Plants In Daily Life

Class 6 | Science — Biology | Unit 5

Class 6 Unit 5 Science

We are living on a green planet. Plenty of natural plant resources are around us. Economic botany basically deals with all pervading plants in relation to human welfare as food, clothing, shelter and medicine either directly or indirectly. Indirect usage includes the needs of mans' livestock and the maintenance of the environment; the benefits may be domestic, commercial, environmental, or aesthetic. Plants bring about economy to the country to a large extent and it is a fact that the wealth of any country largely depends upon its agriculture and plant products. Economic botany is the study of the relationship between people and plants and the uses of plants in the economy. From the earliest time rice, wheat and millet have been the staple food of a vast population of India as indicated by the presence of charred grains in most of the excavation sites. In addition, references are abundant in ancient literature about the existence and usage of several crops of economic importance.

Observe the following pictures carefully. Can you identify what they are doing?

1. Why are the farmers harvesting paddy?

2. A woman makes rope using coir. Where does the raw material come from?

3. Neem leaves are being collected in a plate. Do you know the uses of neem leaves?

4. What material is used by the man to make a chair?

In this lesson, let us discuss the different crop plants of economic uses in relation to mankind. Based on their economic values and uses, plants may be broadly classified as follows.

Classification of Plants

1. Plants as Food

2. Spice yielding plants

3. Medicinal plants

4. Fibre yielding plants

5. Timber yielding plants

6. Ornamental plants

5.1 Plants as Food

Plants are the main source of food for human beings. These plants are known as food plants. Do you have a vegetable garden in your house? Have you ever seen harvesting of ripened vegetables? Which part of the plants is used as food for us? We eat different parts of plants such as root, stem, leaf, seed unripe and ripe fruits. We can classify the food plants as follows.

Classification of Food Plants

1. Vegetables

2. Cereals

3. Pulses

Plants also give us coffee, tea, sugar and raw materials for oil.

Vegetables

We get vegetables from different parts of the plants.

Vegetable Parts

Roots: Beetroot, Carrot

Leaves: Green Vegetables Curry Leaves, Cabbage

Stems: Potato, Yam, sugarcane

Flowers: Banana flower, Cauliflower

Fruits: Amla, Guava

Cereals

Cereals are edible components of grain of cultivated grass. Example Rice, Wheat, Bajra, Millet and Ragi.

Pulses

Pulses are edible seeds of the plant's legume family. Pulses are produced in pods. eg: Bengal gram, Green mung bean.

Activity 1. Tabulate the names of vegetables, Cereals and pulses you know

Serial Number	Vegetables	Cereals	Pulses
1
2
3
4
5

Activity 2. How do Rava, Maida, Sago and Vermicelli are made? Discuss with your friends

5.2 Spices

Spices are aromatic parts of tropical plants traditionally used to flavour the food. Spices come from the bark or roots of certain plants, leaves, flowers or stems of plants primarily used for flavoring, coloring or preserving food.

Do You Know?

India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world.

Spices used in India

Following spices are included in a variety of Indian dishes: Cardamom, black pepper, curry leaves, fenugreek, fennel, ajwain, bay leaves, cumin, coriander seeds, turmeric, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Do You Know?

World Food Day, October-16. The aim of celebration of this day is to promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all. Each year, World Food Day is celebrated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). World Food Day adopts a different theme each year. Ask your teacher about the theme of this year.

5.3 Medicinal plants

Some of the plants around us are good at healing our diseases. We call these plants as medicinal plants. They alleviate burns, cuts, colds, fever, sneezes and more. Some chemical compounds in the medicinal plants act against insects, fungi and certain germs. Medicinal plants are considered as rich resources of ingredients which can be used in drug preparation. Here is a list of plants that have the highest medicinal value.

Plant Name	Parts Used	Medicinal Use
Amla	Fruit	Cure Vitamin 'c' deficiency disease like Scurvy. Improve immunity
Tulsi	Leaves, Seed	Couch, cold, bronchitis, expectorant.
Aloe	leaves	Laxative, wound healing, skin burns and ulcer.
Neem	Bark, leaf and seed	Skin disease germicide
Turmeric	Rhizome	Helps body to fight foreign invaders

Activity 3. Ask your parents about the medicinal uses of plants such as Phylanthus, Vallarai, Black nightshade, Thippili, Vetiver, Thuthuvalai and make a write up. What are the other plants used for medicinal purposes in your area?

5.4 Fibre yielding plants

Plants which give us fibres necessary for our uses are called Fibre yielding plants. The fibre from these plants can be spun into thread, rope, and cloth. These fibres are called natural fibres. We can classify the Fibre yielding plants into two types based on the uses and the parts of the plant from where we get the fibres.

Based on Use

1. Textile Fibres (making cloth), example: Cotton

2. Cordage Fibres (making rope) example: Coconut Fibre

3. Filling Fibres (making mattresses). example: Silk cotton

Based on the plant parts

1. Plant Fibres include seed hairs example: cotton

2. Stem (or bast) Fibres example: flax, jute

3. Leaf Fibres example: Agave

4. Husk Fibres example: coconut

Do You Know?

In India, Jute crop is grown in seven states West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura and Meghalaya. West Bengal alone accounts for over 50% of raw jute production.

Activity 4. Take a small quantity of cotton swap. Hold it between your thumb and forefinger. Now, gently start pulling out the cotton, while continuously twisting the Fibres. Are you able to make yarn? The process of making yarn from Fibres is called Spinning.

5.5 Timber yielding plants

The wood needed for the construction of buildings and making of furniture are obtained from certain plants. We use wood for these purposes due to their features like durability, stylish finishing and resistance to temperature changes. All commercial timbers are classified into two classes as Hardwoods and softwoods based essentially on their structure.

Hardwoods

Hardwoods are angiosperms (flowering plants), the largest group of land plants. High-quality furniture, desks, flooring, and wooden construction are being made only using hardwood. Example: Teak, Jackfruit.

Softwoods

Softwoods come from gymnosperm (non-flowering plants) trees. Certain angiosperms also yield softwood. Softwoods have a wide range of applications such as making plywood, wooden boxes, medium-density Fibreboard (MDF) and paper making. Example katampu, Pine.

Do You Know?

The finely cut wooden boards from the wood are layered one above the other to make plywood. This is a kind of composite wood.

5.6 Ornamental plants

Plants which are grown for aesthetic reasons are called ornamental plants. Producing flowers from floral plants is an important section of horticulture. Example: Jasmine, Rose, Chrysanthemum, Carnation, Jerbara etc. To decorate houses, gardens and parks we are planting shrubs such as Hibiscus, Grape, Jasmine and Crotons and climbers like Mullai, Allamanda and Bougainvillea, trees such as Golden shower tree, Mandharai, Delonix tree (Flame of the forest) etc

What are the plants grown in your locality?

5.7 Interrelationship between plants and animals

Animal-plant Interactions

Animals rely on plants for their food and shelter. This relationship benefits not only animals but also plants. Such a relationship is economically significant. For example, silkworms feed on mulberry leaves and live on mulberry plants. This relationship between a worm and a plant is economically useful for us in silk production.

Animals, pests, and birds are essential for cross-pollination of flowers. Bright colours of flowers, smell and honey attract insects. As the insects go from one flower to another, they leave the pollen grains from their body. This results in cross-pollination and the formation of vegetables and fruits. These insect pollinators and birds need to be protected to produce the best yield. Bees are the best pollinators. They also give us honey.

Plants and algae living in coral reefs are the food for a variety of fishes. Fisheries work is done in these areas. Animals and birds play an important role in spreading seeds of various plants. The digestive enzymes in the digestive system of the birds soften the protective layer of the seeds and make it easier to germinate. If these natural relationships between animals and plants are affected, it shows its impact on the economy too.

Other uses of plants

1. Maintain soil fertility

Plants maintain soil fertility. Their droppings and shedding of leaves, fruits and other parts degrade in the soil to form humus. This humus increases soil fertility. Example Plants like blue green algae and bacteria Pseudomonas are extensively used to fix nitrogen in the soil for agriculture.

2. Prevent soil erosion

Plants when grown in dense soil will prevent soil erosion (that is) in times of wind or flood, the fertile top layer of soil is carried away by air or water. This is prevented by plants if grown around.

3. Bio – fuels

Some plants are also grown for the sake of bio - fuels. Plant fuel is less toxic as it does not emit harmful gases and also less expensive. Example. Jatropha. Even the plant waste is used to generate electricity. Example: Sugar mills

Do You Know?

Pala spinach Osteo arthritis is a joint disease affecting joints and knee of any age people. Currently Indian scientists at C D R I (Central Drug Research Institute – Lucknow) have made a nano formulation from the Palak (Pala spinach) to cure this disease.

4. Rubber and Natural plastic

We obtain rubber for tyre, wiring, seats etc from plants. Natural plastics are also produced from plants which are biodegradable. So it does not do harm to our environment.

5. Neem Oil coated Urea

Farmers in India use urea as a fertilizer to increase agricultural productivity. Indian Scientists made Neem Coated urea which releases nitrogen gradually and helps the plants to absorb maximum nitrogen. It reduces the impact of urea on an environment

Points to remember

• Human beings directly or indirectly depend on plants for food, clothes, shelter and medicine
• The branch of science which deals with the relationship between plants and human beings and the economical uses of plants is called economic botany.
• Plants are the main sources of food for human beings. The plants which give food to us are called food plants.
• Pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family.
• Spices are the aromatic parts of tropical plants traditionally used to flavour food.
• Some chemical compounds, some plants act against insects, fungi and certain germs. They are called as medicinal plants
• Plant fires are classified into Textile Fibres, Cordage Fibres and Filling Fibres based on usage.
• Timbers are classified as hardwood and softwood depending on their strength and structure.
• Plants grown for decorative purposes are called ornamental plants.
• When the interrelationship between animals and plants are affected, our economy is also affected.

ICT Corner

Kill or Cure

Through this activity you will be able to learn about medicinal properties of plants.

Step 1: Type the following URL in the browser. 'Kill or Cure?' activity page will open.

Step 2: Click the ' PLAY ' button then ' START ' button given in the activity window to start the activity.

Step 3: A small Figure of a Doctor will be asking for a medicine/ drug by giving some clue.

Step 4: Click and Select the correct plant given at the bottom, from which the drug is extracted. For more information about the drug click the ' i ' icon at the top right of the activity window. Repeat the process to answer all the questions.

URL: http://www.rigb.org/education/games/natural-world/kill-or-cure

Evaluation

Exercise 1. Choose the correct answer

1. One of the following birds is an example of plant pollinator

a. Duck b. Parrot c. Humming bird d. Dove

2. Natural Mosquito repellant is

a. Nutmeg b. Bamboo c. Ginger d. Neem

3. Which of the following is not a root?

a. Potato b. Carrot c. Radish d. Turnip

4. Which of the following medicinal plants has anticancer properties?

a. Amla b. Tulasi c. Turmeric d. Aloe

5. Which is the national tree of India?

a. Neem tree b. Jack tree c. Banyan tree d. Mango tree Exercise 2. Fill in the Blanks

1. Every year, October is celebrated as world food day.

2. is an example of textile fibre.

3. I am the state tree of Tamilnadu. Who am I ?

4. The juice of the leaves of plants relieves cough and bronchitis.

5. The edible seeds of leguminous plants are called

Exercise 3. True or False

If false give the correct answer

1. Plants grown for decorative purposes are called softwood. 2. Silkworm eats mulberry leaves. 3. Cauliflower is used for ornamental purposes. 4. Cotton cloth is not suitable for the summer season. 5. Sugarcane is used as a bio fuel. Exercise 4. Match the following

1. Fibre yielding plant
2. Hardwood
3. Neem
4. Clove
5. Millet

Options: Chloramine, Spice, Hemp, Cereals, Teakwood

Exercise 5. Analogy

1. mango: fruit: maize

2. coconut: fibre: rose

3. bees: pollinators: earthworms

Exercise 6. Give very short answer

1. What is food?

2. What are medicinal plants?

3. How does hardwood differ from softwood?

4. What is a spice?

5. Name any three medicinal plants, which are available in your area?

6. What are the uses of timber?

Exercise 7. Give short answer

1. What is a symbiotic relationship?

2. Write the uses of neem?

3. Name any five plants and their parts that we eat.

Exercise 8. Answer in detail

1. Write short notes on Timber yielding plants.

2. Comment on the importance of plant animal interaction.

Exercise 9. Questions based on Higher Order Thinking Skills

1. Desert does not have water. Why? Give the reason.

2. Kavitha said "Palm tree is a tall tree, so it gives hard wood"! Do you agree with her statement or not? Explain Why?

3. Look at the diagram given below and answer the following questions.

a. Soil fertility is increased by bacteria How?

b. Honey bees are essential for the reproduction of the plants Why?

📝 Summary

1. Economic botany studies the relationship between people and plants and how plants contribute to human welfare through food, clothing, shelter, and medicine, making them crucial for a country's economic wealth.
2. Plants can be classified into six main economic categories: food plants, spice yielding plants, medicinal plants, fibre yielding plants, timber yielding plants, and ornamental plants.
3. Food plants are the main source of nutrition for humans and include vegetables (from roots, leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits), cereals (edible grains from cultivated grass), and pulses (edible seeds from the legume family).
4. Different parts of plants serve as food sources - we consume roots like beetroot and carrot, leaves like cabbage and curry leaves, stems like potato and yam, flowers like cauliflower and banana flower, and fruits like amla and guava.
5. Spices are aromatic parts of tropical plants used for flavoring, coloring, or preserving food, coming from various plant parts including bark, roots, leaves, flowers, or stems, with India being the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world.