Crops are classified for order and logical naming since common names vary significantly between locations. There are several systems for classifying crops, including botanical (based on plant structure and evolution), agronomic (based on purpose for growing), and horticultural (also based on purpose). The botanical system categorizes plants into kingdom, division, class, order, family, genus and species. Agronomic categories include cereals, legumes, fibers, etc. Horticultural groups plants as vegetables, fruits, plantations, and ornamentals. Special classifications also exist for green manure, silage, cover and companion crops.

1. CLASSIFICATION OF CROPS

2. Why classify crops?
- For order and organization
- For logical naming: common names are not
adequate because they vary from country to
country, even from locality to locality

3. Bases for classification
• Aristotle classified plants based on structure
and size (e.g. herb, shrub, tree)
• Carolus Linnaeus classified plants based on
structure only, i.e., different species with
similar structural features
• Modern classification is based on phylogeny
(evolution of plants)

4. Botanical system of classification
• Classifies plants into seven categories
-Kingdom, Division, Class, Order, Family, Genus
and Species
• Additional category may be included: Variety
or Cultivar
• Example: Rice hybrid “Mestizo” can be
classified as follows:

5. Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Cyperales
Family: Graminae or Poaceae
Genus: Oryza
Species: sativa
Variety: Mestizo

6. Agronomic classification
• Based on the purpose for which the crop is
grown
• Categories or groups:
- cereals, legumes, root crops, fiber crop,
industrial crop (sugar and drug), forage and
pasture crop, oil crop

7. Horticultural classification
• Also based on the purpose for which the crop is grown
• Categories or groups:
a. Vegetable – leafy, cole or crucifers, root and
bulb, legume, solanaceous, cucurbits, tree)
b. Fruit – tree, nut, small fruit
c. Plantation – oil, fiber, beverage, spices,
condiments and essences, latex and resin, medicinal,
pesticidal
d. Ornamental – cutflower, flowering pot plants,
foliage, landscape, turf

8. Special purpose classificat
• Green manure
• Silage
• Catch crop
• Cover crop
• Companion crop

9. Other methods of classification
• Based on growth habit (vine, herb, shrub or
tree)
• Based on habitat (terrestial, aquatic, epiphtye)
• Based on lifespan (annual, biennial, perrenial)
• Based on the mode of reproduction (sexual,
asexual)