The Most Important Crops in the World
People cannot exist without plants, and some plants would not exist without people. Around the world, large societies thrive on a foundation of agriculture. Read on to learn about the crops that sustain the diversity of cultures across the globe, providing the bounty that ensures human survival.
The Potato is native to North America and in the United States. Potato products are the second most consumed food. This starchy tuber is a staple in diets around the world and is considered the fourth most important worldwide crop.
Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a grass species that is commercially grown for cereal grain. Approximately 95% of all wheat grown in the world is Wheat. This species is grown for human and animal consumption.
Maize (Zea mays) is a well known domesticated cereal grain first domesticated in Mexico. In much of the world it is also called corn. Worldwide cultivation of Maize surpasses other prominent grains like wheat and rice. Maize must be planted in the spring due to its intolerance for cold weather.
While most assume that the Sweet potato is a potato, it is not considered nightshade. However, sweet potatoes and potatoes both belong to the order of Solanales. Its culinary use is wide and can be fried, baked or boiled.
Hordeum vulgare or Barley is an important cereal grain that’s grown globally. It’s commonly used in soups, stews, breads, and as a source of malt for alcoholic beverages like beer. The economic value of its trade globally is over $33 billion.
In many countries, Sorghum is used to make bread. It can also be popped, similar to popcorn. As a staple of diets in many areas, Sorghum also provides cereal, is eaten along with rice, and even made into tortillas. It can be brewed into alcohol, and in the United States is used as animal feed and as a source of bio-based ethanol.
Soybean (Glycine max) was domesticated by the Chinese 6,000 to 9,000 years ago. In the eighteenth century, Europeans used Soybean for ornamental purposes. It’s a versatile plant grown both for consumption and as an ingredient in manufactured products. It was even used by Henry Ford to make plastic parts for his Model T.
An important subsistence crop, Pearl millet is hardy and drought-tolerant. Also known as Cenchrus americanus, it grows well near deserts where the rainfall is low. It has been cultivated in the United States since the 1850’s and there are records of this important crop being grown since 2000 B.C.
Pea (Pisum sativum) is an annual vegetable that makes a hardy, cold weather crop. Also known as the green pea or garden pea, it grows from 1 to 1.5 feet tall. Peapods form after the first year and both peas and pods are edible and can be eaten cooked or raw. Excellent in stir fry, tender tips, called pea shoots, are also edible.
Cassava (Manihot esculenta) comes from South America but has become a major source of carbohydrates for many peoples around the world. This is especially true in low-income areas since it is cheap to grow. Only when properly cooked the starchy root of it is edible. The rest of the plant is poisonous if eaten. Cassava’s natural starches are also useful in laundry products, and it is under investigation as a source of biofuel as well.
The Oat (Avena sativa), a member of the grass family, is one of the most widely cultivated plants on earth, being used as a food crop, as livestock feed, and as an ingredient in cosmetics (especially lotions and soaps). Oats are nutrient-rich and provide more protein and fat than other grains. The plant is best grown in temperate climates with cool, wet summers, so the leading oat producers include Russia, Canada, and Spain.
Rice, also known as English Rice, is a type of grass grown for its rice. It is known to be easy to genetically modify. It is grown as short grain, long grain, and broad grain types of rice.
Hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus) is a bean plant native to the tropics of Africa. Its beans are consumed as a food and it is also referred to as the butter bean or the poor man’s bean. Young pods are consumed widely as a vegetable in Asia. If not properly cooked, Hyacinth bean is toxic.
Banana (Musa acuminata) is an edible evergreen perennial plant native to Southwest Asia. Some people may perceive Edible banana to be a tree, but it is a perennial plant. Banana is one of the earlier domesticated plants by humans in the history of evolution. The cultivation of these plants for fruit is a major industry. They are also cultivated as ornamental plants.
Common buckwheat, or simply buckwheat, is grown for its grain-like seeds or as a cover crop in gardens and fields. It is also grown to improve the quality of soil and can be “chopped and dropped” to serve as mulch. Buckwheat seeds can be ground into gluten-free flour.
Rye (Secale cereale) is a fast-growing annual that will grow from 3 to 6 feet tall. Its tiny flowers grow along a spiked flower stem. Flowers develop into one-seeded fruits. It is cultivated for its seed which is used to make flour, rye bread, rye beer, crisp bread and oats. It is the most popular small grain for cattle forage.
Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) is a broadleaf evergreen native to the Western Pacific tropical islands. In the United States, Common coconut palm grows in Hawaii, Southern Florida, and Texas. This tree produces coconuts.
Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is an annual that can grow from 18 to 24 inches tall. It is a legume crop grown mostly for its edible seeds. Golden yellow flowers bloom in spring and seed begins to develop after flowers fade. The peanut pods grow underground. Cultivated and harvested peanuts and peanut oil are used in a variety of products.
Broad bean (Vicia faba) is a fruit-bearing flowering plant related to the pea. Its origins are unknown. The Broad bean is also called the Fava bean or the faba bean. This plant is widely cultivated for human consumption and has a broad range of culinary uses.
Chenopodium quinoa is a dicotyledonous annual plant, usually about 3–7 ft high. It has broad, generally powdery, hairy, lobed leaves, normally arranged alternately. The woody central stem is branched or unbranched depending on the variety and may be green, red or purple. Each panicle has a central axis from which a secondary axis emerges either with flowers (amaranthiform) or bearing a tertiary axis carrying the flowers (glomeruliform). The fruits (seeds) are about 2 mm in diameter and of various colors—from white to red or black, depending on the cultivar.