Grains(Cereals) for food and feed The most important plants in the world (Section 3 Unit 4.4 Adapted by wsl 2007-4-22)

Caldwell’s purpose To impress upon you the importance of cereals and oilseeds on the world scale To help you understand what the significance of these crops is to you locally and in a long-term, broad sense

Learning Objectives Describe the role of cereals in: Livestock-based rotations Cash-crop systems Name the principal cereal crops in the WORLD and describe their uses. Explain the importance of rice in world agriculture. Define the following terms: Paddy rice Converted rice Indica rice Japonica rice IRRI Compare and contrast the history, culture and production of rice in Asia and the USA.

We are dependent on a small number of plants (and animals). 350,000 species of flowering plants 3000 economically important plants 12 plants and 3 types of livestock produce most of our food!!

Crops may be classified by the type of harvested organ Cereals Seed legumes Roots and tubers Vegetables Fruits

Cereal Crops are the Most Important Group of Organisms you will ever Study Eight plants (all cereals) provide 56% of all food energy and 50% of all protein consumed by people

Fig 1.1 World production of principal food crops; Ranked by tonnage Lo2-Name the principal cereal crops in the WORLD and describe their uses. Or you can find it at pages 128 table of manual Fig 1.1 World production of principal food crops; Ranked by tonnage

Why are seeds so great? Low water content Dormancy Concentrated food Stored and transported easily Lo2-Name the principal cereal crops in the WORLD and describe their uses.

Crop value = yield x quality But what is quality? Breeding Large organs for harvest Ease of harvest (no “shatter”) Less toxicity Higher amount of valuable substance For cereals this is energy and protein

THE ROLE OF CEREALS IN A ROTATION Cereals in the Maritimes are primarily “rotation” crops

Major Cereals in Use in the Maritime Provinces Spring wheat Spring oats Spring barley Winter wheat

Soil integrity – health and organic matter What do you want from a rotation? Economic and Environmental Sustainability Profit Soil integrity – health and organic matter Quality products in all parts of the rotation Efficient use of inputs – esp. nutrients Co-ordination and good spread of workload Flexibility Lo1-1-Describe the role of cereals in: Livestock-based rotations

Soil integrity – health and organic matter Cereals are grown mostly in rotation with higher value crops to: Break disease and weed cycles Improve soil health and reduce erosion Give some direct economic return in the growing year Act as a “nurse” for forages

Quality products in all parts of the rotation Effect of cereals on potatoes Effect of cereals on carrots Effect of cereals on strawberries and other horticultural crops Value-added as animal products Feed value and import replacement Energy and protein Other value-added?? Other cereals??

Profit There are very few cash crop cereal farmers in the Maritimes Lo1-2-Describe the role of cereals in: Cash-crop systems Profit There are very few cash crop cereal farmers in the Maritimes Cereals produce profits in three ways: Direct sales Indirect sales through animal product or other value-added Enhancement of value of other crops in the rotation (yield or quality)

Direct sales Wheat Barley Oats Straw Seed, milling or feed Seed, malt or feed Oats Seed, milling, high value feed or lower value feed Straw Late potato land Strawberries Mushrooms

Remember for Direct Sales Aim for the highest value market but have an alternate option Know the market Quality is the key to direct sales returns Timeliness is the key to quality

What about the rest of the world?

RICE Watch the film carefully to find the answers to the learning objectives that apply to rice. The film is made by Canadians so it has a North American approach to the crop and the food.

外稃 内稃 胚芽 颖 胚乳 花梗

Field trials for agro-morphological diversity DIVERSITY OF RICE Tall & late Dwarf & early Understanding of socio-cultural values and richness of rice landraces on-farm Field trials for agro-morphological diversity SSR for molecular diversity

The answer s of the rest of los Will be found at the next class’s vedio show Please review the manual page 127-132