Crop Plants

Crop plants are vegetables that are grown primarily for food or fodder. They include species of the Liliopsida (monocot) family such as maize, rice, garlic, and onions, and the Magnoliopsida (dicot) family, such as lettuces, beans, cabbages, and potatoes. Crop plants provide a large proportion of the nutrition required by humans and animals. New varieties have been introduced into large-scale production in recent decades, as the products of countries once considered remote now earn international recognition. Crop growing has become a large, resource-intensive industry in developed and [Page 383]developing countries, with extensive use of chemical pesticides and similar products aimed at destroying agricultural pests. Some farms have become organic, which prohibits the use of pesticides. In less developed countries, farmers tend to use whatever technology ...