Native crops can be expected to fit the ecology of the region, and be able to grow in the climate and soil of the region. They can also play an important role in reducing the distance food needs to travel.[1] However, native crops may not always be as productive as the more popular domesticated counterparts or attain equally high prices. The latter is often a result of being not well known (and thus disliked) by the population (at least at first).
Native crops should always be considered in agriculture as they are generally hardier and thus safer crops in terms of providing food (especially today, with global warming affecting the precipitation pattern). They are however not the most appropriate choice in some situations. Especially where unwanted propagation, and contact to the outside environment can be reduced/eliminated (ie use in greenhouses, sterile crops, ...) non-indigenous crops may be a suitable option.
Types of Native Crops by Region[edit | edit source]
Type of crops indicated in this article[edit | edit source]
| Primary crops: divided in primary crops carbohydrates and primary crops protein. |
| Secondary crops: These are generally herbs, spices (most widely used kitchen herbs/spices) or crops for making beverages |
| Supplementary (or tertiary) crops: These crops are generally sweet crops or sweeteners |
Not indicated crops[edit | edit source]
Fruits or "quartary crops" are not indicated on this page. Quintary crops or vegetables are also not indicated. Separate maps of both can be found via the links below.
Native Crops by Region[edit | edit source]
| Region | Importance | Use | Crops |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Asia | Primary | Protein | soybean,[2] wild Azuki bean,[3][4] wild rice bean[5] |
| Carbohydrate | rice, foxtail millet[6][7] | ||
| Secondary | tea bush[8] | ||
| Supplementary | monk fruit[9][10] | ||
| Oceania | Primary | Carbohydrate | yam,[11] swamp taro[12] |
| Secondary | great morinda,[13] common nutmeg[14] | ||
| Supplementary | sugarcane,[15] Arenga palm,[16] Asian Palmyra Palm,[17] Nypa fruticans,[18] True Sago Palm (for palm sugar production),[19] New Guinea Palmyra Palm[20][21] | ||
| coconut[22] | |||
| Central Asia | Primary | Protein | Moringa oleifera,[23] broad bean[24][25]Moth bean,[26][27] Horse Gram[28][29]Guar bean,[30][31]wild Mung bean,[32] Wild pigeon pea,[33] Black gram[34]wild Velvet bean[35][36] |
| Carbohydrate | taro[37] | ||
| Secondary | black pepper,[38] Hibiscus sabdariffa,[39] lemon grass,[40] Ceylon cinnamon,[41] basil[42] | ||
| Supplementary | Indian date palm (for palm sugar production),[43] Caryota urens[44] | ||
| West Asia and South Europe | Primary | Protein | oat,[45][46] wild pea,[47] wild chickpea,[48] lentil[49] |
| Carbohydrate | wheat, rye,[50][51] wild parsnip[52] | ||
| Secondary | rosemary,[53] spear mint,[54] dill,[55] coriander,[56] saffron,[57] anise,[58] black and white mustard[59] | ||
| Supplementary | Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera)[60][61] | ||
| North Africa and South Africa | Primary | Protein | wild cow pea[62][63] |
| Carbohydrate | pearl millet, barley[64][65] | ||
| Secondary | Kola nut[66] | ||
| Supplementary | African Palmyra Palm,[67] Ake Assi's Palmyra Palm[68][69] | ||
| Borassus madagascariensis[70][71] | |||
| Central Africa | Primary | Protein | Wild hyacinth bean,[72] White Wild Musk Mallow,[73][74][75] Psophocarpus grandiflorus R. Wilczek[76][77] |
| Carbohydrate | Sorghum bicolor, teff[78][79] | ||
| Secondary | coffee plant (coffea arabica, coffea robusta)[80] | ||
| North Europe, North Asia, and North America | Primary | Protein | Amaranthus hypochondriacus,[81][82][83] American groundnut,[84] wild tepary bean,[85][86] slimjim bean[87] |
| Flatpod peavine[88] | |||
| Carbohydrate | Northern wild rice,[89] Wild rice,[90] Texas wild rice,[91] Jerusalem artichoke[92][93] | ||
| buckwheat,[94][95] Manchurian wild rice[96] | |||
| Secondary | sassafras albidum,[97] Ephedra[98] | ||
| rosa canina,[99] small-leaved linden,[100] valerian,[101] chamomile,[102] garlic/Allium longicuspis[103] | |||
| Supplementary | birch (Betula papyrifera var. humilis and Betula neoalaskana),[104] sugar maple[105] | ||
| honey (from Apis mellifera mellifera),[106][107][108] sweet cicely root,[109]licorice[110] | |||
| Central America | Primary | Protein | Amaranthus cruentus,[111][112][113][114]wild runner bean[115][116] |
| Carbohydrate | maize[117] | ||
| Secondary | vanilla[118] | ||
| Supplementary | sugar pine,[119] Agave salmiana, Agave tequilana[120] | ||
| South America (north) | Primary | Protein | quinoa,[121][122][123] Amaranthus caudatus,[124][125][126][127] lima bean,[128][129] peanut, Lupinus piurensis[130][131][132] |
| Carbohydate | potato[133] | ||
| Secondary | Capsicum annuum,[134] guarana[135] | ||
| Supplementary | Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni and other species,[136][137] yacón syrup[138] | ||
| South America (central) | Primary | Carbohydrate | cassava[139] |
| South America (south) | Primary | Carbohydrate | sweet potato[140][141] |
| Secondary | yerba maté[142] | ||
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Ie the farming of native crops/animals can be regulated nationally (so it can be made illegally to cultivate anything that is not native) and worldwide transport will no longer be economically feasible at all (as import/export of most crops depends on availability of several regions rather than just one region. having only one region from which crop can come will clog shipping/aircraft transport routes and/or the routes may not be economically attractive at all). This results in having the crop/animal not transported at all, and the consumer being force to choose another crop/animal. This will be, in most cases, a crop/animal that is grown on a better route, often closer to home.
- ↑ Soybean's origin=Korea
- ↑ Vigna angularis var. nipponensis ancestor to Azuki bean
- ↑ Wild azuki bean native to Japan
- ↑ Vigna umbellata var.gracilis native to Southern China, near Vietnam
- ↑ Rice's origin= China, 3 locations along Yangtsekiang
- ↑ Foxtail millet origin=China (though somewhat more north than indicated)
- ↑ Tea bush (var. sinensis) native to western Yunnan, while C. sinensis var. assamica is native to the warmer parts of Assam (India)
- ↑ Monk fruit native to china, near taiwan
- ↑ Luo han guo
- ↑ Yam's origin=Indonesia
- ↑ Swamp taro origin=melanesia
- ↑ Great morinda native to Southeast Asia (Indonesia) and Australia
- ↑ Common nutmeg native to the Banda Islands of Indonesia
- ↑ Sugarcane encompassing 37 species, indigenous to tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. Different species likely originated in different locations, with S. barberi originating in India and S. edule and S. officinarum coming from New Guinea
- ↑ Arenga pinnata palm native to tropical Asia, from eastern India east to Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines in the east.
- ↑ Borassus flabellifer native along the entire northern shores of the Indian Ocean, from the mouth of the Tigris to New Guinea, yet more dominant in region between Indonesia and Pakistan
- ↑ Nypa fruticans native within the Indomalaya ecozone -in southern Asia, Indochina, the Malesian region, and northern Australia-
- ↑ Metroxylon sagu native to western New Guinea
- ↑ Borassus heineanus native to New Guinea
- ↑ Borassus heineanus used probably as a same way as Borassus akeasi, so not for palm sugar
- ↑ Cocunut's origin: somewhere between northwest-South america and Melanesia
- ↑ Moringa oleifera native to northwestern India
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicia_faba Vicia faba has been cultivated since 6000 BC, unknown ancestor
- ↑ Vicia faba native to Afghanistan
- ↑ Phaseolus aconitifolius native to East India
- ↑ Moth bean can be consumed by humans
- ↑ Macrotyloma uniflorum native to India
- ↑ Horse Gram being high in protein content, can be consumed as seed or meal for humans
- ↑ Cyamopsis tetragonoloba native to northwest India
- ↑ http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/guar.html Guar bean rich in protein
- ↑ Vigna radiata var.sublobata native to India
- ↑ Cajanus cajan native to north-east India
- ↑ Vigna mungo var.silvestris native to India
- ↑ Mucuna pruriens having no ancestors
- ↑ Mucuna pruriens native to Southern China, near East India
- ↑ Taro origin=between India & Bangladesh
- ↑ Black pepper native to Western Ghats of Kerala State, India
- ↑ Hibiscus sabdariffa native to tropical Asia, from India to Malaysia
- ↑ Lemon grass species native to Southern India, Sri Lanka
- ↑ Ceylon cinnamon native to Sri Lanka
- ↑ Basil native to northeast India
- ↑ Indian date palm native to southern Pakistan, most of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
- ↑ Caryota urens native to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Myanmar, and India
- ↑ Oat origin=Fertile Crescent, Near East
- ↑ Oat having high comparitive protein content, thus usable as PC_P crop
- ↑ Pisum sativum elatius native to Bulgaria - Mediterranean basin, Near East. Earliest archaeological finds of peas come from Neolithic Syria, Turkey and Jordan.
- ↑ Cicer reticulatum native to southeastern Turkey and Syria
- ↑ Lentils native to eastern Turkey, north Syria
- ↑ Wheat origin=Fertile Crescent, Near East
- ↑ Rye origin=Fertile Crescent, Near East
- ↑ Pastinaca sativa sylvestris native to Eurasia, primarily east Europe (Ukraine, Azerbaijan)
- ↑ Rosemary native to the Mediterranean area
- ↑ Mentha cordifolia native to much of Europe and southwest Asia
- ↑ Dill native to southern Russia/East Europe
- ↑ Coriander native to southwestern Asia west to north Africa
- ↑ Saffron native to Southwest Asia, near Greece
- ↑ Anise native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia
- ↑ Black mustard native to southern Mediterranean region, white mustard (sinapis alba) native to the Mediterranean region and the Crimea
- ↑ Date palm native to Persian Gulf, near Syria
- ↑ Note that other data palms too exist, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(plant) yet not all are used for human consumption
- ↑ Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata var spontanea ancestor of cow pea
- ↑ Wild cow pea native to West Africa, native to savanna
- ↑ Pearl millet origin=West Africa, near the Sahel strip
- ↑ Barley origin=Egypt
- ↑ Kola nut native to the tropical forests of West Africa
- ↑ Borassus aethiopum native to Sudan and the whole northern Sahelian border, in particular in the east an in savannah vegetation
- ↑ Borassus akeassii native to West Africa, ie Burkina Faso
- ↑ Borassus akeassii mainly used for preparing drinks, not for palm sugar
- ↑ Borassus madagascariensis native to Madagascar
- ↑ Sambirano Palmyra Palm also exists in Madagascar yet has no particular use, ref:Plant Resources of Tropical Africa: Vegetables by G. J. H. Grubben
- ↑ Lablab purpureus subsp. uncinatus native to East Africa
- ↑ Abelmoschus ficulneus ancestor of Abelmoschus esculentus
- ↑ Abelmoschus ficulneus native to Ethiopia
- ↑ Abelmoschus ficulneus bearing edible fruit
- ↑ Psophocarpus grandiflorus ancestor to Psophocarpus tetragonolobus
- ↑ Psophocarpus grandiflorus native to east Africa (area between Ethiopia and Uganda)
- ↑ Origin sorghum bicolor= between Ehiopia & Sudan (also named Sudanese grass)
- ↑ Teff origin=Ethiopia
- ↑ Coffee native to Ethiopia
- ↑ Compararing protein crops
- ↑ Amaranth high in nutrients, useful as PC_P crop
- ↑ Amaranthus hypochondricus origin=North America
- ↑ Apios americana native to eastern southern, central North America
- ↑ [http://web.archive.org/web/20130118083500/http://www.seedsofchange.com/enewsletter/issue_56/tepary_beans.aspx Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray native to Sonoran desert
- ↑ No ancestors of tepary bean
- ↑ Phaeseolus filiformis native to Sonoran desert
- ↑ Lathyrus cicera native to south-east Europe, ancestor of Lathyrus sativa
- ↑ Zizania palustris native to Great lakes region, USA
- ↑ Zizania aquatica native to Saint Lawrence River, USA
- ↑ Zizania texana native to San Marcos River in central Texas, USA
- ↑ Helianthus tuberosus native to eastern Canada and northeastern USA
- ↑ Helianthus tuberosus as ancestor of sunflower
- ↑ Buckwheat origin=northern hemisphere
- ↑ http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.php/topic_id/9/id/122/ Buckwheat origin=between Lac Baikal & Manchuria]
- ↑ Zizania latifolia native to Manchuria, China
- ↑ Sassafras albidum native to eastern North America, from southern Maine and southern Ontario west to Iowa, and south to central Florida and eastern Texas
- ↑ Ephedra funerea, Ephedra viridis and Ephedra nevadensis native to Nevada, California
- ↑ Rosa canina native to Europe, including Britain, northwest Africa and western Asia
- ↑ small-leaved linden native to much of Europe and western Asia
- ↑ Valerian native to Europe and parts of Asia
- ↑ chamomile native to Europe and Western Asia
- ↑ Allium longicuspis native to central and southwestern Asia
- ↑ Betula papyrifera var. humilis and Betula neoalaskana native to Alaska, northern Canada
- ↑ Sugar maple (used to make maple syrup) native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas.
- ↑ Apis florea and Apis andreniformis native to South and South East Asia (including the Philippines)
- ↑ Apis mellifera mellifera native to East-Europe
- ↑ Apis mellifera having 14 subspecies, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeybee and http://www.imkerpedia.nl/wiki/index.php/Ondersoorten_van_de_Apis_mellifera
- ↑ Sweet cicely native to Europe
- ↑ Licorice native to southeastern Europe, near Romania/Bulgaria
- ↑ Compararing protein crops
- ↑ Amaranth high in nutrients, useful as PC_P crop
- ↑ Amaranthus cruentus origin=Central America
- ↑ Amaranthus cruentus origin=Central America
- ↑ Phaseolus formosus Kunth. ancestor of Phaseolus coccineus
- ↑ Phaseolus formosus Kunth. native to region between north Mexico and Panama
- ↑ Maize's origin=Mexico
- ↑ Vanilla native to Mexico
- ↑ Sugar pine native to the mountains of the Pacific coast of North America, from Oregon through California to Baja California
- ↑ Agave salmiana and Agave tequilana native to central Mexico
- ↑ Quinoa indigenous to Peru, protein content=14g/100g serving
- ↑ Quinoa origin=around Lake Titicaca
- ↑ Quinoa having high comparitive protein content, hence useful as PC_P_ crop
- ↑ Comparing protein crops
- ↑ Amaranth high in nutrients, useful as PC_P crop
- ↑ Amaranthus caudatus origin=Peru
- ↑ Amaranthus causates origin=south America
- ↑ Phaseolus lunatus origin=Andes
- ↑ Phaseolus lunatus var. silvester Baudet ancestor of Lima bean
- ↑ [www.systbot.uzh.ch/static/personen/colin_hughes_assets/Lupinus.pdf Lupinus piurensis ancestor of Lupinus mutabilis]
- ↑ Lupinus piurensis native to the western slopes of the Andes, Peru
- ↑ Lupinus piurensis bearing edible plant parts, after treatment
- ↑ Potato origin=Peru
- ↑ Capsicum species having a common ancestor which originated somewhere in the northwest Brazil - Colombia area
- ↑ Guarana native to the Amazon, in the region of Manaus and Parintins
- ↑ Stevia encompassing 240 species, native to subtropical and tropical regions from western North America to South America
- ↑ Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni is native to Paraguay
- ↑ Yacón native to lower Andes/Peru
- ↑ Cassava origin= west-central Brazil
- ↑ Sweet potato origin=South America
- ↑ Cassava's origin
- ↑ Yerba maté native to subtropical South America in northeastern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay
Note[edit | edit source]
- It would be useful to use wild perennial versions for the grain crops where possible[1]
- Rapeseed is another important protein-crop which however has not been mentioned here. This as press cakes are consumable by humans[2] and as these contain a huge amount of protein. You can find rapeseed indicated at File:Oil_crops.png
- Sugar beet wasn't included as it is a selected species from Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima
Kombucha not mentioned as it can be made anywhere without danger of introducing a exotic species to the area (uses a bacteria or yeast)
- Coca (for coca maté) and kava not mentioned neither, despite being a important local drink. This, as they're mostly mind-altering substances rather than true drinks (unlike yeasted beverages (containing ethanol), they can cause vomoting, ... even when consuming small amounts)
- Finally note that many beverages (ie lemonade, ...) require fruit juice (often from citrus such as lime or lemon). Refer to the Fruits and nuts map for this, not btw that these too have low caloric contents (other citrus crops have higher caloric contents)
Further information[edit | edit source]
- See list of crops at this wikiversity webpage
- Lost crops of Africa book set
- ↑ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090804071358.htm Perennial grain crops advocated by The Land Institute]
- ↑ KATHO in Roeselaere, Belgium makes pastes and energy bars from this for human consumption
See also[edit | edit source]
- Aquaculture - including suitable fish species for aquaculture by region.
- File:Oil crops.png - oil crops map.
- File:Native textile crops.png - textile crops map
- File:Indiginous fruits.png - map indicating the indigenous fruits and nuts per region.
- Maps of native honeybees, stingless bees
- Appropriate animals for meat, eggs, milk
- Appropriate fish species for aquaculture by region
