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study of inheritance, ECOLOGY, the study of the relations of plants to their environmental conditions and CYTOLOGY, one of the most recent fields, the microscopic study of cell structure and cell behaviour. Great advances were made during the latter years of the eighteenth century and during the nineteenth century in all phases of plant science.
Research is steadily adding to the knowledge of the lives of plants. Besides Botany, other plant sciences include BACTERIOLOGY, the study of bacteria, which are microscopic plants of great importance in agriculture, industry and medicine.
The study of Biology is valuable in understanding ourselves and our living surroundings. It has greatly helped us in controlling various diseases, in producing better and more foods, and in conserving natural resources. The development of medical, agriculture and various industries is a result of the knowledge acquired through study of biology.
Biology and the allied fields of study have also helped us in wiping out some superstitious beliefs. Smallpox, for example, was for a long time thought to be a curse of an angry goddess. However, it is definitely known now that smallpox is a viral disease and it can be checked and cured. Study of Biology has thus made our life happy and comfortable. Study of Botany is valuable for :
a. It enables man to appreciate his dependence upon plants and
his place in nature.
b.
c.
It enriches the cultural life of man and enhances the aesthetic appreciation of plants. It forms a necessary informational background for students preparing for careers in horticulture, agronomy, bacteriology pharmacology, etc..
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(xii) Jain Education International
JAIN BIOLOGY
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