Definitions and Meanings of Agricutural Terms (I - O)

Agricultural Terms:

As students, understanding the various agricultural terms and their meanings can be crucial towards gaining a better knowledge on this subject.

In this article, we will look at the meanings of agricultural terms for the letters 'I' through 'O'.

Incubation

This is the process of keeping eggs under controlled conditions of temperature and moisture in order to make them hatch.

It takes the eggs of a turkey 28 days to hatch. However, a chick hatch from the egg on day 21.

 

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

IPM involves the use of biological, chemical, and cultural control tactics to make pest management economical, environmentally friendly, and socially acceptable.

Please read on pest of agricutural importance here.

The goal of IPM is to minimize the excessive use of chemicals in controlling pest on agricultural land.

You can read on agricultural land here.

 

Integration

This a a process of ensuring control on all or some of the various stages of production within a specific organization.

Please read on production here.

 

Identity Preserved (IP)

This is the identification and maintenance of seeds with specific traits or characteristics because of their competitive advantage.

 

Lactation Period

This is the duration of time a female animal gives milk to its offspring.

The term 'lactation period' is usually associated to dairy cows and milk goats.

Please read on agricultural terms and meanings (letter A).

 

Layer

This is a female chicken that produces eggs regularly.

A layer should produce at least 19 dozens of eggs in a year.

 

Leaching

This is a process of removal or loss of soluble soil materials or nutrients by the passage of water through soil.

Dissolved soil nutrients are completely lost in leaching.

Please read on soil erosion here.

 

Legumes

This is a type of plant that has nodules formed by bacteria on its roots. The bacteria that produce these nodules take nitrogen from the air and pass it through to the plant for its use.

Understand that leguminous plants are important in crop rotation. They include beans, soybeans and sweet clover.

 

Litter

This are offsprings born at the same time by one sow. Understand that the 'offsprings' that encomprises a litter are always more than one.

A sow is an adult female pig.

 

Livestock

This is an animal domesticated for meat, money or other market purposes. Examples of livestock include beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats and chickens.

 

Macronutrients

These are essential nutrients or elements needed by plants in relatively large amount. They include:

• N (Nitrogen)

• P (Phosphorus)

• K (Potassium)

• Mg (Magnesium)

• Ca (Calcium)

• S (Sulphur)

Please read more on macronutrients here.

 

Manure

They are generally animal excreta and straw. They also include refuse from stables.

 

Mare

This is an adult or mature female horse.

 

Marginal Land

This is a land that is unproductive for farming.

 

Mastitis

This is a disease of the cow’s udder as a result of infections from pathogens. This infection may result from improper milking procedures.

You can read on immunization here.

 

Micronutrient

A micronutrient is considered to be an essential or important nutrient (elements) needed by plants in minute or small quantities. The micronutrients are:

• Mn (Manganese)

• Zn (Zinc)

• Cl (Chlorine)

• Fe (Iron)

• Mo (Molybdenum)

• Ni (Nickel)

• B (Boron)

• Cu (Copper)

Please read more on micronutrients here.

 

Milk (Average Composition)

The average composition of milk is:

• Water --> 87.1%

• Lactose --> 5.1%

• Fat --> 3.9%

• Casein --> 2.5%

• Albumin --> 0.7%

• Mineral matter --> 0.7%

Lactose is a disaccharide comprising of two simple sugar molecules. These are: glucose and galactose respectively.

Please read more on carbohydrates and sugars here.

 

Nematode

These are soil worms that are not segmented and are also very small in size.

Nematodes may attack the root of plants, causing damage to it.

 

Nitrification

This is the oxidation of ammonia (NH₃) or ammonium (NH₄⁺) into nitrites and the the subsequent oxidation of nitrites into nitrates.

 

Nitrification Inhibitors

These are chemical compounds added to nitrogen fertilizer in order to reduce the rate of conversion of ammonium (present in the fertilizer) into a nitrates. In simple terms, nitrification inhibitors reduces the rate at which 'nitrification' occurs.

 

Nitrogen Cycle

This is the cyclic movement or transformation of nitrogen from the atmosphere into the soil where it is used by plants and other nitrifying organisms until it is eventually returned back to the atmosphere.

Leguminous plants are very useful in fixing nitrogen back into the soil. For this reason, they are highly recommended in a crop rotation planting system.

 

Nitrogen Fixation

This is the process through which atmospheric nitrogen is combined with other elements to form inorganic compounds which can then be converted (by a process called nitrification) into nutrients that can easily be absorbed by plants, to be utilize for their normal functioning including photosynthesis.

Please read on photosynthesis here.

Note: Rhizobium, a bacteria found in the root nodules of leguminous plants brings about the nitrification process.

 

Nodules

They are small bodies or structures found on the surface of a plant's root and they usually contain rhizobium.

Rhizobium is a bacteria found in the root nodules of leguminous plants. An example of a leguminous plant is soya bean.

 

Non-selective Herbicides

These are chemical compounds that are generally used to kill plants. The fact that it generally causes the death of plants makes it a 'non-selective' herbicides.

Conversely, the term 'selective herbicides' refers to chemical compounds used to kill specific type of plants.

Meanwhile, recall that the term 'herbicides' applies to chemical compounds utilized in killing weeds or unwanted plants.

Please read on the differences between plants and a crops here.

Understand that some selective herbicides may become non-selective when used at very high rates.

 

Nutrient

This is a chemical material, element or compound that is needed or essential for the normal body metabolism, growth, reproduction and other basic characteristics of life.

Nutrients are present in the six classes of food. They are:

1. Carbohydrates

2. Fats and Oils

3. Proteins

4. Vitamins

5. Minerals

6. Water

Please read on the basic characteristics of life here.

 

Offspring

They are the progeny of parents. The term 'progeny' is another word for offspring.

Please read more on symnonyms.

 

Omnivore

These are living organisms that feed on flesh, animals and plant materials. Humans are examples of omnivores.

 

Organic Fertilizer

This is a fertilizer containing plant nutrients in combination with carbon.

It is noteworthy to state that an organic material will always have carbon in its composition.

Please read the concept of organic chemistry here.

You can read on agricultural terms and meanings (P and Q).