Essential Agricultural Terminology and Farming Concepts
Harvest and Crop Types
- Harvest
- Crops that have been gathered.
- Legume
- A crop that has pods.
- Melon
- A type of large, sweet fruit.
- Tuber
- A crop that grows underground.
- Cereal
- A crop that produces grain.
- Farmers market
- A group of farmers selling crops.
Soil Characteristics
- Soil
- A layer of material that plants grow in.
- Sand
- A material made of small pieces of rock and mineral.
- Silt
- A material that is deposited by water.
- Parent material
- Rock and minerals that eventually form soil.
- Soil texture
- The size of particles in a soil.
- Dense
- Having a lot of material in a small space.
Some soil structures hold more water than others. Crops don’t grow well in pure clay soil. Use humus to add nutrients to soil. Aeration provides roots with air. Loam is a mix of three soil types.
Irrigation and Water Management
Irrigate the crops by digging a ditch. Areas with a lot of groundwater are ideal for farming. With so much rainfall, Dawn didn’t have to water her plants. Many crops died due to the water shortage. Linda prefers drought-resistant crops since she lives in an arid region. Andrew doesn’t irrigate; his crops are rain-fed.
- Water cycle
- The pattern of water moving and changing form.
- Drought
- A period of unusual dryness.
- Arid
- Receiving little rainfall.
- Irrigate
- To guide water to plants.
Seeds and Planting Basics
- Hard coat
- The firm outer layer of a seed.
- Germinate
- To sprout from a seed.
- Seedling
- A young plant.
- Seed vigor
- The strength and survivability of a seed.
- Hybrid
- Made by parents of different breeds.
- Sow
- To plant seeds.
Farmers plant small objects from which plants grow in the spring: Seeds. Each plant has a different number of days until it can be harvested: Days to maturity. Some plants require special ways in which seeds are planted: Sowing methods. To plant a large crop, you need a large quantity order of seeds: Bulk. Some plants produce seeds that pass the winter in an inactive state: Dormancy.
Plant Biology and Growth
- Photosynthesis
- A chemical process that produces energy.
- Branch
- A narrow part that supports leaves.
- Stalk
- A limb of a plant.
- Quinoa
- A strong plant that is grown for its seeds.
Those Buds will grow into flowers. Plants absorb nutrients from the soil with their Roots. Photosynthesis occurs in the leaves of a plant. Tom keeps a detailed growth chart of his crops to test how effective his fertilizers are. Flowering plants usually produce colorful blooms in the spring. The seedhead of a quinoa plant contains the protein-rich harvest.
Farm Machinery and Equipment
- Rototiller
- A machine that turns over soil.
- Cultipacker
- A machine that flattens soil.
- Tractor
- A vehicle that pulls farm equipment.
- Stone picker
- A device that separates stones and soil.
- Broadcast seeder
- A device that spreads seeds and fertilizer over a field.
- Seed drill
- A device pulled by a tractor that deposits seeds in the ground.
That field has a lot of weeds; use the tool that breaks apart soil and weeds: Cultivator. Eric is plowing the field with his new tool that breaks apart soil and smooths the ground: Harrow. She wants a device attached to a tractor that goes deep in the earth to turn soil: Chisel plow. Paul got a new device pulled behind a tractor that lays down seeds in rows and covers them: Planter. Plant the seedlings with the device pulled behind a tractor that places small plants in the soil: Transplanter.
Soil Conservation Techniques
- Nutrient depletion
- Process where nutrients are taken from soil.
- Contour farming
- A method of plowing to prevent erosion.
- Cover crops
- Plants that add nutrients to soil and prevent it from washing away.
- Green manure
- A name for cover crops that add nitrogen.
- Soil conservation
- The practice of maintaining soil.
- Grassways
- Grassy areas that slow water flow.
- Keyline design
- Design that maximizes water resources.
- Perimeter runoff control
- The use of plants near a field’s borders to prevent erosion.
The rows are at right angles to the fence: perpendicular. The farmer needs a way to stop wind or water removing the soil in his fields: erosion. Tree barriers shelter fields from the wind: windbreaks. Growing different crops at different times helps keep soil healthy: crop rotation. The forest experienced negative effects on the land after the flood: Land degradation.
Seeding Rates and Soil Amendments
- Seeds per pound
- The number of seeds in a pound of seeds.
- Broadcast seeding
- A method of scattering seeds.
- Plant density
- The number of plants in a certain area.
- Amendment
- A substance added to improve soil.
- Seeds per square foot
- Amount of seeds planted per square foot.
The farmer used fertilizer to improve the soil. The weeds died after Mary used herbicide. It is still too cold to plant the seeds; the soil temperature is 25 degrees. During droughts, the topsoil can be blown away by strong winds. The farmer was pleased to have 90 percent emergence of the newly planted crops. This field’s seeding rate is 10 pounds per acre.
Climate, Weather, and Plant Hardiness
If the temperature falls too low, the plants will die. Don’t plant any seeds until after the last frost. If there is enough precipitation, you won’t have to irrigate. Different plants may have different Hardiness zones.
- Climate
- Weather conditions in a particular area.
- Humidity
- The amount of water in the air.
- Mulch
- Material that is spread on the ground to protect plants.
- Long range forecast
- A prediction of future weather conditions.
- Soil moisture
- The amount of water in the soil.
Growing Conditions and Structures
- Base temperature
- The minimum temperature at which plants may grow.
- Last frost date
- The last day during which plants may freeze.
- Greenhouse
- A structure that retains solar energy.
- Site selection
- The act of choosing a place to plant crops.
- Mean temperature
- The average temperature in an area.
- Growing degree day
- A measure of how much heat a plant will receive a day.
- Photoperiods
- Amounts of time that plants are exposed to light.
- Hoop house
- Structure with a curved roof that traps heat.
- Elevation
- Height of an area relative to the ocean level.
- Freeze protection
- Preventing crops from freezing.
- Growing degree
- Period during which plants grow.
- Heater
- Device that burns fuel to create heat.
Pest and Disease Management
- Sanitize
- To kill bacteria.
- Fungal
- Being or related to fungus.
- Bacterial
- Being or related to bacteria.
- Pathogen
- An organism that causes disease.
- Weed
- An unwanted wild plant.
- Pest management
- Preventing organisms from harming crops.
Weed maps show where to apply herbicides. Biological controls give farmers an alternative. The blight destroyed the entire crop. Most weeds can be controlled with herbicide. Wendy used a fungicide to protect her crops. Suppression of pests is a concern for farmers. Mulching plant waste can enrich soil. Pesticide effectively controls insects.
Diagnosing Crop Problems
- Abiotic
- Non-living.
- Brown
- To change color.
- Field pattern
- A sign of disease that occurs throughout an area.
- Symptomology key
- A tool used to diagnose diseases.
- Symptom
- A sign that indicates disease.
- Stippled
- Leaves are covered with spots.
A Stunted plant will be much smaller than others. Many crop problems have biotic causes. The crops started to Wilt in the heat. Researchers are analyzing the pattern.
Farming Questions (Spanish/English) Part 1
¿Fuisteis a cosechar?
Did you harvest?
Regaron todas las plantas que encontraron en la finca.
They watered all the plants that they found on the farm.
El año pasado llovió mucho, tuvimos suerte.
Last year it rained a lot, we were lucky.
El mes pasado no utilizamos cultivos resistentes a la sequía.
Last month we didn’t use drought-resistant crops.
La temporada pasada no tuvimos una buena cosecha.
Last season we didn’t have a good harvest.
Las últimas heladas dejaron el suelo en mal estado.
The last frost left the soil in poor condition.
La carne de vaca es la más utilizada en nuestro país.
Beef is the most used meat in our country.
Planta semillas unas doce semanas antes de la última helada.
Plant seeds about twelve weeks before the last frost.
¿Es la industria porcina grande en tu país?
Is the swine industry big in your country?
Éramos asesores agrícolas con gran experiencia en el diagnóstico de problemas de cultivo.
We were agricultural consultants with great experience in the diagnosis of crop problems.
¿Qué podemos hacer por ti?
What can we do for you?
Llámanos si tus plantas están moteadas, raquíticas, marchitas o marrones.
Call us if your plants are mottled, stunted, withered or brown.
Farming Questions (Spanish/English) Part 2
El suelo arcilloso no es un buen suelo para plantar calabazas.
Clay soil is not a good soil for planting pumpkins.
La col crece en climas fríos.
Cabbage grows in cold climates.
El campo tiene muchas malas hierbas; deberíamos utilizar un herbicida para matarlas.
The field has many weeds; we should use a herbicide to kill them.
Muchos cultivos de secano están muriendo.
Many rainfed crops are dying.
Las legumbres no son muy populares en Inglaterra.
Legumes are not very popular in England.
La temporada pasada no tuvimos una buena cosecha.
Last season we did not have a good harvest.
La carne de vaca es muy popular en EE. UU.
Beef is very popular in the US.
La carne de cerdo es muy popular en España.
Pork is very popular in Spain.
Utiliza mantillo para mantener la humedad del suelo.
Use mulch to maintain soil moisture.
¿Qué podemos hacer con esta cosecha?
What can we do with this harvest?
Reading Comprehension Questions (Spanish/English)
Which part of the plant is affected by late blight?
¿Qué parte de la planta está afectada por el tizón tardío?
What happens to the plant in the end?
¿Qué le pasa a la planta al final?
According to Rodale, what should we do to avoid spread of this disease?
Según Rodale, ¿qué debemos hacer para evitar la propagación de esta enfermedad?
What sort of plants are affected by bacterial blight?
¿Qué tipo de plantas se ven afectadas por el tizón bacteriano?
Can you give an example of this sort of plants?
¿Puede dar un ejemplo de este tipo de plantas?
Which part of the plant is affected by the bacterial disease? Can you tell me other parts of a plant?
¿Qué parte de la planta está afectada por la enfermedad bacteriana? ¿Puede decirme otras partes de una planta?
What should you do if you want to avoid the spread of this disease?
¿Qué debe hacer si desea evitar la propagación de esta enfermedad?