agro- +
(Greek: land, soil, field, fields; earth; wild, as one who lives in the fields; wildness; savage, savageness)
Agrobacterium
A genus of Gram-negative, aerobic, rodshaped bacteria of the family Rhizobiaceae, typically plant pathogens that form galls or tumors on roots or stems.
agrobacterium (s), agrobacteria (pl)
Short rod-shaped aerobic bacteria of the genus Agrobacterium, that cause plant diseases; such as, crown gall.
agrobiologist
An expert or specialist in agrobiology.
agrobiology, agrobiological, agrobiologic
1. The study of the breeding, nutrition, and growth of crops, especially in relation to soil management.
2. The quantitative science of plant life and plant nutrition.
agrobusiness
The businesses collectively associated with the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products.
agrochemical
1. A chemical; such as, a hormone, fungicide, or insecticide, that improves the production of crops.
2. A chemical used in agriculture; especially, a biologically active one such as a weedkiller or a fungicide.
3. A chemical used to improve the quality of farm products.
4. Of or relating to the use of chemicals in agriculture.
agrocinopine
Any of a class of opines present in crown gall, a type of plant tumor.
An opine is a bacterial growth substance coded for by genes injected into the plant genome from Agrobacterium, a parasitic bacterium that causes crown gall disease in the plants it infects.
agroclimatology
The study of climate in relation to the productivity of plants and animals of agricultural importance.
agroecologist
An expert in or a student of agroecology.
agroecology; agroecological
1. The study of the relationship between the environment and agricultural crops.
2. The study of the relationship between an agricultural system and its surrounding environment.
3. Ecology as applied to agriculture.
agroeconomic, agro-economic; agroeconomics, agro-economics
1. Pertaining to a nation's agricultural economy.
2. The financial problems of farmers as a group, etc.
agroecosystem
1. The ecological relationships of agriculture in general or of a particular agricultural locale.
2. The biotic and abiotic components of an agricultural system, including not only the livestock and cultivated crops; but also, for example, the water supply; other plant and animal species, soil characteristics, climate, and human input.
agroenvironment
The ecological relationships of agriculture in general or of a particular agricultural locale.
agroforestry
1. A system of land use in which harvestable trees or shrubs are grown among or around crops or on pasture land, as a means of preserving or enhancing the productivity of the land.
2. Agriculture in which there is integrated management of trees or shrubs along with conventional crops or livestock.
3. In modern applications, it now refers to the deliberate growing of woody perennials on the same unit of land as agricultural crops or animals.
A new name for an old set of practices, involves the deliberate growing of woody perennials on the same unit of land as agricultural crops or animals, either in some form of special mixture or in temporal sequence.
There is a significant interaction (ecological and economical) between woody and nonwoody components of the system. Agroforesty systems are grouped as agrosilvicultural (crops and trees), silvopastoral (trees and pasture/animals), or agrosilvopastoral (crops, trees, and pasture/animals).
agrogeological, agrogeologic, agrogeologically
A reference to the study of rock minerals of importance to farming and horticulture, especially with regards to soil fertility and fertilizer components.
Additional details regarding agrogeological fertilization
By adding rock dust as a complete plant fertilizer along with plant matter, the soil may be much healthier.
- Rock dusts contain most of the nutrients essential for growth except for nitrogen and phosphorous.
- The release of nutrients is directly related to weathering; therefor, their beneficial effect could last for many years before needing replacement, and even longer if used in conjunction with sustainable farming techniques.
- The problem of nutrient leaching is minimized as plants take up the nutrients at the same rate as they are being released and there is also minimal problem with toxicity from oversupply of nutrients.
- Some dusts raise pH, countering the effects of soil acidity often found in certain soils.
If the soil is healthier then the plants will be healthier. Mixed rock dust can provide a full spectrum of minerals to the soil and this improves cellular structure, which could explain why rock dusted plants are more resistant to insect attacks and diseases.
It has been noted that the use of rock dust can reduce (or even replace) fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides.
—Excerpts from "Soil Remineralization"
by Philip C. Madeley of Manchester Metropolitan University, England.
Cross references of word families related directly, or indirectly, to: "land, ground, fields, soil, dirt, mud, clay, earth (world)":
agra-;
agrest-;
agri-;
argill-;
choro-;
chthon-;
epeiro-;
geo-;
glob-;
lut-;
myso-;
pedo-;
pel-;
rhyp-;
soil-;
sord-;
terr-.