Scribd
Upload
139 views

Classification of Field Crops 39

There are over 600 cultivated plant species worldwide, but only about 15 represent the most important economic crops. Proper classification of field crops is important for understanding their soil, water, climate, and other requirements for cultivation. Field crops can be classified in several ways, including botanically, agronomically, and according to growth characteristics. The most common botanical families for field crops are grasses (Gramineae) and legumes (Leguminosae). Agronomically, crops are often classified as cereals, legumes, sugars, oils, or fibers. Classification according to growth characteristics includes factors like root depth, seasonal growth patterns, and use (e.g. as cash, cover, or companion crops

Uploaded by

GaDaR Vines
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
139 views

Classification of Field Crops 39

There are over 600 cultivated plant species worldwide, but only about 15 represent the most important economic crops. Proper classification of field crops is important for understanding their soil, water, climate, and other requirements for cultivation. Field crops can be classified in several ways, including botanically, agronomically, and according to growth characteristics. The most common botanical families for field crops are grasses (Gramineae) and legumes (Leguminosae). Agronomically, crops are often classified as cereals, legumes, sugars, oils, or fibers. Classification according to growth characteristics includes factors like root depth, seasonal growth patterns, and use (e.g. as cash, cover, or companion crops

Uploaded by

GaDaR Vines
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 20

CLASSIFICATION OF

FIELD CROPS
CLASSIFICATION OF FIELD CROPS

It is well known that there are more than 600 cultivated


plant species, from which there are about 100- 200 species
play important role in the world trade. However, only fifteen
plant species represent the most important economic
crops. Therefore, these crop species must be classified or
grouped in a convenient way to facilitate communication,
dissemination and retrieval of scientific information as well
as promotes the conservation, and improvement of certain
plants.
Generally, classification of these species is important for
these reasons:
1. To get acquainted with crops.
2. To understand the requirement of soil & water different
crops.
3. To know adaptability of crops.
4. To know the growing habit of crops.
5. To understand climatic requirement of different crops.
6. To know the economic produce of the crop plant & its use.
7. To know the growing season of the crop
8. Overall to know the actual condition required to the
cultivation of plant.
The grown field crops are classified according to
different stand points as follows:

1. Botanical classification.
2. Agronomic classification
3. Special- purpose classification.
4. Classification according to life span.
5. Classification according to root depth.
6. Classification according to growth habit.
7. Classification according to Co2 fixation.
8. Classification according to mode of pollinations.
1- Botanical Classification
Botanical classification is based upon similarity of plant parts and
flower structure. This is the most important way of classification
because it determines to what extent the plants are relatives. Field
crops belong to the “spermatophyte”, or seed plant, division of “plant
kingdom”, which includes plants reproduced by seeds. Within this
division, the common crop plants belong to the subdivision of
“Angiosperm”, which are characterized by producing seeds with
coats (covered seed). The “angiosperm”, are then divided into two
classes, namely, monocotyledons and the dicotyledons. All the
grasses, which include the cereals and sugar cane are
monocotyledons. The legumes and other plants except the grasses
are classified as dicotyledons. Each of these two classes is still
further divided into orders, familes, genera, species and varieties.

For example, maize crop (corn) which is monocotyledons belongs to


the order “herbaceous”; family “Gramineae”; genus Zea; species
mays; varieties; S.C. 10 as follows:
1- Monocotyledons:
- Gramineae: includes the following crops: wheat, barley, rice, maize, oat,
sugar cane, sorghum, rye grass, and sudan grass.
-Liliaceae: includes onion and garlic.

2- Dicotyledons:
- Leguminosae: includes: field bean, lupine, check pea, lentil, fenugreek,
Egyptian clover, alfalfa, soybean, peanut, grass pea, caster bean, red clover
and white clover.
- Malvaceae: includes: cotton.
- Linaceae: includes: flax.
- Solanceae: includes: potato, tomato, and tobacco.
- Pedaliaceae: includes: sesame.
- Composite: includes: sunflower, and safflower.
It is well known that the most important field crop families belong to two
botanical families, the grass family (gramineae) and the legume family
(Legumioseae). Therefore, we have to get an idea about the characteristics
of both families.
2- Agronomic classification
Field crops can be classified according to their economic
importance as follows:
1- Cereal or grain crops: Cereals are grasses grown for their
edible seeds such as wheat, oats, barley, rye, rice, maize, and
grain sorghum,
2- Legumes of seeds such as faba bean, pea nuts, fenugreek,
lupine, cowpea, soybean, chick pea, and lentil.
3- Sugar crops: they include sugar beet and sugar cane.
4- Oil crops: they include: flax, soybean, peanut, sunflower,
safflower, sesame, caster bean .
5- Fiber crops: they include cotton. Flax, jute, sisal, and ramie.
3- Special- purpose classification
These classifications are used to refer to plants having special
advantages to the farmer himself in relation to his farming practices,
and include.
1- Catch or emergency crops: These crops are used to substitute
crops that have failed on account of unfavourable conditions. They
are usually quick-growth crops, such as rye, millet and clover. In
Egypt. Clover can be grown and one cut can be obtained before
planting cotton crop.
2- Cash crop: any short maturing crop which is grown to generate
income while the main crop is still in its vegetative stage of growth;
any crop grown to generate cash rather than for subsistence. Some
crops may be cash crops one year but not the next, or for one
farmer but not another.
3- Cover crops: these crops are planted to provide a cover for the
soil and to prevent erosion such as clover and rye.
4- Green manure crops: these crops are turned under while still
green in order to improve the soil properties and increase organic
matter content. Several field crops can be used such as Egyptian
clover, lupine and cowpea.

5- Companion crops: in this case a crop can be intercropped with


another one and each crop is harvested separately. For example,
onion and garlic can be intercropped with cotton crop, or soybean
with maize.

6- Silage crops: these crops are preserved in a succulent condition


by partial fermentation in a tight receptacle. They include corn,
sorghum, forage grasses and legumes.
5- Classification according to root depth
It is clear that the root system of field crops differ in structure,
function and extent. Therefore, field crops can be classified
according to the depth of their roots as follows:
1- Hallow root crops: the root system of these crops extends in the
soil to a depth of one meter such as wheat, barley and rye.
2- Intermediate crops: the depth of the root system of these crops
ranges from 1- 1.5 meter in the case of faba bean and sugar beet.
3- Deep root crops: the root system of these plants extends in the
soil to a depth more than 1.5 meter as in alfalafa.
6- Classification according to growth habit
Determining the best time of planting of any field crop is a very
important task. That is because planting date must be in
suitable time which ensure the best environmental conditions
throughout the growing season of the crop. Crops need
optimum levels of light, temperature, moisture and other
environmental conditions to grow well and produce the highest
productivity.
1. The Kharif Season:
Crops are sown at the beginning of south-west monsoon and
harvested at the end of the south-west monsoon.
Sowing Season: May to July.
Harvesting Season: September to October.
Important Crops: Jowar, Bajra, Rice, Maize, Cotton, Groundnut,
Jute, Hemp, Tobacco etc
2. The Rabi Season:
Crops need cool climate during growth period but warm climate during the
germination of seed and maturation.
Sowing Season: October to December
Harvesting Season: February to April
Important Crops: Wheat, Barley, Gram, Linseed, Mustard, Masoor & Peas.
3. The Zaid Season:
These Crops are raised throughout the year due to artificial irrigation.
1. Zaid Kharif Crops:
Sowing Season: August to September
Harvesting Season: December-January
Important Crops: Rice, Jowar, Rapeseed, Cotton, Oilseeds.
2. Zaid Rabi Crops:
Sowing Season: February to March.
Harvesting Season: April-May.
Important Crops: Watermelon, Tori, Cucumber & other vegetables.

You might also like