What percentage of global crop production depends on reproductive seeds?
Three-fourths of the world's flowering plants and about 35 percent of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators to reproduce. Cultivated plants are typically pollinated by animals. Animal-based pollination contributes to 30% of global food production, and bee-pollinated crops contribute to approximately one-third of the total human dietary supply. Pollination aids in the transmission of features and characteristics from both parents to the offspring. Others such as sunflowers, clover, beans, almonds and melons are completely dependent on pollination by insects and otherwise will not produce crops. Pollination is a vital ecosystem service required for the reproductive success (fruit and seed sets) of flowering plants, including crops. Over 80% of the world's primary food crops rely to some extent on animal-mediated pollination in agricultural systems, accounting for 5–8% of worldwide output volumes .
Md. Nuruzzaman
A substantial portion of global crop production relies on reproductive seeds, which serve as the primary means of propagating staple crops like wheat, rice, maize (corn), soybeans and others crucial for food security worldwide. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), over 80% of the world's food is produced from seeds, emphasizing their fundamental role in agriculture. The seed industry plays a critical part by providing improved varieties that enhance yields, resist pests and diseases and tolerate environmental stresses, indicating farmers' reliance on seeds for maximizing productivity. This importance is underscored by research publications, reports from organizations like FAO and USDA and industry sources, all highlighting the central role of reproductive seeds in sustaining global crop production.
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