about crops and food. Especially in dealing with surplus and pests. This interest led to the establishment of the United States Department of Agriculture in 1862 where the beginning of American agricultural research began.

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

Hatch Act 1887

Set up experimental research stations at each of the Land-Grant Colleges Indiana Land-Grant College

Purdue University Research goals to improve productivity with better agricultural practices and plant varieties

Agricultural Adjustment Act

1938 Created four regional research laboratories Each laboratories specialized

in research of the crops of their area

Could reach problem areas and answer questions much quicker

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

World War II Agriculture Research Stations responded to crisis Finding substitutions for war needs Dehydrated Foods Synthetic rubber Mass-Production of penicillin

(1943)

Postwar Research 1940-1950’s

Development of frozen–food techonolgies

1960’s Instant potatos

Research helped make products better for the consumer

THE FUTURE OF RESEARCH

Farm Bill 2007

Funding for bioenergy and bio based products research.

Renewable energy systems and efficiency projects

Support of fruit and vegetable producers Work in plant breeding and

genetics

Biotechnology Using the tools of genetic engineering Incorporation and expression of genes from other species into plants Enhanced nutritional benefits

Golden Rice Insect Resistant plants

Bt Toxin gene

Image retrieved from: http://intradayfun.com/2010/11/food-consumption-statistics-by-country-per-family-weekly/

What kinds of food do you eat and your family eat?

• The typical American family eats similar amounts and kinds of food to the Revis family.

Why is Agriculture and Food Science Research important?

REFERENCES

Parker, R. (2010). Plant and Soil Science: Fundamentals and Applications. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar.Photos:1) Retrieved from: http://althistory.wikia.com/wiki/File:Blank_world_map.png