What is a crop?
A crop is a plant product that can be grown and harvested for profit.
When plants of a similar kind are cultivated in one place on large scale, it is known as a crop. For instance, a crop of wheat implies that all the plants grown in a field are that of wheat. Crops are plants developed by the farmers. agriculture plays a vital part in the Indian economy.
Types of crops
- On the basis of season
- On the basis of life cycle
- On the basis of uses
On the basis of season there are three types of crops found in India, which are:
Example, Wheat, Barley, Gram, Mustard, Peas, Patato, Tobacco etc.
Kharif Crop: The crops which are sown in the month of June - Jult and harvested in the month of November _ December.
Example, Rice, Millet, Maize, Cotton, Groundnut, Sweet potato, Sugarecane, Soyabeen etc.
Zaid crop: Zaid crops are the crops which are sown in the month of May - June and harvested in the month of July - August.
Example, Pumpkin, Melon, Gourd, Mong, Cucumber, Chilly, Tomato, Sunflower etc.
On the basis of life cycle crops have been classified in to three classes, which are:
Annual Crop: Annual crop is the crop which completes its life cycle from germination of seed to the death of a plant.
Example, Rice, Wheat, Millet, Cotton, Gram, Groundnut, Musterd, Potato etc.
Biennial crops: These are those flowering crops that takes two years to complet its biological life cycle.
Example, sugar beet, Onion etc.
Perennial crops: These are those plants/ crops which do not need to replant every year after harvesting, these crops automatically grow back.
Example, fruit yealding crops.
On the basis of use, crops are classifies as:
Cereals: A grasswhose starchy grains are used as food.
Example: Rice, Wheat, Barley, Gram, Millet etc.
Oil Seeds: Tgose crops which contain primary oil in there seeds.
Example: Mustard, Groundnut, Sunflower, Sesame etc.
Pulses: They are high in protein, fibre and some vitamins, pulses are also known as grain lugumes.
Example:Gram, Urad, Mong, Pea, Groundnut, Soyabean etc.
Spicy crops: The crops by which spices are obtained are known as spicy crops.
Example: Ginger, Pappermint, Chilly, Coriander, Turmeric etc.
Fibre crops: These are those crops which are grown for there fibre are known as fibre crops.
Example: Jute, Cotton, Flax etc.
Fodder crop: The crop which is grown for animal feed are known as fodder crop.
Example: Barseem, Jowar, Napier grass etc.
Fruit crops: Any one of the group of wild and cultivated trees, shrubs etc which yeald flashy or heard edible fruits are known as fruit crops.
Example: Mango, Guava, Lemon, Banana, Papaya etc.
Root and Tubers: Root and tuber are plant yealding starchy roots, tubers, rhizomes, corms and stems. they are mainly used as human food.
Example: Potato, Batata, Sweet potato, Carrot, Radish, Turnip etc.
Stimulants: The crops which have capicity to psycho stimulant effect known as stimulant crops.
Example: Tobacco, Cannabis, Tea, Cofee, Poppy etc.
Sugar crops: A crop grown for extraction of sugar are known as sugar crops.
Example: Sugar cane, Reed, Sugar beet etc.
Medicinal crops: Plants which contain alkaloid which are used for manufactring of medicines are known as medicinal crops.
Example: Rauvolfia, Neem, Tulsi etc.