Which crops were domesticated by Indigenous peoples of the Americas?

Indigenous peoples of the Americas developed sophisticated agricultural systems and domesticated a wide variety of crops that became foundational to diets across the continent.

The most widely cultivated crop was corn (maize), which was grown nearly everywhere food production occurred. A significant agricultural practice known as the Three Sisters—the interplanting of corn, beans, and squash—was developed to maximize soil health and crop yield.12

Other important crops native to the Americas include:

• Legumes and Vegetables: Common bean, scarlet runner bean, tepary bean, lima bean, tomato, and pepper.1
• Roots and Tubers: Potato, sweet potato, and manioc (cassava).1
• Fruits and Seeds: Avocado, papaya, pineapple, peanuts, sunflower, quinoa, amaranth, and huazontle.1
• Other Cultigens: Tobacco, cacao, coca, and cotton.1

Agriculture in the Americas arose independently in multiple regions, including Mesoamerica and eastern North America, with evidence of crop use in the latter dating back to between 5000 and 4000 bp.1