8. The Top Three

                So far, we have focused primarily on the influence plants have had throughout history. However, many plants continue to be incredibly important today. In my opinion, the top three current plants of power are wheat, corn, and rice.

1.

               Wheat was one of the first crops to be domesticated, and it continues to be the most important food grain source for humans. Wheat is grown on more than 240 million hectares, which is more land area than any other commercial crop; this resilient plant can be grown from the Arctic Circle to near the equator, and from near sea level to higher elevations. Over 689 thousand tons of wheat were produced in 2008. This cereal crop is an important source of carbohydrates and vegetable proteins, and provides more nourishment to humans than any other food source. Wheat is an adaptable plant that is easy to store and simple to convert into flour and food, making it a major diet component. 

2.

               Corn, like wheat, is a common staple food for much of the world. It provides carbohydrates, protein, and iron, along with a number of vitamins and minerals. Corn is the most produced grain in the world, at over 822 thousand tons a year. In the U.S., the corn crop is valued at $61.3 billion, and nearly 37 billion bushels are consumed worldwide each year. Corn finds its way into many of our foods in the form of high fructose corn syrup. In addition to being a food source, corn is used in many industrial items, such as chemicals, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, dyes and paints, fabrics, and much more. Corn is also used in bioethanol, which is very prevalent in our current world. Ethanol is made from only the corn starch, so one bushel of corn can produce 2.8 gallons of ethanol, in addition to a number of food or industrial by-products.

3.

                Rice may be the most powerful plant today. This is mainly because of the sheer number of people it feeds; it is a staple food for half of the world’s population. 477.5 million metric tons of rice are consumed worldwide every year, and nearly 720 million tons of rice are produced annually from 106 million hectares. India has the largest area of land where it is harvested, while China is the world’s leading rice producer. Less than 1% of China’s rice is exported, and they are responsible for at least 35% of the total world rice production.

4.

Relevant Sites:

http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/y4011e/y4011e04.htm

http://www.ncga.com/worldofcorn

http://www.statista.com/topics/1443/rice/ 

Photo Citations:

1. http://kimberlysnyder.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wheat-procurement.jpg

2.http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/host.madison.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/35/23592d68-137a-11e1-afaa-001cc4c03286/4ec8fe270476c.preview-300.jpg

3. http://www.goldenrice.org/image/photos_worldbowl.jpg

4. http://ipolitics_assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PHAN110-1024x825.jpg