Concise Summary on Crop Terminology and Classifications

CROP TERMINOLOGY

  • 2.1. Crop Use
  • 2.2. Special Use Crops
  • 2.3. Life Span
  • 2.4. Climatic Adaptation
  • 2.5. Cultural Practices
  • 2.6. Growth Habit and Leaf Retention
  • 2.7. Water Requirements or Adaptation
  • 2.8. Botanical Classification

CROP USE

Classification Systems
  • Botanical Classification: Based on morphological differences in stems, leaves, and flowers.
  • Agronomic Classifications: Categorized by:
  • Crop Use
  • Cultivation Practices
  • Environmental Adaptation
  • Life Cycle

CROP USE CLASSIFICATION

Grain Crops
  • Grown for dry edible seeds or fruits, also called cereal crops.
  • Cereal Crops: Grasses grown for grain.
  • Small Grains: Short plants including wheat, rye, oats, and barley.
  • Classification:
    • Fall-seeded (e.g., winter wheat)
    • Spring-seeded (e.g., spring wheat)
Forage Crops
  • Grown for vegetative matter for livestock feed.
  • Types:
    • Pasture Crop: Grazed directly
    • Hay Crop: Cut and dried
    • Silage Crop: Stored under anaerobic conditions
    • Soiling Crop: Directly fed to livestock
Oil Crops
  • Primarily grown for oil content.
  • Common examples: Soybean, sunflower, and palm.
Pulse Crops
  • Large-seeded legumes for protein.
  • Examples: Soybean, field beans, and peas.
Root Crops
  • Harvested for their true root.
  • Examples: Carrot, beet, and sweet potato.
Tuber Crops
  • Grown for underground tubers.
  • Example: Irish potato.
Sugar Crops
  • Grown for sweet juice (sucrose).
  • Examples: Sugarbeet and sugarcane.
Fiber Crops
  • Grown for fiber in fruits or stems.
  • Examples: Cotton and flax.
Beverage Crops
  • Grown for seeds or leaves used in beverages.
  • Examples: Coffee and tea.
Medicinal Crops
  • Grown for specific drugs.
  • Examples: Tobacco and poppy.
Rubber Crops
  • Grown for latex used to make rubber.
  • Examples: Rubber tree and guayule.
Horticultural Crops
  • Grown for edible parts or ornamentals.
  • Includes vegetables, orchard crops, and small fruits.

SPECIAL USE CROPS

Cover Crops
  • Grown to protect soil from erosion.
Catch Crops
  • Emergency crops seeded when regular crops fail.
Companion Crop
  • Seeded with a perennial crop to aid establishment.
Green Manure Crop
  • Grown and tilled into soil to improve it.
Trap Crop
  • Attracts pests to control them.

LIFE SPAN

Annual Crops
  • Complete life cycle in one year.
  • Types:
  • Winter Annuals
  • Summer Annuals
Biennial Crops
  • Complete life cycle in two years.
  • Examples: Carrot and sugarbeet.
Perennial Crops
  • Indefinite life span; may last for years.
  • Types include herbaceous and woody plants.

CLIMATIC ADAPTATION

Tropical Crops
  • Grown in warm climates without freezing.
  • Examples: Banana and coffee.
Subtropical Crops
  • Grown in warm climates with mild winters.
  • Examples: Citrus fruits.
Temperate Crops
  • Grown in climates with winter and freezing.
  • Examples: Corn and soybeans.
Boreal Plants
  • Grow in cold climates near polar regions.
  • Few crops, e.g., cabbage, thrive here.

CULTURAL PRACTICES

Row Crops
  • Seeding wide rows for tillage.
Close-Seeded Crops
  • Drilled in narrow rows; limited inter-row cultivation.
Pasture or Hay Crops
  • Perennial crops; no cultivation after seeding.

GROWTH HABIT AND LEAF RETENTION

Herbaceous Plants
  • Soft stems; may be annual, biennial, or perennial.
Woody Plants
  • Forms hard stems; usually perennial.

WATER REQUIREMENTS OR ADAPTATION

Hydrophytes
  • Adapted to live in water-saturated conditions.
  • Example: Rice.
Mesophytes
  • Require moderate moisture; most crops fit this group.
Xerophytes
  • Survive in dry soils; examples include cactus.
Halophytes
  • Grow in saline soils; few crops like barley.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

  • Linnaean Hierarchy: Provides unique plant classification.
  • Kings of plant classification:
  • Example for wheat:
    • Kingdom: Plantae
    • Division: Spermatophyta
    • Class: Angiospermae
    • Family: Poaceae
    • Genus: Triticum
    • Species: aestivum
  • Classification of crops: Monocots vs. Dicots, with Poaceae and Fabaceae being key families for crops.