Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure
3.35.
Nutrient content of major food grains. (From USDA Nutrient Database for
Standard Reference, Release 18.)
3.8
CONCLUSIONS
Cereal grains provide a major portion of our daily diets. They are grown in climates
ranging from temperate to humid tropical. With proper management cereal grains
can provide significant amounts of food to growing populations. Minor changes in pro-
duction practices can provide large increases in food production in many parts of the
world. There are possibilities of major benefits from transgenic modification of
cereal grains.
QUESTIONS
1. Maize, wheat, and rice are members of which botanical family?
2. In which area of the world did maize originate?
3. Where did wheat and barley originate?
4. What is winnowing?
5. What are the four basic ecosystems of cultivated rice?
6. Where did soybean originate?
7. What is a legume crop?
8. Give at least three products containing soybean.
9. What is a food product derived from safflower?
10. What food product comes from wheat?
