Crop Plants

Alternative Agronomic Crops
Article discussing farm diversification starting with an inventory of available resources, the crop selection, product research, markets and marketing. [PDF]
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/altcrops.pdf

Alternative Crops and Plants
Information from the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center on the production of floral, forest, fruit, grain, herb, industrial, nursery, nut, vegetable or other specialty plants, seeds and products.
http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=2&tax_level=1&tax_subject=298

Amaranth
Provides an overview of this crop, a production guide, information on growing amaranth and pest management advice.
http://www.jeffersoninstitute.org/amaranth.php

Amaranth
Factsheet on this crop, its history, uses, varieties and cultivation.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/amaranth.html

Amaranth Production
Amaranth grain can be popped, flaked, or ground into a high-protein flour. Information on the crop and on the Amaranth Institute which promotes and supports amaranth production, science, and marketing. [PDF]
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/amaranth.pdf

American Ginseng
Information on the perennial plant, Panax quinquefolium, the root of which is used medicinally, and its cultural requirements.
http://www.island.wsu.edu/CROPS/GINSENGI.htm

Balsam Pear (Momordica charantia)
Information from the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research on the cultivation of this crop and its potential. [PDF]
http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/products-services/publications/broadsheets/102balsampear.pdf

Boronia megastigma
Information on growing this plant, endemic to Western Australia, which is used as a cut flower and for extraction of essential oils. [PDF]
http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/products-services/publications/broadsheets/004boronia.pdf

Buckwheat
Provides an overview of this crop, a production guide, information on growing buckwheat and pest management advice.
http://www.jeffersoninstitute.org/buckwheat.php

Buckwheat
An overview of this crop, its description, cultivation, harvesting, storage, utilization, markets and economics. [PDF]
http://www.jeffersoninstitute.org/pubs/buckwheat_guide.pdf

Buckwheat
Information on this crop, its history, uses, growth habits, environmental requirements, cultural practices and the economics of production.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/buckwheat.html

Development of a Safflower Petal Collector
Carthamus tinctorius is widely cultivated in India for its oil, and this article outlines the results of using specially designed machines to gather the petals for use as herbal tea. [PDF]
http://nariphaltan.virtualave.net/petal.pdf

Echinacea: The Purple Coneflowers
Information from the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research on the cultivation of this crop and its potential in herbal medicine. [PDF]
http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/products-services/publications/broadsheets/033echinacea.pdf

Ginseng
Information from the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research on the cultivation of this plant and its potential. [PDF]
http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/products-services/publications/broadsheets/025ginseng.pdf

Ginseng
Factsheet on this crop, its history, uses, varieties and cultivation.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/ginseng.html

Grain Amaranth
Information on this crop which was a major food grown by the Aztecs, its description, cultivation, harvesting, storage, utilization, markets and economics. [PDF]
http://www.jeffersoninstitute.org/pubs/amaranth_guide.pdf

Growing the Hallucinogens
Manual for the legal cultivation of a number of plants with hallucinogenetic properties.
http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/cultivation/cultivation_growing-the-hallucinogens.shtml

Henna
Factsheet about this crop and its uses.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/med-aro/factsheets/HENNA.html

Henna Farming in India
Information on where and how henna is grown, processed and exported in India.
http://www.hennapage.com/henna/encyclopedia/geography/indiahenna.html

Henna Farming in Pakistan
Information on the climatic requirements of this crop and suitable areas of the country, planting and cultivation, harvesting, drying and processing the leaves.
http://www.hennapage.com/henna/encyclopedia/growing/Pakistan/index.html

Hop
Information on this crop, its history, uses, growth habits, environmental requirements and cultural practices.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/Hop.html

Hops Information
Information, including FAQs and research, on growing hops in eastern United States.
http://www.uvm.edu/~pass/perry/hops.html

Humulus lupulus: Hop
Information on this crop, its biology and morphology, distribution in the former USSR, ecology, utilization and economic value.
http://www.agroatlas.spb.ru/cultural/Humulus_lupulus_K_en.htm

Jojoba
Information on Simmodsia chinensis, which may have potential as an oil-producing crop, its uses, cultivation and the economics of production.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/jojoba.html

Linseed
Information on this crop, its uses as seed and fibre, its cultivation and the processing of the fibre.
http://www.jgames.co.uk/title/Linseed

Linseed, Castor and Safflower
Describes the geographic origin and economic importance of these oil-yielding crops, their botany, production, the necessary climate and soil, their cultivation, pests and diseases, yields and varieties.
http://www.krishiworld.com/html/comm_crops7.html

Lupine
Factsheet on this crop, its history, uses, varieties and cultivation.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/lupine.html

Maca
Information on the cultivation of Lepidium meyenii, or Maca.
http://www.intimaca.com/cultivated.htm

Mate (Ilex paraguariensis)
Information on this crop, used to make a stimulating drink, its characteristics, soil requirements, management, harvesting and processing. [PDF]
http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/products-services/publications/broadsheets/135matetea.pdf

Muna-Muna (Satureja parvifolia)
Information from the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research on this shrub, used to make a beverage, its characteristics, environmental requirements, management, harvesting and processing. [PDF]
http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/products-services/publications/broadsheets/136munamuna.pdf

New Crops from Brazil
Information on a number of food plants from Brazil that might have potential to be grown commercially in the US.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1990/V1-367.html#Bixa%20orellana

Opium Poppy Cultivation and Heroin Processing in Southeast Asia
Information on this plant and its history, its growing areas, cultivation, harvesting, extraction of morphine and further processing.
http://www.shaps.hawaii.edu/drugs/dea20026/dea20026.html

Organic Farming in the Tropics and Subtropics: Hibiscus
Covers all aspects of plant cultivation, biological methods of plant protection, harvesting and post-harvest treatment. [PDF]
http://www.naturland.de/fileadmin/MDB/documents/Publication/English/hibiscus.pdf

Organic Farming in the Tropics and Subtropics: Sesame
Covers all aspects of plant cultivation, biological methods of plant protection, harvesting and post-harvest treatment. [PDF]
http://www.naturland.de/fileadmin/MDB/documents/Publication/English/sesame.pdf

Organic Hop Production
This publication looks at cultural requirements for organic hops, varieties and recent research, with a list of further resources. [PDF]
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/hop.pdf

Post-production Management: Hibiscus
Provides information on planting, growth, harvesting, drying, packaging and processing.
http://www.fao.org/inpho/content/compend/text/ch28/ch28_02.htm

Quinoa
Factsheet on this crop native to the Andes, its history, uses, varieties and cultivation.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/quinoa.html

Ricinus communis: Castor
Information on the castor oil plant, its biology and morphology, ecology, distribution in the former USSR, utilization and economic value.
http://www.agroatlas.spb.ru/cultural/Ricinus_communis_K_en.htm

Rose: Rosa damascena “Trigintipetala”
Information from the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research on the production of fragrances from this crop. [PDF]
http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/products-services/publications/broadsheets/029rose.pdf

Safflower
Information on Carthamus tinctorius, which may have potential as an oil-producing crop, its uses, cultivation and the economics of production.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/safflower.html

Seeds of Trade: Opium Poppy
Information on this plant, its origins, early uses, transfer and spread, agriculture, modern context and the drugs obtained from the latex.
http://internt.nhm.ac.uk/jdsml/nature-online/seeds-of-trade/page.dsml?section=crops&ref=poppy

Sesamum
Describes the geographic origin and economic importance of this oil-yielding crop, its botany, production, the necessary climate and soil, its cultivation, pests and diseases and varieties.
http://www.krishiworld.com/html/comm_crops6.html

Valerian: Valeriana officinalis
Information from the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research on this medicinal plant, its uses, environment, agronomy, production, harvesting, drying and markets. [PDF]
http://www.crop.cri.nz/home/products-services/publications/broadsheets/034valerian.pdf