FFA Horticulture CDE General Practice Exam

What is the study of plants and their processes?

1. Horticulture

2. Botany

3. Plant Science

4. Ecology

The correct answer is: Botany

The study of plants and their processes is best defined as botany. Botany is a branch of biology that focuses specifically on the study of plants, including their structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. This field encompasses a wide array of plant-related topics, such as plant physiology, plant ecology, and the interactions of plants with their environment. Horticulture, while concerned with plants, is more focused on the cultivation, management, and production of plants for food, ornamental purposes, and landscape uses. Plant science is a broader term that may encompass both botany and horticulture but does not specify the detailed study of plant processes as directly as botany does. Ecology, on the other hand, studies the relationships between organisms and their environment, which includes plants but is not exclusively about plant biology or plant processes. Therefore, botany is the most accurate term for the study of plants and their processes.