Whether you’re a student, a displaced homemaker, or looking for a career change, you might consider the field of botany. Botanists are employed in many different fields, including horticulture, forestry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, forensics and biotechnology. Their expertise is used to develop new crop varieties that will survive the elements and be resistant to pests. They also work on improving foods that can withstand drought conditions or grow in harsh climates.
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What is a Botanist?
Botanists are in charge of the discovery and classification of plants. They work in many different fields, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, forensics and biotechnology. The botanical field is divided into branches that focus on specific parts of plant science. Fundamental areas include plant anatomy, chemistry and molecular biology.
What Does a Botanist Do?
A botanist might look for cures to different types of cancer, develop drough tresistant food crops, study dandelions or grapes. Perhaps you are more interested in helping people with asthma breathe easier by developing allergen-free plants .
Mycologist – studies fungi
Wetland conservationist – works to preserve swamps, marshes, and bogs
Agronomist – conduct tests to determine the best practices for soil management
Forest ecologist – studies the ecosystems in forests
Botanist vs. Horticulturist
A horticulturist breeds, grows and sells plants. It is a common misconception that horticulture and botany are one in the same. Horticulture can involve breeding different types of plants to produce novel fruits or flowers, while botany involves the study of plant life based on its importance to other areas such as medicine or food production.
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Why is Plant Science Important?
As it turns out, many items on our grocery list are actually the products of plant science. For example, vanilla is used to make ice cream and cola comes from the kola tree. Most crops like wheat, corn, rice and soybeans are cultivated for food. Cotton is another example of a crop that has been breed specifically for clothing.
Without plants we wouldn’t have food to eat, fabric for clothing, wood for buildings, or medicines to keep us healthy. It’s no surprise that botanists are needed in every aspect of life!
The time to begin planning for your future is now. Start by learning about the different career options available to you today. Even if you already know what you want to do, these resources can show you how others have found success in their career path.
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