作物不僅滿足人們的溫飽需求，同時也被人們賦予了不同的文化意義。當前，人類學對作物的研究主要是把作物與社會、文化、經濟、生活方式等問題聯系起來，進而探討作物對社會文化的形塑，即作物的象征化、交換與社會心性。這樣的研究路徑主要立足于學科本位，阻礙了作物人類學的發展。整體史不僅反對狹隘的學科本位，同時也能整合人文科學和社會科學的性質，是為人類學的作物研究指出了新的發展方向，也可以拓展人類學的研究視野。

Not only do crops meet the needs of people for food and clothing,but they are also endowed different cultural significance by people.At present,the anthropological research about crops are mainly the relations of crops with society,culture,economy and life style,and furthermore to study social culture shaped by crops,namely symbolization of crops,exchange and social temperament.Such a research path which is mainly based on the subjective standard hinders the development of anthropological research on crops.Studies of the whole history are not only against the narrow subjective standard,but they are also able to integrate humanities and social sciences.It points out the new direction for anthropological research about crops and extends scope of anthropological research as well.