Careers in Plant Science

Ranjan K Baruah *

We know that plants play a role in nearly every aspect of our lives. Plant health is the basis of food securityand is inter-connected with human, animal and environmental health. Healthy plants supply nutrient-rich diets for humans and animals and help support a balanced ecosystem.

Pest-infected plants can prompt a cascade of negative effects on food supplies and induce outbreaks of zoonotic diseases transmitted through harmful pathogens. Pesticides play a role in pest management but their over-use and poor management cause biod-iversity loss, environmental pollution, ecosystem dysfunction, food safety concerns and pesticide resistance.

Plants are life — we depend on them for 80 percent of the food we eat and 98 percent of the oxygen we breathe. But we lose as much as 40 percent of crops to pests, setting back global efforts to ensure food security, harming precious biodiversity and impacting economies and livelihoods. We must remember that when we protect plants, we protect lives.

The United Nations designated 12 May the International Day of Plant Health (MPH) to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect biodiversity and the environment, and boost economic development.

The Day is a key legacy of the International Year of Plant Health 2020. This year, the International Day of Plant Health calls on everyone to raise awareness and take action to keep plants, animals, humans and the environment healthy.

We can think and plan our careers related to plants too. Few career options in this regard include horticulture, plant science or botany, agriculture, forestry, etc. Most of the leading agricultural colleges and other institutes offer different courses related to plants. We need to understand in detail about the same and plan to make our careers in this field.

Plant Science / Botany: This is one of popular areas of study for those who like subjects like biology till their senior secondary .Students choose to study zoology or botany in their degree level courses.

A plant scientist, also known as a botanist, is a scientist who studies plants, including their anatomy, taxonomy, and ecology. They research various aspects of plant life, from breeding and physiology to production and yield. Plant scientists play a crucial role in maintaining food security, developing sustainable agricultural practices, and even contributing to drug discovery.

Horticulture: This is one of the popular subjects in the field of agriculture .It is the art and science of cultivating plants for food, ornamental, and medicinal purposes. It encompasses a wide range of activities, from growing fruits and vegetables to creating beautiful landscapes and developing new plant varieties.

It is often practiced on a smaller scale than agriculture, with specialized techniques like budding and grafting. This has much importance in a country like India Forestry: It is the science and practice of managing forests for various purposes, including timber production, conservation, and ecological benefits.

It involves planting, tending to, using, and protecting forests and woodlands. It has a direct connection with protection of plants and ensuring that plants are protected and safeguarded.

Different designation and job roles may be such as
o Plant Breeder,
o Plant Geneticist,
o Plant Biotechnologist,
o Crop Manager,
o Horticulturist,
o Agricultural Consultant,
o Plant Ecologist,
o Conservation Biologist ,
o Restoration Ecologist,
o Plant Scientist or Botanist,
o Plant Pathologist, etc.

One may get jobs in the government sectors or other places as this has demands as it is related to food. There are many private institutions and corporations that engage people who are having academic qualifications as well as employability skills.