Crop

For other uses, see Crop (disambiguation).

Domesticated plants

Crops drying in a home in Punjab, India.

A crop is a volunteered or cultivated plant (any plant) whose product is harvested by man at some point of its growth stage. Plants which have not been cultivated but whose product are harvested, are not really classified as crops. The same goes for plants which have been planted, but are never harvested. Flowers are classified as crops because when it has been cultivated, its harvesting also include the aesthetic purpose it serves. Crops refer to plants of same kind that are grown on a large scale for food, clothing, and other human uses. They are non-animal species or varieties grown to be harvested as food, livestock fodder, fuel or for any other economic purpose (for example, for use as dyes, medicinal, and cosmetic use).

Major crops include sugarcane, pumpkin, maize (corn), wheat, rice, cassava, soybeans, hay, potatoes and cotton.^[1] While the term "crop" most commonly refers to plants, it can also include species from other biological kingdoms. For example, mushrooms like shiitake, which are in the fungi kingdom, can be referred to as "crops". In addition, certain species of algae are also cultivated, although it is also harvested from the wild. In contrast, animal species that are raised by humans are called livestock, except those that are kept as pets. Microbial species, such as bacteria or viruses, are referred to as cultures. Microbes are not typically grown for food, but are rather used to alter food. For example, bacteria are used to ferment milk to produce yogurt.