Title: History of Agriculture
1History of Agriculture
- Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education
Curriculum Office - July 2002
2History of Agriculture
In what ways have humans utilized plants
3Source of all energy
What is the source of almost all energy within
the Earths system
4Problems
What is the largest problem facing the human race
Can agriculture solve it
5Agriculture
Most people were botanists before agriculture
75 of the people in developing countries are
involved in food production Only 3 in the U.S.
6Agriculture
What aspect of the future of agriculture did you
find interesting
7Agriculture
How do we solve the problems Put more land into
production
8Agriculture
We extensively use only 6 flowering plant species
out of an estimated 235000
9Agriculture
How is modern corn different from its supposed
nearest relative Why could modern corn
theoretically not survive (thrive) without humans
10Peanut
Other names goobers groundnuts Native to
South America It is a legume (N fixing
plant) after pollination flower is pushed
underground where pod forms 1st evidence of
human use peanut shaped jewelry in tomb of
priest from 1800-1100 yrs ago
11Peanut
16th century Spanish explorers brought peanuts
back to Europe Traded from Europe to
Africa Slave trade brought peanuts to North
America
12Peanut
Uses 45-50 oil 25-30 protein snacks peanut
butter (50 of all peanuts produced) oilsfoods
cosmetics paints industrial
products plastics soaps remainder fed to
animals
13Peanut
Peanut Butter developed in 1890 by doctor who
wanted high energy food to feed invalids who
had trouble chewing rare treat in some parts of
world
14Peanut
George Washington Carver son of a slave
(1864-1943) created 300 uses for peanuts used to
reclaim soil depleted by cotton
production Peanut information taken from Plants
Society by Levetin McMahon 2nd ed
15Agriculture
Green Revolution 3 key parts
16Agriculture
Green Revolution 3 key parts Plant
breeding Fertilization Irrigation
17Agriculture
What are some negative impacts of the Green
Revolution
18Agriculture
What are some negative impacts of the Green
Revolution Fossil fuel reliance equipment
fertilizers Impact on land holdings and social
structures Impact on jobs
19Agriculture
Foci of genetic engineering
20Agriculture
Foci of genetic engineering yield
quality resistance to pests preserving genetic
information
21Agriculture
With advances in industrial synthesis of
materials why do we need to worry about the
survival of native plants
22Agriculture
New diseases Plants provide blueprints Synthesis
is expensive Synthesis is based on fossil fuels