Cereal in general

Cereal in general
Cereals are the dried seeds of the cultivated grasses, which belong to the family Gramineae. They include wheat, rye, barley, corn, oats, grain sorghum, and millet. Buckwheat, although not a true cereal, is usually included with them.

The cultivation and use of cereals antedates the recorded history of man. Excavations in early centers of civilization have indicated that one or another of the above cereals were known and used by the people of these cultures. The civilizations of Babylonia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome were founded on the production of wheat, barley, and the millets. The cultures of India, China, and Japan were dependent on the rice crop. The Inca, Maya, and Aztec cultures were based on the growing of corn (maize), which is apparently the only cereal indigenous to the Americas.

The cereals are, in general, the cheapest sources of food energy and can be grown anywhere in the world. They give high yields per acre, can be stored for relatively long periods of time, and can be transported cheaply.
Cereal in general