Common Agricultural Definitions
In any given subject, certain terms are very important to understand that subject. These Keywords, if misunderstood, will prevent a thorough understanding of the subject or an ability to apply the data to that subject.
Acre: area of land commonly used to measure the size of a farm or piece of land in the United States. 1 acre = 43,560 square feet.
Aeroponics: type of growing method that holds the plants suspended. Water and nutrients are sprayed on the plants in a fine mist.
Aquaponics: type of growing method that combines aquaponics with fish. The fish poop into the water, which provides the plants with the nutrients they need. The plants remove CO2 and add oxygen to the water, which benefits the fish.
Bushel: unit of measure commonly used to measure corn and grains. 1 bushel is 64 pints or roughly 8 gallons.
Commodity Crop: crops that yield a low dollar return on investment on a per-acre basis. Crops like corn, rice, hay, alfalfa, and soybean are considered to be commodity crops.
Drip Irrigation: a type of irrigation that uses long hoses that are perforated at specific points, to allow the water to drip onto the soil near a plant. This system is frequently used for row crops that have a lot of smaller plants in long rows.
Fertigation: this is the process of adding fertilizer or other soil amendments through an irrigation system.
Fertilizer: material used to boost plant growth and production. Typically, a natural or chemical product is put onto the ground to increase the concentration of nutrients that the plants need to grow.
Flood/Ditch irrigation: type of irrigation that uses ditches or furrows that direct the water along specific areas near the plants. Water enters the field via a gate that diverts water from a river or canal to the field.
Hectare: area of land commonly used in South America and other parts of the world. 1 hectare = 2.47 acres
Hydroponics: type of growing method that uses water instead of soil. Plants are usually planted in foam or a coconut husk. Fertilizer is added to the water to give the plants the nutrients they need.
Inputs: any material that is used in the production of crops. Common examples: fertilizer, pesticides, seed, soil amendments, etc.
Input cost: The total cost of all the inputs used to create a crop.
Irrigation: the process of watering the fields from a well or other water source. This is used on farms that do not get sufficient rainfall to water the crops.
Microbes: tiny living organisms that help to convert substances into other compounds that plants can use. For example, nitrogen exists in the atmosphere as N2. While plants need nitrogen to grow, they can’t absorb nitrogen in its atmospheric form. Microbes in the soil convert N2 into nitrate (NO3), which is a form of nitrogen that plants can use.
Microjet irrigation: a type of irrigation that uses long hoses that are perforated and have small sprinklers that spray water onto the plant. Commonly used in orchards with trees.
NPK: stands for Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (K is the symbol for potassium on the Periodic Table in chemistry). These three minerals are considered to be the three most important nutrients that affect crop production. Fertilizers will usually express their relevant concentrations of these three minerals in numbers. Example: 15-20-10 would be 15% Nitrogen, 20% Phosphorus, and 10% Potassium.
Pesticide: a chemical or material that kills or eliminates different things that damage crops or reduce crop yields. Examples: insecticides (insect killer), herbicides (weed killer), fungicides (fungus or mold killer)
pH: stands for percent hydrogen. This is a scale that determines how acidic or how alkaline a substance is. The scale goes from 0 to 14. The lower the number, the more acidic the substance is, the higher the number, the more alkaline. Water is neutral, at 7. Most plant species thrive in soils that are 6 to 7, though each variety has its optimal range.
Photosynthesis: the process by which plants convert water, carbon dioxide, and other minerals into glucose and other forms of energy, using the energy from sunlight to break apart the chemical bonds of the original substances.
Pivot irrigation: a type of irrigation that has a tower in the center of a field. The system has a long pipe that is supported by poles on wheels, with sprinklers along the pipe. The system “pivots” in a circle around the center point, and waters a large field in a circle. Commonly used for corn, soybeans, hay, and other crops with large acreages.
Soil Amendment: chemical or minerals added to the soil to improve fruit and vegetable production. These can include fertilizer, pH amendments, biological additives, etc.
Yield: the number of crops produced by a farm. This is typically expressed by a unit of measure per acre.
Specialty Crop: Crops that yield a high return on investment on a per-acre basis. Melons, peppers, tomatoes, berries, tree fruit, nuts, and lettuce are considered specialty crops.
