Historical Development of Plant Physiology

Abstract

Although the basis of plant science is identified with the history of humanity, studies in the field of plant physiology based on both the development process of science and technological developments date back to the very recent past. In 1727, English physiologist, inventor, and chemist Stephen Hales published a book called 'Vegetable Statick' and in his book, Hales explained how water is mobilized in plants and laid the foundations of plant physiology. Since then, great developments in technology and biotechnology have allowed plant physiology to grow in a logarithmic manner. Today, many metabolisms have been enlightened both at the cellular level and at the tissue and organ level, and new studies are being added to these studies every day. In addition to the significant advances brought about by technological advancement, research in the fields of nutrition, plant chemistry, particularly in the agricultural sector, and genetics and molecular biology, though often fraught with ethical issues, has produced some truly groundbreaking discoveries. Within this framework, the goal of this chapter is to elucidate the features of the development processes by examining the history of plant biotechnology development, how technological advancements have accelerated this process, and what key studies were conducted during these phases.