Final answer:
Annual crops are plants that complete their lifecycle in one season and are considered personal property. Examples include Arabidopsis and soybeans, with the latter often cultivated in a practice known as monoculture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Plants cultivated and harvested annually are considered personal property and are referred to as annual crops. An example of this is Arabidopsis, or mouse-ear cress.
Unlike perennials, which live for several years, or biennials, which complete their lifecycle in two years, like carrots in their vegetative phase and flowering in their second year, annual plants complete their living cycle from germination to seed production within one year. They are often planted in the spring and harvested in the fall.
The farmer described in your example, planting a single crop such as soybean over an entire field, is engaging in a practice known as monoculture. This involves the cultivation of a single type of agricultural crop over a large area and can impact diversity, soil health, and can increase vulnerability to pests and diseases.