Row Crop

Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum), also called garbanzo beans or Bengal gram, are an annual plant of the pea family (Fabaceae). Chickpeas grow best in an area that gets 6-8 hours of sun daily. The plant grows best in fertile sandy, loam soils with good internal drainage. Good drainage is necessary because even short periods of flooded or waterlogged fields reduce growth and increase susceptibility to root and stem rots. India is the world’s number one leader in chickpea production.

Corn (Zea mays), also called maize, is a plant of the grass family (Poaceae). The domesticated crop originated in the Americas and is one of the most widely distributed of the world’s food crops. Corn is used as livestock feed, human food, biofuel, and as raw material in industry. During peak timings in the summer, the US corn crop’s photosynthetic production outpaces the Amazon rainforest.

Cotton is a seed-hair fiber of the genus Gossypium, which belongs to the hibiscus or mallow family (Malvaceae). Cotton is one of the world’s leading agricultural crops and is plentiful and economically produced, making products created from it relatively inexpensive. Cotton is among the most popular natural fibers today and helps meet the global demand for textile fiber and a wide range of other products. India is the top producer of cotton worldwide. In the US, Texas produces the most cotton.

Dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) have historically been a staple food. They are widely consumed throughout the world and are rich in protein, fiber and various micronutrients. There are many sub-varieties, including pinto, kidney, black, white, and navy beans. US farmers plant about 1.5 million acres of dry beans a year, making the US a global leader in production with pinto beans being the highest in production volume.

Dry edible beans, or field beans, come in a wide variety of market classes, including kidney bean, navy bean, pinto bean and black bean. These beans, although differing in the size and coloring of the seed, are all just different types of a single species, Phaseolus vulgaris L. The leading states in dry bean production are North Dakota, Michigan, Nebraska, Colorado, California, and Idaho. Total US production is approximately 2 million acres.

Worldwide, sorghum is a food grain produced for human consumption. In the US, sorghum is used primarily as a feed grain for livestock. Feed value of grain sorghum is similar to corn. Average temperatures of at least 80°F during July are needed for maximum grain sorghum yields, and day-time temperatures of at least 90°F are needed for maximum photosynthesis. Kansas is the top sorghum producer in the US.

Lentil (Lens culinaris) is a small annual legume of the pea family (Fabaceae) and is grown for its edible seeds. Lentil crops are widely cultivated throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa but are seldom grown in the Western Hemisphere. Lentil grows on sparsely branched vines ranging 18-24 inches tall. Lentil is adapted to all soil types, including sand, clay and loam, if there is good internal drainage. Lentil does not tolerate flooded or waterlogged soils, and does best on deep, sandy loam soils high in phosphorus and potassium. A soil pH near 7.0 is best for lentil production.

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) prefer a long, warm growing season and are typically planted from mid to late spring through mid-summer, after the threat of frost has passed. When you are growing peanuts, plant them in well-draining, sandy soil that is rich in organic matter. The peanut, an important oil and food crop, is currently grown on approximately 42 million acres worldwide. It is the third major oilseed of the world next to soybean and cotton. Peanuts are grown commercially in 13 states within the US.

Canola and Rapeseed are frequently confused, and the terms are often used interchangeably. Canola was produced through selective plant crossbreeding to remove two specific traits from traditional rapeseed. Canola differs in that it contains lower levels of glucosinolates and erucic acid. These two compounds are found to be detrimental to human health in higher concentrations. Thus, to be labeled canola oil for consumption, it must contain less than 30 micromoles of glucosinolates and less than 2% of erucic acid. Rapeseed oil is still used in industrial applications. Both canola and rapeseed belong to the cabbage or mustard family. The plants’ flowers both have that characteristic bright yellow color, and oil is obtained from both seeds by crushing them. Field production of rapeseed is the same as that for winter canola.

Rice (Oryza sativa), is an edible starchy cereal grain in the grass plant family Poaceae. Roughly one-half of the world population, including virtually all East and Southeast Asia, depends on rice as a staple food. Approximately 95 percent of the world’s rice crop is eaten by humans. Rice is produced in a wide range of locations and under a variety of climatic conditions, from the wettest areas in the world to the driest deserts.