4.1 CROPS CROP CLASSIFICATION All cultivated plant species and cultivars are called if they are grown and harvested for subsistence or profit. Crops have multifunctional uses and the ancient practice of grouping them can help to identify, grow, study, preserve, and manage plant species and varieties. However, there are different methods and reasons for classifying crops. The plants classified as may be grouped into two main divisions – and – depending on criteria that include the extensiveness of production, usage, and product descriptions. Moreover, both crop classifications are further subdivided into various groups based on other criteria, such as taxonomy families, commercial purposes (food, forage, fibre, oil, ornamental, and industrial crops), life cycle (annual, biennial and perennial) or parts that are primarily utilised. Each classification may be further subdivided into more specific groups, and the same plant may belong to multiple groups. 1 crops agricultural crops agronomic crops horticultural crops MORE A cultivar is a subspecies classification describing plant varieties which are produced through artificial selection. The word ‘cultivar’ comes from a combination of cultivated variety. 1 ONLINE RESOURCES Healing herbs Tea, coffee and cocoa Indicative Crop Classification (ICC) A new, different criterion adopted by the Indicative Crop Classification issued by FAO in 2020 classifies crops into nine categories based on product type, crop genus and whether the crop is temporary or permanent. MORE Oleaginous fruits are plant foods from which oil can be extracted. 2