Definitions Flashcards
Soil
Is the upper layer of the earth which may be dug, ploughed etc, specifically, the loose surface material of the earth in which plants grow
Soil structure
Is a parameter of soil fertility because poor structure becomes the limiting factor rather than the nutrient element status of the soil
Soil horizon
The distinctive layer within a soil which differ chemically or physically from the layer below and above
Clay soil
Has at least 30% clay particles. The finest particles in a soil, with a diameter of less than 0.002mm
Sandy soil
Particles of rock with diameters in the range of 0.02-2.00mm
Silt soil
Fine grains of soil minerals ranging between clay and sand in size. Particle sizes range from 0.002mm to 0.02mm. Has more than 85% slit, 10% sand and less than 10% clay
Loam soil
A soil when clay is 7 to 30 per cent, silt 28 to 50 per cent and sand less than 52 per cent
Herbicides
Kill unwanted plants-weeds; it may be a non-selective weed killer or selective
Crop rotation
The practise of changing the crops that you grow in a field each year to preserve good qualities in the soil
Catch crops
A fast maturing crop grown when the ground would otherwise be lying fallow or idle
Intensive agriculture
A farming system in which large amounts of capital and labour are applied to a relatively small area of land to achieve max high yields per unit area
Integrated agriculture
Agriculture practised without the use of artificial chemicals, only organic manure being added to the soil
Tillage
All the ways of losing, turning, stirring and compacting the soil
Monoculture
A farming system given over exclusively to a single product.
Norfolk rotation
A four year crop rotation originating in East Anglia in easter England in the 28th century, comprising wheat, a root crop, barley and a leguminous crop which replenished the nitrogen in the soil
Green manure
A green crop, especially one rich in nitrogen, which is, while still green, ploughed directly into the soil to increase soil fertility and improve structure
Farmyard manure
Usually made up of urine and faeces, mixed with bedding and residues from feed
Agriculture
The practice and science of farming production of field crops and animals
Crop farming
Arable farming, the growing of industrial crops or food crops on arable land
Dairy farming
Farming devoted primarily to the keeping of cows for their yield of milk
Dairy farming
Farming devoted primarily to the keeping of cows for their yield of milk
Mixed farming
Agriculture in which both crops and livestock are produced on an individual farm
Livestock farming
the farming activity based on the rearing of animals for eggs, hides and skins, meat, milk etc
Agronomy
The study of growing plants; a branch of agriculture concerned with the theoretical and practical production of crops and with the management of soils.
Agricultural land
An area of ground used for farming, including arable land, improved and unimproved grasslands and other pasture
Arable land
An agricultural land used for growing crops which is tilled, though not necessarily each year
Permanent grassland (meadow, pasture)
A large area of land covered with grass for hay or for pasturing, grazing.
Fallow land
Is cultivated or ploughed but it is not used for growing crops; usually uncropped for two or more seasons
Wasteland
An area that is not used for agriculture; any wild uncultivated land, usually on light soils which failed to yield
Units of area (ha, acre, are)
1ha = 10000 sqm = 2.471 acres
1 acre = 4047 sqm
1 “are” (a) = 100 sqm = 0.01 ha = 0.0247 acre
Yield
Output or production of useful parts of plants expressed in relation to units of land
Field plants (food crops, industrial crops, horticultural crops)
Plants which are cultivated for the purpose of harvesting its seeds, roots, leaves or other parts that are useful for humans and animal
Weeds
Are plants that harm crops and grow where they are not wanted
Natural habitat
A place or kind of place that provides a particular set of environmental conditions for the animals inhabiting it
Environment
The complete range of external conditions, physical, chemical and biological in which an organism lives, that surrounds it.
Photoperiodism
The response of an organism to periodic changes in either the intensity of light or more usually, the relative length of day
Growing season
The season of rapid growth; that part of the year when plant growth is active on account of favourable temperature, availability of moisture and sufficient hours of daylight.
Transpiration
The loss of water vapour by plants to the atmosphere
Evapotranspiration
Water loss to the atmosphere from soil and vegetation
Photosynthesis
Chemical process by which green plants and other phototrophs synthesize organise compounds from Co2 and water in presence of sunlight
Soil moisture
The moisture in the pore spaces of soil, important for plant growth
Wilting point
The point below which the amount of water stored in the soil cannot be absorbed by plants quickly enough to meet their needs, causing wilt in any plant not adopted to drought
Field capacity
the volume of water which is the maximum that a soil can hold in its pores after excess water has been drained
Drainage
The naturally occurring channelled flow formed by streams and rivers which removes water from the land surface
Irrigation
The action of artificially supplying land with water to help the growth and productivity of plants
Soil management
A variety of practices or operations with respect to soil that aids the production of plants
Soil cultivation
Tilling the soil by ploughing, digging, draining and smoothing, done in the course of seeding, transplanting, loosening the soil, controlling the weeds.
Land rotation
A system of land management in which the land is cultivated for a few years and then allowed to rest, usually by allowing scrub to grow over it
