Question

Describe the applications of biology in our daily life?

Answer 1

Application of Biology 

The knowledge of Biology is playing very important role in the welfare of human beings. Advance studies in biology specially genetic engineering, plant and animal breeding and biotechnology has influenced man's economic, social and industrial progress.

Modern biology and human life:  

Applications of biology results in high yield of crops, better strains of livestock and many other developments beneficial to man. They are fulfilling the demands of rapidly growing population. Some of the contributions of biology in the economic development of various aspects of human life are given below:

1. Forestry, Fuel, Furniture: 

Forestry is the business of cultivating trees, which provide us fuel, timber and wood products. Timber is used for making furniture. Paper industry is also dependent upon wood. Turpentine and resins are extracted from many of the trees. Modern plant breeding techniques have developed various verities of plants

2. Agriculture:  

Foods and clothing are basic necessities of mankind. With the increase of population, man thought of securing more food by cultivating the most desirable plants and domesticating animals. Application of the biological knowledge has enabled scientists to increase yield of crops. In agriculture, cereal crops like wheat, corn, rice have been selectively cultivated and crossed with other varieties to produce super strains giving high yielding crop in a minimal amount of time. Diseases and pests resistant varieties have been evolved by plant breeders.

3. Dairy, Poultry and Fish Farming  

By the use of animal breeding technology, cross breeds of different animals have been raised which provide better protein source in the form of meat and high milk production in the case of cattle, eggs and meat production in the case of poultry, meat in the case of fish and wool & meat in the case of sheep. Biology is helping to know more about diseases and their cure by studying various disease causing agents like viruses, bacteria and other parasites. Biological knowledge helps in the development of balanced diet for different animals, which is necessary for their rapid and speedy growth. Ideal feed is that which has better food conversion ratio.

4. Sericulture:   

Sericulture is the production of silk by the activity of worms known as silk worms. Biological knowledge has enabled the farmers to overcome many problems associated with Sericulture. Adult female lays eggs, which hatch in three to four days. Young larvae feed on buds and new shoots of mulberry. They grow in size and when fullygrown, silkworm larvae stop feeding and spin a continuous silk thread around it.

5. Pest and their Biological Control:   

A large number of organisms damage useful plants and animals causing severe damage to our economy and even to livestock and public health. Such destructive organisms (insects etc.) are called Pests.

Pest Control:

There are many methods to control the pests: e.g.

Primary or cultural control: Crop rotation should be used instead of mono cultures

i.e. planting of only single-species crops.

Chemical control: Chemicals like DOT are used as insecticide, which has developed

resistant strains and also increased the toxicity and pollution. The use is now being

discouraged.

Biological control: Biological control is the most promising pest control method. The

method utilizes natural enemies like predators, parasites and pathogens to control the

pests.