Agriculture Glossary
Dapog Rice Nursery
A labor-saving method of raising rice seedlings in a well-prepared nursery bed, covered with protective materials like banana leaves or plastics, before transplanting to the main field.
DDT
An insecticide once widely used but later banned due to negative environmental and human health impacts, highlighting the need for safer pest control methods.
Deciduous Trees
Trees that shed their leaves during winter, entering a dormant state until the next growing season.
Decalcification
The process of removing calcium carbonate or calcium ions from the soil profile, often necessary for certain crops or soil conditions.
Deep Ecology
An environmental philosophy that advocates for the equal value of all species and opposes human actions that reduce biodiversity, except to meet basic needs.
Defoliant
A chemical substance that causes the premature shedding of leaves from a plant, used in certain agricultural practices.
Deforestation
The loss or clearing of forested areas, typically defined as a region losing 40% or more of its tree cover.
Desalinization
The process of removing dissolved salts and minerals from water to make it suitable for human consumption or other uses.
Desert
A biome characterized by low precipitation (typically less than 10 inches per year), with varying temperature ranges, including hot deserts, temperate deserts, and cold deserts.
Desertification
The process by which previously non-desert areas gradually become desert-like due to climatic changes or human activities that degrade the land.
Desiccant
A chemical agent that accelerates the dehydration of plant tissues, reducing moisture content in crops or seeds to facilitate harvesting.
Desuckering
The process of removing unwanted suckers or side shoots from plants, usually to promote better growth and yield.
Detritivore
An organism that feeds on dead organic matter, playing a vital role in nutrient cycling and decomposition processes in ecosystems.
Dieback
A sudden decline in the population of an area after exceeding the carrying capacity of the environment, often resulting from resource depletion or environmental degradation.
Dioxins
Highly toxic chemical compounds formed as byproducts in certain industrial processes, posing significant risks to human health and the environment.
Discount Rate
A rate used in cost-benefit analysis to calculate the present value of future costs or benefits, accounting for the time value of money.
Disk Implement
A tractor-drawn tool with angled circular plates used to prepare the soil for seeding by breaking up and leveling the surface.
Diversified Cropping
A farming approach where no single crop contributes more than 50% of the total production or income, promoting agricultural diversity and resilience.
Diversified Farm
A farm that generates income from multiple sources, with no single product or activity accounting for more than 50% of the total revenue, reducing economic risk.
Diversity
Water that meets specific quality standards and is safe for human consumption.
Dormancy
A biological process where a plant temporarily ceases growth activities and preserves existing tissues, often during unfavorable environmental conditions.
Double Cropping
The practice of growing two different crops consecutively on the same land within a single growing season, maximizing land utilization.
Dowsing
An ancient practice of using a forked stick or wire to locate underground water sources, based on the belief that certain individuals possess a unique ability to detect water.
Drainage
The process of removing excess surface water or subsurface water from the soil through natural or artificial drainage systems.
Drill
A farming implement that creates small furrows in the soil, deposits seeds at the desired depth, covers them with soil, and optionally applies fertilizers or amendments simultaneously.
Drilling
The act of creating furrows in the soil, depositing seeds, and covering them in a single operation using a specialized implement called a seed drill.
Drip Irrigation
An efficient method of delivering water directly to the roots of plants through a network of pipes or tubes, minimizing evaporation and runoff losses.
Dry Cow
A cow that is not producing milk, typically during the resting period between lactations before giving birth again.
Dry Land Farming
Agricultural practices focused on crop production without irrigation, relying solely on rainfall, moisture-conserving techniques, and drought-resistant crop varieties.
Drift Net Fishing
A fishing practice that involves using large nets that drift with ocean currents to catch fish, often leading to bycatch and environmental concerns.
Drinking Water
The variety and abundance of different species present in a given area or ecosystem.
Drought
An extended period of abnormally low rainfall or water availability, leading to water scarcity and potential impacts on agriculture and ecosystems.
Dual Economy
An economic system characterized by the coexistence of a modern, industrialized sector and a traditional, often impoverished sector, commonly found in developing countries
Canopy
Canopy is the upper layer of a forest, formed by the crowns of trees. It plays a crucial role in forest ecology by providing habitat for wildlife and influencing the microclimate below.
Horticulture Glossary
Drought-Resistant Crops
Cultivating crops like ber, custard apple, amla, and mango that require less water.
