Plants that can be cultivated and harvested repeatedly for use as food or income are called crops. A crop is a large-scale cultivation of plants of the same kind in the same location. Most crops are grown on conventional farmland or in hydroponic systems. The weather and the state of the soil are the two most important factors in agricultural production. Crops can be classified into many different types based on three factors- their usage, their life cycle and the season they grow in. So, here is all you need to know about the different types of crops.
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See also: Green manure crops: Know types, advantages and disadvantages
Types of crops based on usage
Based on how they are used, following are the different types of crops available.
Food crops
They are cultivated as a food source for people. The various edible plant species are as follows.
- Cereals: Grains are essential to a healthy diet because they provide carbohydrates, protein, and fibre. Some examples are wheat, rice, barley, millet, oats, rye, and sorghum.
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- Seeds: Common examples of field crops grown from seed include cereals, nuts, legumes, and even certain spices. Seeds are an excellent source of several beneficial nutrients, including dietary fibre, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
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- Fruits: Apples, pears, citrus, stone fruits, tropical and exotic fruits, berries, and more fall under the category of “fruits.” Many fruits contain beneficial nutrients such as dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
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- Vegetables: Vegetables are low in calories and rich in water content. They are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fibre (especially A and C).
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- Spices: The alkaloids found in herbs and spices are essential to a healthy diet. Some common spices are pepper, ginger, black pepper, etc.
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Forage crops
Animals get the growth nutrients they need from forage plants. They play an important role in pasture management. Important feed crops include sorghum, alfalfa, barley, oats, millet, soybeans, wheat, and maize.
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Fibre crops
Plants that are cultivated for their fibre are classified as fibre crops. Fibre crops make things like clothing, rope, stuffing, and paper. Cotton, hemp, jute, kenaf, and flax are all examples of common fibre plants.
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Oil crops
Oil may be extracted from plants and used in a variety of applications. Today, oil crops are the third greatest land user and the second most influential factor in the agricultural economy (behind cereals). Among the essential plants in this category are soybeans, sunflower seeds, rapeseed, canola, and peanuts. Oil from these plants is used for food and fuel but has numerous other industrial applications.
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Ornamental crops
The ornamental plant is closely connected to the types of plants cultivated for their aesthetic value in parks, gardens, and landscape architecture. Common ornamental plants include ivy, oleander, holly, tulips, and azaleas.
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Industrial crops
Plants with industrial uses are cultivated commercially. Cotton, jute, sugarcane, sugarbeet, coffee, tea, tobacco, coconut, and soybeans are all cash or commercial crops.
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Types of crops based on life cycle
Based on their life cycle, following are the different types of crops available.
Annual crops
Annual crops are plants that only last for a single growing season. These plants germinate from seed, develop into adults, blossom, and set seed during the same growing season. Vegetables and flowers like calendula and zinnias, tomatoes and radishes, eggplant and peppers, beans and okra, peas, and a variety of legumes are all examples.
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Biennial crops
Plants with a biological life cycle of two years are called biennials and this term is used to describe blooming plants. First, the crop forms a tiny cluster of ornamental leaves near the ground in its first year before entering a resting phase throughout the colder season—plants like onions, carrots, cabbages, beets, turnips, bread-seed poppies, etc. are examples of biennial crops.
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Perennial crops
A perennial crop returns year after year for harvesting. Plants such as pears, apples, almonds, peaches, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc., often die back to the ground each winter and sprout the following spring again.
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Types of crops based on seasons
Based on the season they are grown in, following are the different types of crops in India.
Kharif crops
Kharif crops are sown between June and September during the rainy season. Monsoon crops, or Kharif crops, are those grown during the rainy season. Crops such as cotton, rice, maize, and tea are examples. Kharif crops are primarily grown in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Because of their high water demands, the success of Kharif crop harvests is highly reliant on the availability and quality of water supplies.
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Rabi crops
When the monsoon dissipates and the northeast monsoon season begins in October, rabi crops are sown. The peak summer months of April and May are ideal for harvesting rabi crops. Foods like wheat, barley, oats, and other cereal grains are good examples. Since rabi crops need warm weather for seed germination and cold weather for crop development, rain has little effect on them.
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Zaid crop
Zaid is India’s third most important crop. March through June is when this crop is typically harvested. This harvest season is shorter than the Kharif and Rabi seasons. Zaid cultivates a wide variety of foods, including seasonal vegetables and fruits. For most of their life cycle, they need warm, dry circumstances and long days to produce flowers.
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FAQs
What are crops?
Crops are plants or products made from plants that are grown and harvested for food or profit. Food crops, feed crops, fibre crops, oil crops, ornamental crops, and industrial crops are the six main types of crops.
Why are crops categorised?
The crop classification says what crops are grown, while the product classification says what products are made from those crops. So, mustard seed is a crop of oilseeds, and mustard is a product made from oilseeds.
What types of crops are grown in India?
India's principal crops are rice, wheat, millet, pulses, tea, coffee, sugarcane, oil seeds, cotton, jute, etc. Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid are three growing seasons.
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