CUET Agriculture key terms

The branch of agricultural science dealing with field crop production and soil management, covering planting, nutrition, irrigation, and harvesting practices to maximise yield.

The pattern and sequence in which crops are grown on a given piece of land over time, including rotations, intercropping, and mixed farming arrangements.

Growing different crops in a planned sequence on the same field across seasons to maintain soil fertility, disrupt pest cycles, and reduce disease buildup.

Growing two or more crops simultaneously in the same field in a defined arrangement, so that land, light, and nutrients are used more efficiently.

Mechanical manipulation of soil to prepare a seedbed, control weeds, and manage residue, achieved through ploughing, harrowing, or minimum-disturbance methods.

A farming approach that leaves a significant portion of crop residue on the soil surface and reduces soil disturbance to limit erosion and conserve moisture.

The prepared upper layer of soil in which seeds are sown, providing suitable tilth, moisture, and aeration for uniform germination and seedling establishment.

The process in which a viable seed absorbs water, resumes metabolic activity, and produces a radicle and shoot under favourable temperature, moisture, and oxygen conditions.

The proportion of seeds in a lot that are alive and capable of germinating under suitable conditions, usually expressed as a percentage.

A resting state in which viable seeds fail to germinate even under favourable conditions, caused by hard seed coats, immature embryos, or internal inhibitors.

A crop grown specifically to be ploughed into the soil while still green, adding organic matter and nutrients, especially nitrogen in the case of legumes.

Covering the soil surface with organic or synthetic material to reduce evaporation, suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and protect against erosion.

The decomposed and partially decomposed plant and animal residues in soil, improving structure, water-holding capacity, nutrient supply, and microbial activity.

The dark, stable, highly decomposed fraction of soil organic matter that improves aggregation, retains moisture and nutrients, and resists further rapid breakdown.

The arrangement of soil particles into aggregates or peds, which governs pore space, aeration, water movement, root penetration, and resistance to erosion.

The relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay particles in a soil, which determine its water retention, drainage, and workability.

A soil texture class with a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay, generally offering good drainage, moisture retention, and fertility for crop growth.

A measure of soil acidity or alkalinity on a scale of 0 to 14, influencing nutrient availability, microbial activity, and choice of crops and amendments.

The quantity of liming material needed to raise soil pH to a target level for a given crop, neutralising acidity and improving nutrient availability.

The accumulation of soluble salts in soil to levels that impair water uptake by roots and reduce crop growth, often associated with irrigation and poor drainage.

The downward movement of water through soil carrying dissolved nutrients or salts below the root zone, which can reduce fertility or reclaim saline soils.

A material applied to soil or plants to supply essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in forms available for crop uptake.

The relative proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus expressed as phosphate, and potassium expressed as potash in a fertiliser, usually shown as three numbers.

An essential element required by plants in relatively large amounts, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulphur.

An essential element needed by plants in very small amounts, such as iron, zinc, copper, manganese, boron, and molybdenum, yet critical for normal growth.

The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen gas into ammonia or other usable compounds, carried out biologically by rhizobia and other microbes or industrially by the Haber process.

A genus of soil bacteria that form nodules on the roots of legumes and convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia usable by the host plant.

A plant of the pea family whose roots commonly host nitrogen-fixing bacteria in nodules, making it valuable in rotations for enriching soil nitrogen.

The loss of water vapour from plant surfaces, mainly through leaf stomata, which drives water and nutrient uptake and cools the plant.

Small pores on leaf surfaces, bounded by guard cells, that regulate gas exchange and water loss between the plant and the atmosphere.

The process by which green plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugars and oxygen, forming the basis of crop yield.

The oxidative breakdown of sugars and other substrates in living cells to release energy for growth and maintenance, consuming oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide.

The artificial supply of water to crops to supplement rainfall, applied by surface, sprinkler, or drip methods to meet crop water requirements.

A water-efficient method delivering water slowly and directly to the root zone through emitters, reducing evaporation, runoff, and weed growth.

A decision-based approach combining cultural, biological, mechanical, and chemical controls to keep pest populations below damaging levels with minimal pesticide use.

Suppressing pests using their natural enemies such as predators, parasitoids, and pathogens, rather than relying solely on chemical pesticides.

The pest population density at which control measures are justified to prevent the pest from reaching a level that causes economic loss.

The production of new plants from seeds or from vegetative parts such as cuttings, tubers, bulbs, or grafts, used to multiply desired varieties.

Joining a scion of one plant onto the rootstock of another so they unite and grow as one, combining desirable fruit traits with hardy roots.