"Botany, also called plant science (or plant sciences), plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology."
The study of plant growth, development, physiology, genetics, breeding, and pathology, with a focus on crops grown for food, fiber, fuel, and other uses.
Plant biology: The study of plant anatomy, morphology, and physiology, including plant growth and development, transport of nutrients and water, and responses to environmental factors such as light, temperature, and stress.
Plant genetics: The study of genetic variation in plants, inheritance patterns, and ways in which plant breeding can be used to improve plant characteristics such as yield, disease resistance, and tolerance to abiotic stresses.
Soil science: The study of physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils, including soil formation, classification, and management practices that promote plant growth.
Plant pathology: The study of plant diseases, including their causes, symptoms, and control methods.
Entomology: The study of insects and their interactions with plants, including pest management strategies.
Weed science: The study of weed biology, ecology, and control methods.
Crop physiology: The study of crop growth and development in response to environmental factors, including the effects of plant nutrient deficiencies and excesses.
Plant biochemistry: The study of the chemical processes that occur in plants, including photosynthesis, respiration, and metabolism.
Plant biotechnology: The use of molecular biology techniques to manipulate plant genes or produce new varieties of plants.
Plant nutrition: The study of the nutrient requirements of plants, including the roles of macro and micronutrients in plant growth and development.
Agronomy: The field of agricultural sciences that deals with crop production and soil management practices that promote sustainable farming.
Horticulture: The art and science of growing plants for beauty, food, and medicinal purposes.
Ecology: The study of interactions between organisms and their environment, including the impact of human activities on plant ecosystems.
Biostatistics: The application of statistical methods to biological data, including experiments designed to evaluate the effectiveness of agricultural practices.
Agronomy: The study of crop production and soil management for sustainable agriculture.
Horticulture: The study of cultivating ornamental plants, fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants.
Plant Breeding and Genetics: The study of developing new plant varieties that have desirable traits such as disease resistance, yield, and quality.
Soil Science: The study of soil properties, fertility, nutrient cycles, and soil conservation.
Plant Pathology: The study of plant diseases, their causes, and development methods for disease control.
Weed Science: The study of weed identification, control and management.
Entomology: The study of insects and their impact on plants in agriculture.
Plant Biotechnology: The study of genetic engineering methods to improve plant growth and productivity.
Forestry: The study of forest resources and their management, including silviculture, conservation, and utilization.
Agroecology: The study of ecological processes in agricultural landscapes and their application in sustainable agriculture.
"The term 'botany' comes from the Ancient Greek word βοτάνη (botanē) meaning 'pasture', 'herbs,' 'grass,' or 'fodder'."
"Nowadays, botanists (in the strict sense) study approximately 410,000 species of land plants."
"Some 391,000 species are vascular plants."
"Including approximately 369,000 species of flowering plants."
"Traditionally, botany has also included the study of fungi and algae by mycologists and phycologists, respectively."
"Botany originated in prehistory as herbalism with the efforts of early humans to identify – and later cultivate – plants that were edible, poisonous, and possibly medicinal."
"Medieval physic gardens, often attached to monasteries, contained plants possibly having medicinal benefit."
"In the 19th and 20th centuries, new techniques were developed for the study of plants, including methods of optical microscopy and live cell imaging, electron microscopy, analysis of chromosome number, plant chemistry, and the structure and function of enzymes and other proteins."
"Botanists exploited the techniques of molecular genetic analysis, including genomics and proteomics and DNA sequences to classify plants more accurately."
"Modern botany is a broad, multidisciplinary subject with contributions and insights from most other areas of science and technology."
"Research topics include the study of plant structure, growth and differentiation, reproduction, biochemistry and primary metabolism, chemical products, development, diseases, evolutionary relationships, systematics, and plant taxonomy."
"Dominant themes in 21st-century plant science are molecular genetics and epigenetics, which study the mechanisms and control of gene expression during differentiation of plant cells and tissues."
"Botanical research has diverse applications in providing staple foods, materials such as timber, oil, rubber, fibre and drugs, in modern horticulture, agriculture, and forestry, plant propagation, breeding and genetic modification, in the synthesis of chemicals and raw materials for construction and energy production, in environmental management, and the maintenance of biodiversity." Note: Due to limitations in the response size, I cannot provide direct quotes for each question, but the relevant quotes from the paragraph are indicated for each question.