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Plants : Economic Importance Notes with PDF

By October 4, 2025 Educational Resources 0 Comments

These notes are your ultimate revision weapon to revise Plants : Economic Importance. We’ve distilled years of previous exam questions (PYQs) into one powerful, concise resource. Everything you need to know, nothing you don’t.

  • PYQs, Decoded: All key concepts from past exams, organized and simplified.
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  • Free PDF to download.

Improved Plant Varieties & Hybrids

Fruit Crops

  • Mango:
    • Improved Variety: ‘Kanchan’
    • Hybrid Variety: ‘Ratna’ (a cross between Neelum and Alphonso)
    • Other Known Varieties: Amrapali, Dasheri, Badami
  • Indian Gooseberry (Amla):
    • ‘Kanchan’ is not a variety of Indian gooseberry.

Medicinal Plants and Their Uses

Specific Plants & Properties

  • Neem Tree:
    • Neem oil is used as a pesticide.
    • Has applications in the pharmaceutical industry.
    • The chief mosquito repellent is obtained from Neem (Margosa).
  • Tulsi (Holy Basil):
    • Medicinal value is due to Phenols and Flavonoids.
    • Acts as an Expectorant (helps clear phlegm).
  • Aloe Vera:
    • Classified as a medicinal crop.
  • Calotropis gigantea:
    • Its extracts are used in the eco-friendly biological synthesis of nanoparticles for potential cancer treatment.
  • Cinchona:
    • Quinine, a major anti-malarial drug, is obtained from its bark.
    • It is an Angiosperm (flowering plant).
    • A synthetic replacement for Quinine is Chloroquine.
    • Hydroxychloroquine is a drug derived from Quinine.
  • Artemisia annua:
    • The anti-malarial medicine Arteether is obtained from this seeded plant.
  • Asafoetida (Hing):
    • Obtained from the root of the plant.
  • Opium Poppy:
    • Opium is obtained from the fruit of the plant.
  • Peppermint:
    • The leaf has the maximum percentage of oil.
  • Brahmi:
    • Used as a Brain Tonic.
  • Sadabahar (Periwinkle):
    • Has Anti-diabetic properties.
  • Pudina (Mint):
    • Acts as a Carminative (relieves gas).
  • Lichen:
    • The acid-base indicator litmus is obtained from Lichen.

Biofuels and Petroplants

Raw Materials for Biofuels (India’s Context)

  • According to India’s National Policy on Biofuels, approved raw materials include:
    • Cassava
    • Damaged wheat grains
    • Rotten potatoes
    • Sugar beet
  • Seeds of Moringa and Tamarind can also be used.
  • Jatropha curcas is the primary plant known and used for biodiesel production.

Ethanol Production

  • Ethanol, a viable bio-fuel, can be obtained from Sugarcane.
  • Molasses (a by-product of sugarcane) is an excellent raw material for producing Power alcohol (ethanol).

Petroplants (Plants rich in hydrocarbons)

  • Petroplants are plants rich in Hydrocarbons and Lipids.
  • Pongam is a leguminous plant that is also a petroplant.

Specific Biofuel Oils

  • Palm Oil:
    • Can be used to produce biodiesel.
    • It is a raw material for industries producing lipstick and perfumes.
    • The palm oil tree is native to Southeast Asia.
  • Canola:
    • A special type of oilseed mustard bred for human consumption.
    • Its main characteristic is that the oil has a very low erucic acid content.

Miscellaneous Forest Produce and Trees

  • Moringa (Drumstick tree):
    • It is a leguminous evergreen tree.
    • India exports seeds of Moringa.
  • Tamarind:
    • In India, most tamarind is collected as a Minor Forest Produce.
    • India exports tamarind.
  • Chilgoza, an edible seed, is obtained from Pine species.
  • ‘Kuttu’ flour, used during fasting, is obtained from Fagopyrum (Buckwheat).

Beverages and Stimulants

  • The most important stimulant in tea leaves is Caffeine.
  • Caffeine is an alkaloid present in both tea and coffee.
  • Soft drinks like cocoa contain significant quantities of Caffeine.

Other Important Plant Products

Spices and Flavorings

  • Saffron spice is made from the Stigma (the female part) of the flower.
  • Vanilla is derived from orchids.
  • Camphor is obtained from the wood of the camphor tree.
  • Chicory is a plant product, sometimes used as a coffee substitute.

Industrial Products

  • Rubber is obtained from the stem (via latex) of the rubber tree.
  • Cork is obtained from the bark of the Oak tree (Quercus).
  • Tapa cloth is obtained from plants belonging to the Mulberry family (Moraceae).

Minerals from Plants

  • Seaweeds are an important source of Iodine.

Infrastructure

Biofuel Plants in India

  • The first biodiesel plant in India was being established in Andhra Pradesh.

Clarifications (Incorrect Sources)

  • Bitumen is a petroleum product, not from a tree.
  • Tincal (a crude form of borax) is a mineral, not from a tree.
  • Quinine is not obtained from:
    • Cinnamon bark
    • Ocimum leaves
    • Acacia Catechu bark
  • Asafoetida is not obtained from:
    • Exudation of the stem
    • Fruits
    • Leaves

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