Maharashtra HSC Multi-Skill Gardening (NSQF) key terms

The branch of agriculture that deals with cultivating garden crops, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants, usually on a smaller and more intensive scale than field farming.

The specialized branch of horticulture concerned with the production and management of vegetable crops, from seed sowing to harvesting and post-harvest handling.

The horticultural science that studies the cultivation, breeding, and management of fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, including orchard planning and fruit quality improvement.

The branch of horticulture focused on growing and marketing flowering and ornamental plants, including cut flowers, potted plants, bedding plants, and nursery stock.

The process by which green plants use sunlight energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugars inside chloroplasts, releasing oxygen and forming the food base for plant growth.

The green pigment found in chloroplasts that absorbs light energy for photosynthesis and gives healthy leaves their characteristic green colour.

The loss of water vapour from plant surfaces, mainly through leaf pores called stomata, which pulls water and dissolved nutrients upward from the roots.

Tiny adjustable pores mostly on the underside of leaves that open and close to regulate gas exchange and water loss between the plant and the surrounding air.

A flowering plant whose seed has a single cotyledon, typically with parallel leaf veins, fibrous roots, and flower parts in threes, such as grasses, palms, and lilies.

A flowering plant whose seed has two cotyledons, usually showing net-like leaf veins, a taproot system, and flower parts in fours or fives, such as mango and tomato.

The internationally accepted system of naming plants with two Latin words, the genus followed by the species, so that every plant has one universally understood scientific name.

A plant variety deliberately selected and maintained by humans for desirable traits such as yield, colour, or disease resistance, and written in single quotes after the scientific name.

The relative proportion of sand, silt, and clay particles in a soil, which strongly influences water retention, drainage, aeration, and ease of cultivation.

A balanced soil texture containing moderate amounts of sand, silt, and clay, generally considered ideal for gardening because it drains well while holding moisture and nutrients.

A measure on a scale of 0 to 14 of how acidic or alkaline a soil is, controlling the availability of plant nutrients and the suitability of soil for particular crops.

Decomposed organic matter produced by microbial breakdown of plant and kitchen waste under controlled conditions, used to improve soil structure, water holding, and nutrient supply.

Nutrient-rich organic fertiliser produced when earthworms digest organic waste, leaving worm castings that improve soil fertility and structure when mixed into growing media.

Any of the essential elements needed by plants in relatively large amounts, namely nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulphur, supplied through soil or fertiliser.

An essential element required by plants only in very small quantities, such as iron, zinc, boron, manganese, and copper, whose shortage still causes visible deficiency symptoms.

The proportion of available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium stated on a fertiliser label, indicating which growth processes the product mainly supports.

The process of producing new plants from seeds or from vegetative parts such as stems, roots, or leaves, so that a desired plant can be multiplied and grown on.

A vegetative propagation method in which a piece of stem, leaf, or root is separated from the parent plant and placed in a suitable medium to form its own roots and shoots.

A vegetative technique joining a scion from one plant onto the rootstock of another so that they grow as a single plant, often used to combine vigour with a desired fruit variety.

A propagation method in which a stem is rooted while still attached to the parent plant, and only separated once roots have formed, giving a new independent plant.

A synthetic or natural growth regulator applied to the cut end of a cutting to stimulate root formation and improve the success rate of vegetative propagation.

The lower, rooted portion of a grafted plant that supplies water and nutrients to the scion and may also confer vigour, size control, or disease resistance.

Moving a seedling or established plant from its nursery container or seedbed to its final growing position, taking care to keep the root ball intact and minimise shock.

The gradual process of accustoming nursery-raised seedlings to outdoor conditions by reducing protection, water, and warmth over several days before transplanting.

The mass of roots together with the soil or growing medium that clings to them when a plant is lifted, which should be kept intact during transplanting.

The deliberate removal of selected branches, shoots, or roots to shape a plant, remove dead or diseased wood, improve air movement, or encourage flowering and fruiting.

Removing faded flowers from a plant to prevent seed formation, prolong the flowering period, and keep the garden display tidy.

Guiding the growth of a plant into a desired shape or framework, such as a trellis or espalier, by tying and selectively pruning shoots over time.

A water-efficient system that delivers small, steady quantities of water directly to the root zone through narrow tubes and emitters, reducing evaporation and weed growth.

Covering the soil surface around plants with organic or inorganic material to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, moderate soil temperature, and improve soil over time.

The amount of water a soil retains after excess water has drained away under gravity, representing the upper practical limit of water available to plant roots.

A decision-making approach that combines cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical controls, using pesticides only when monitoring shows they are genuinely needed.

Managing pests by introducing or encouraging their natural enemies, such as predators, parasitoids, and pathogens, rather than relying mainly on chemical sprays.

The pest population level at which the damage likely to be caused justifies the cost of control measures, guiding when intervention becomes worthwhile.

Official measures that restrict the movement of plants and plant products to prevent the introduction and spread of serious pests and diseases into new areas.

A hand-held pruning tool with two curved blades used for cutting stems and small branches, chosen in bypass or anvil patterns for clean, healthy cuts.

The clothing and gear worn to reduce injury risk at work, such as gloves, goggles, boots, and a mask, especially when handling tools or spraying chemicals.

The planned arrangement of plants, paths, water, and structures in an outdoor space to make it functional, safe, and visually pleasing for its users.

The permanent non-living elements of a garden or landscape, such as paving, walls, steps, fences, and benches, which define structure and circulation.

The living and seasonal elements of a landscape, including trees, shrubs, lawns, and flower beds, which soften hard edges and change with the seasons.

The total of all expenses incurred in raising a crop or garden enterprise, including inputs, labour, tools, and water, used to judge profitability.

The total money received from selling produce or services before any costs are deducted, forming the starting point for calculating net profit.

A structured study of buyers, prices, and demand in a local area, carried out before starting a garden enterprise to decide what to grow and how to sell it.

The two-way exchange of information through speaking, listening, writing, and body language, essential for explaining work, understanding customer needs, and coordinating a team.

Paying full attention to a speaker, asking clarifying questions, and summarising what was said to confirm understanding during work discussions or customer conversations.