Grain - Kokumotsu

A general term for annual or biennial herbaceous crops grown for their grains, and the grains (grain kernels) that they produce. Grains are considered staple foods or substitutes, with those that are used as staple foods being called staple grains and those that are not called miscellaneous grains. In recent years, in addition to being used as food, they have also come to be increasingly used to extract starch and oil, and as processed ingredients such as raw materials for alcohol, and are also often used as feed for livestock. Grain kernels are characterized by their excellent storage properties, resistance to physical impacts, and ease of long-distance transportation. Grains are also suitable for large-scale cultivation using agricultural machinery, which allows for mass production at low production costs.

Grains from the Poaceae family are called cereals, and include rice, wheat, barley, rye, corn, sorghum, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, millet, teff, etc. Grains from the Fabaceae family are called pulses, and include soybeans, adzuki beans, mung beans, kidney beans, cowpeas, peas, peas, etc. Others include buckwheat from the Polygonaceae family, quinoa from the Chenopodiaceae family, and amaranth from the Amaranthaceae family.

[Hoshikawa Kiyochika]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

子実を収穫するために栽培される一年生または二年生草本作物、およびその子実（穀実）の総称。穀物は主食あるいはその代用とされ、主食とするものを主穀、そのほかのものを雑穀とよぶ。最近は食用のほかに、デンプンや油をとったり、アルコール原料など加工原料としての用途も増え、また家畜などの飼料としての用途も多い。穀実の特徴は貯蔵性に優れ、物理的衝撃に強く、長距離の輸送が容易なことである。また穀物は農業機械による大規模栽培に適し、そのため生産費を安く大量生産できるなどの特長もある。

　イネ科の穀物を禾穀(かこく)類とよび、イネ、コムギ、オオムギ、ライムギ、トウモロコシ、モロコシ、アワ、ヒエ、キビ、テフその他が含まれる。マメ科の穀物は菽穀(しゅくこく)類とよび、ダイズ、アズキ、リョクトウ、インゲンマメ、ササゲ、ラッカセイ、エンドウその他がある。そのほかタデ科のソバ、アカザ科のキノア、ヒユ科のセンニンコクなどがある。

［星川清親］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例