Economic Importance of Seeds
Propagation of plants by seed and technological use of seed and seed products are among the most important activities of modern society. Specializations of seed structure and composition provide rich sources for industrial exploitation apart from direct use as food. Common products include starches and glutens from grains, hemicelluloses from guar and locust beans, and proteins and oils from soybeans and cotton seed. Drugs, enzymes, vitamins, spices, and condiments are obtained from embryos, endosperms, and entire seeds, often including the fruit coat. Most of the oils of palm, olive, and pine seeds are in the endosperm. Safflower seed oil is obtained mainly from the embryo, whereas both the seed coat and embryo of cotton seed are rich in oils.
 
Many seeds are edible. The majority of human calories comes from seeds, especially from cereals, legumes and nuts. Seeds also provide most cooking oils, many beverages and spices and some important food additives.

Seeds are used to propagate many crops such as cereals, legumes, forest trees, turfgrasses and pasture grasses.

Some seeds are also poisonous. One of the deadliest poisons, ricin, comes from seeds of the castor bean. Another seed poison is strychnine. Other poisonous seeds are those of yew, wisteria, apple, horse-chestnut and peach.

The world's most important clothing fiber grows attached to cotton seed. Other seed fibers are from kapok and milkweed. Many important nonfood oils are extracted from seeds. Linseed oil is used in paints. Oil from jojoba and crambe are similar to whale oil.

Seeds are the source of some medicines including castor oil, Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca Oil) and the discredited cancer drug, Laetrile. Many seeds have been used as beads in necklaces and rosaries including Job's tears, Chinaberry and rosary pea. However, the latter two are also poisonous.
 
Other seed uses include:

Seeds once used as weights for balances. Seeds used as toys by children, such as for the game conker.
Resin from Clusia rosea seeds used to caulk boats. Nematicide from milkweed seeds. Cottonseed meal used as animal feed and fertilizer. Many seeds used as birdseed.
 
 
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