OSSC Soil Conservation Extension Worker key terms

Constructing small earthen ridges along the contour of sloping land to slow down runoff, trap soil, and increase water infiltration between the bunds.

Ploughing across a slope following the contour lines rather than up and down, so that each furrow checks the flow of water and reduces soil erosion.

A soil conservation bund built with a gentle longitudinal slope so that excess runoff is safely diverted to a side channel instead of overtopping the structure.

The portion of rainfall or irrigation water that flows over the soil surface instead of infiltrating, carrying dissolved nutrients and detached soil particles downslope.

The detachment and removal of topsoil by the action of water, wind, or tillage, which reduces soil depth, fertility, and crop productivity over time.

Uniform removal of a thin layer of topsoil by a broad sheet of flowing water, often unnoticed because no channels are cut into the field surface.

Advanced water erosion in which concentrated runoff cuts deep, well-defined channels that cannot be crossed by ordinary farm implements and progressively fragment the field.

A small barrier built across a gully or seasonal stream to slow water flow, trap sediment behind it, and recharge groundwater in the surrounding area.

A defined land area from which all rainfall drains to a common outlet, treated as a planning unit for soil conservation, water harvesting, and integrated rural development.

The land surface whose rainfall contributes to a particular reservoir, tank, stream, or groundwater recharge structure, used to estimate water yield.

Collecting and storing rainwater or runoff in farm ponds, tanks, or recharge pits for later irrigation or groundwater replenishment in dry periods.

A small excavated or embanked reservoir on a farm that stores harvested runoff for supplemental irrigation, fish culture, or livestock watering.

The relative proportions of sand, silt, and clay particles in a soil, which govern its water-holding capacity, drainage, aeration, and workability.

The arrangement of soil particles into aggregates or peds, influencing pore space, root penetration, infiltration rate, and resistance to erosion.

A balanced soil mixture of sand, silt, and clay that generally offers good drainage, aeration, and nutrient retention, making it suitable for most crops.

A vertical cross-section of soil showing its successive horizons from the surface layer down to the parent material, revealing depth and fertility status.

The uppermost, darker soil layer richest in organic matter and nutrients, and the layer most vulnerable to loss through erosion.

The dark, stable, decomposed organic matter in soil that improves structure, holds moisture and nutrients, and supports beneficial soil organisms.

A measure of soil acidity or alkalinity on a 0 to 14 scale, which controls the availability of plant nutrients and the choice of crops and amendments.

A calcium- or magnesium-rich amendment applied to acidic soils to raise pH and improve nutrient availability, especially for acid-sensitive crops.

Calcium sulphate used to reclaim sodic soils by displacing exchangeable sodium and improving soil permeability and structure.

A crop such as dhaincha or sunhemp grown specifically to be ploughed into the soil while green, adding organic matter and nitrogen.

Growing different crops in a planned sequence on the same field to maintain soil fertility, disrupt pest cycles, and improve overall farm productivity.

A member of the pea and bean family whose root nodules host nitrogen-fixing bacteria, enriching the soil and reducing the need for nitrogen fertiliser.

The ratio of total cropped area to net sown area in a year, expressed as a percentage and indicating how many crops a field carries annually.

Growing two or more crops simultaneously in the same field in a definite row arrangement to use sunlight, water, and nutrients more efficiently.

Combining organic sources such as farmyard manure and green manure with chemical fertilisers and biofertilisers to sustain crop yields and soil health.

A non-formal educational process that helps rural people acquire knowledge, skills, and attitudes to solve their own problems and improve their livelihoods.

A teaching method in which an extension worker shows a proven practice or technology on a farmer's field or village site so that others can observe and adopt it.

An organised visit to a demonstration plot or research station where farmers observe results, ask questions, and compare practices with their own fields.

A toll-free telephone service where farmers receive expert advice on agriculture and allied subjects in local languages from trained agri-graduates.

The three-tier system of local self-government in rural India, comprising gram panchayat, panchayat samiti, and zilla parishad, with roles in rural development.

A small voluntary group of rural people, usually women, who pool savings, extend small internal loans, and later access bank credit for income-generating activities.

Provision of small loans, savings, and insurance services to low-income households who lack access to formal banking, often delivered through self help groups.

Use of information and communication technology by government agencies to deliver services, share information, and transact with citizens more efficiently.

An electronic code attached to a document that verifies the sender's identity and confirms the content has not been altered after signing.

A word that expresses the opposite meaning of another word, such as 'fertile' and 'barren', tested in the English and Odia language sections.

A word with a meaning close or identical to another word, such as 'abundant' and 'plentiful', commonly tested in vocabulary questions.

A fixed expression whose meaning cannot be understood from its individual words, such as 'to break the ice' meaning to start a conversation.

The sum of a set of values divided by the number of values, used in aptitude problems to find a representative central value of the data.

A number expressed as a fraction of one hundred, widely used to compare quantities, calculate interest, and solve aptitude problems on change and profit.

A comparison of two quantities of the same kind by division, showing how many times one value contains or is contained within the other.