Unit 9: Agriculture

fertilizer

a substance that helps plants grow better by enriching the soil

harvest

the collection of ripe crops from the field

greenhouse

a glass structure used for growing plants under controlled conditions

irrigation

a method of watering crops using artificial means

organic farming

a natural method of farming that avoids synthetic inputs

soil erosion

the gradual loss of fertile topsoil due to water or wind

yield

the total amount of crop produced on a piece of land

plantation

a large-scale farm that grows crops for sale

pesticide

a chemical used to kill insects or pests on crops

crop rotation

the practice of growing different crops in the same area in sequenced seasons

livestock

animals and birds that are kept on a farm, such as cows, sheep, or chickens

compost

a mixture of decayed plants and vegetable waste which is added to the soil to help plants grow

gene

the basic physical unit of heredity

genetic modification

the process of changing the structure of the genes of a living thing in order to make it healthier, stronger, or more useful to humans

GM food

food from crops whose genes have been scientifically changed

footprint

the impact on the environment of human activity in terms of pollution, damge to ecosystems, and the depletion of natural resources

feed

food, esp that of animals

ecosystem

all the living things in an area and the way they affect each other and the environment