Terminology

afforestation: The establishment of a forest or plantation in an area where the preceding vegetation or land use was not forest – compare with “Reforestation”.

agroforestry: Agroforestry is the practice of combining agriculture and forestry technologies to create more integrated, diverse, productive, profitable, healthy and sustainable land-use systems.

biodiversity: The variety and abundance of life forms, functions and structures of plants, animals and other living organisms on earth. It includes genetic differences among species, the variety of species that live within a particular area (ecosystem) and the many such ecosystems or homes that exist on the planet.

biomass:

1. Ecology The total dry organic matter at a given time of living organisms of one or more species per unit area (species biomass) or of all the species in the community (community biomass)
2. The living or dead weight of organic matter in a tree, stand, or forest in units such as living or dead weight, wet or dry weight, etc.
3. Harvesting the wood product obtained from in-woods chipping of all or some portion of trees including limbs, tops, and unmerchantable stems, usually for energy production.

board foot: (bd ft) The amount of wood contained in an unfinished board 1 inch thick, 12 inches long and 12 inches wide (2.54 cm x 30.5 cm x 30.5 cm).

carbon offset: The planting of trees on non-forested land such that the uptake of carbon dioxide from the growing trees will offset the production of carbon dioxide from industrial sources.

carbon sequestration: The incorporation of carbon dioxide into permanent plant tissues.

co-management agreements: The sharing of power, responsibility and benefits between the Government and resource users; provides a middle ground upon which the two can meet and cooperate.

community forest: A forest owned and generally managed by a community, the members of which share its benefits.

community forestry: Managing forests with the expressed intent of benefiting neighbouring communities. See also “social forestry”.

cubic metre: A unit of volume that measures 1 x 1 x 1 metres, most often used for volumes of standing timber or otherwise unsawn timber.

database: A collection of data stored in a systematic manner such that the data can be readily retrieved, modified and manipulated to create information, most often computerised.

deforestation: The removal of a forest where the land is put to a non-forest use.

dendrology: the scientific study of trees and woody plants, A branch of botany devoted to the study of trees and their identifying characteristics.

ecosystem: A self-regulating natural community of living things interacting with one another and with their non-living physical environment.

ecotourism: Travel undertaken to sites or regions of unique natural quality, or the provision of services to facilitate such travel.

forest: An ecosystem characterised by a more or less dense and extensive tree cover, often consisting of stands varying in characteristics such as species, composition, structure, age classs, and associated processes, and may include meadows, streams, fish, and wildlife. (Note that forests include special designations such as industrial forests, nonindustrial private forests, plantations, protection forests).

forest inventory: A set of objective sampling methods designed to quantify the spatial distribution, composition and rates of change of forest parameters within specified levels of precision for the purposes of management.

forest reserve: An area designated under a forest act in which timber production is allowed but not conversion to agriculture or other non-forest uses.

forestry: The profession embracing the science, art and practice of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources for human benefit and in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs and values. (agroforestry, urban forestry, industrial forestry, non-industrial forestry, and wilderness and recreation forestry).

fuelwood: Wood used for conversion into some form of energy, eg, cooking fires, charcoal production, energy-generating plants.

greenbelt: A park-like strip of unoccupied land with little or no development, usually surrounding or partially surrounding urban areas.

greenhouse effect: The warming effect exerted by the atmosphere upon the earth because the atmosphere (mainly its water vapour and carbon dioxide) absorbs radiant energy from the earth and re-emits infrared radiation or heat.

lumber: The sawn product from a tree – synonym is sawn wood.

natural forest: A forest in nearly natural condition, without any direct human intervention.

plantation forest: A forest or stand composed mainly of trees established by planting or artificial seeding.

reforestation: The re-establishment of forest cover either naturally or artificially. Note reforestation usually maintains the same forest type and is done promptly after the previous stand or forest was removed.

roundwood: A length of cut tree generally having a round cross section, such as a log.

silviculture: The art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, health and quality of forests to meet the diverse needs and values of society.

social forestry: Forestry programmes that purposefully and directly involve local people, their values and their institutions (also called development forestry, community forestry).

sustainable development:
1. Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
2. Sustainable development is used to mean: improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems .

timber Wood: other than fuelwood, potentially useable for lumber.

tonne 1000 kg: in the context of “tonnes of fuelwood” in this document for air-dried hardwood, 1 tonne is approx. 1.38 cubic metres of wood.

urban forestry: The art, science and technology of managing trees and forest resources in and around urban community ecosystems for the physiological, sociological, economic and aesthetic benefits trees provide society.

watershed: A region or land area drained by a single stream, river, or drainage network.

(to continue)

Terminology

Hydroponics:

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, or mineral wool.

Plants absorb essential mineral nutrients as inorganic ions in water. In natural conditions, soil acts as a mineral nutrient reservoir but the soil itself is not essential to plant growth. When the mineral nutrients in the soil dissolve in water, plant roots are able to absorb them. When the required mineral nutrients are introduced into a plant's water supply artificially, soil is no longer required for the plant to thrive. Almost any terrestrial plant will grow with hydroponics.
(Courtesy:Wikipedia)

Aeroponics:

Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium. Aeroponic culture differs from both hydroponics and in-vitro (Plant tissue culture) growing. Unlike hydroponics, which uses water as a growing medium and essential minerals to sustain plant growth, aeroponics is conducted without a growing medium.(Courtesy:Wikipedia)

Agroecosystem:
A relatively artificial ecosystem in an agricultural field, pasture, or orchard.

Biological control:
The use of living organisms, such as predators, parasitoids, and pathogens, to control pest insects, weeds, or diseases. This process typically involves some human activity.

Bt:
The bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis.

Entomopathogenic:
Insect-attacking organism.

Cole crops:
Crops such as cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and other crucifers.

Cucurbits:
Vine crops such as cucumbers, melons, squash, and pumpkins.

Cultural control:
Pest management practices that rely upon manipulation of the cropping environment (e.g., cultivation of weeds harboring insect pests).

Genetic engineering:
The manipulation of the genetic material of an organism in order to achieve desirable characteristics.

Host:
The organism in or on which a parasitoid lives; a plant on which an insect feeds.

Hyperparasite:
A parasite whose host is another parasite.

Integrated pest management (IPM):
An approach to the management of pests in which all available control options, including physical, chemical, and biological controls, are evaluated and integrated into a unified program.

Trap crop:
A small area of a crop used to divert pests from a larger area of the same or another crop. The pests, once diverted to the trap crop, may be treated with an insecticide.

Hedge crop:
A row of closely planted shrubs, bushes, or trees forming a boundary or fence

Smother Crop:
When green manure is grown primarily to control the growth of weeds it is called smother crop. The green manure can be later ploughed into the soil.

Regards,
Vishnu Sankar
(To continue)

Wetting and Spreading Agents

Spray adjuvants and spray concentrations
Wetting and Spreading Agents

Introduction:
These are available as ionic-based or non-ionic based surfactants (i.e.) wetting and spreading agents safe to use with all insecticides, fungicides, weedicides and foliar fertilizers.
Mode of Action:
As a spreader it reduces surface tension of the water to 30 dynes / cm from its normal value of 70 - 80 dynes / cm and makes water more wetter This results in better coverage and penetration.
Because of its non-ionic nature, it has least phytotoxic properties and greater compatibility with pesticide formulations.

I. Dosage with Insecticide, Fungicide, Foliar Fertilizers and Defoliators:
Wetting agent 5 ml in 15 litres of spraying liquid (0.0333% Concentration (i.e.) 0.0333 ml in 1 litre of spraying liquid) Stir well to obtain a homogenous mixture.
Benefits: Due to its better coverage:

• It enhances the efficiency of pesticides and fungicides spray.
• when applied with foliar fertilizers, there is increased nutrient uptake.
• when applied with defoliators, there is complete defoliation.

II. Dosage with Post emergence Weedicides:
Wetting agent 20 ml in 15 litres of spraying liquid (0.1333% Concentration (i.e.) 1.333 ml in 1 litre of spraying liquid) (Since it is a spreader only there is no question application with pre emergence Weedicides ??)
Benefits: Helps in increasing the level of penetration of post emergence herbicide through amorphous waxy cuticle layers of leaf, resulting in better weed control.

III. Dosage as irrigation aid (for Soil Application):
Wetting agent 160 ml per acre in at least 80 litres of water (0.2% Concentration (i.e.) 2 ml in 1 litre of water) and apply directly to soil.
(Mixing 160ml of wetting agent in adequate Qty. of soil and broadcasting them over 1 acre of land and irrigating the land is the easier method.)
Benefits when used for soil application: (1) When applied as irrigation aid there is reduced evaporative loss, reduced water losses due to run off and increased moisture content in the soil.
(2) It enhances the water infiltration rate in clay loam soil where there is hardpan layer.
(3) Increases saturated conductivity in silt loam soil.
(4) Because of reduced soil crust strength and loosening effect on hard soils, the root penetration is easier resulting in bigger root volume.
(5) Wetting agent will be active in the soil for about 4 – 6 weeks.

Benefits:
Due to its better coverage, it enhances the efficiency of pesticides, Fungicide, Foliar Fertilizers and Defoliators spray as below:
1) Increases wetting power
2) Improves distribution
3) Helps in deep penetration
4) Increases adhesive power
5) Promotes quick distribution
6) It is a non-corrosive good detergent agent hence cleans spray equipments and Agricultural machineries at low cost.

(Courtesy : Amway)

Finding Pesticide concentrations in % and in ppm

Spray adjuvants and spray concentrations

Table to find Pesticide concentration in % and in ppm

Pesticide Oty. in ml or gms	Water Qty.	Concentration %	ppm Parts per milliliter
10	1 Litre	1%	1000 ppm
5	1 Litre	0.5%	500 ppm
3	1 Litre	0.3%	300 ppm
2	1 Litre	0.2%	200 ppm
1.333	1 Litre	0.1333%	133 ppm
1 gram (1000 milligram)	1 Litre	0.1%	100 ppm
0.0500 gram (500 milligram)	1 Litre	0.05%	50 ppm
0.0333 gram (333 milligram)	1 Litre	0.033%	33 ppm
0.0300 gram (300 milligram)	1 Litre	0.03%	30 ppm
0.0200 gram (200 milligram)	1 Litre	0.02%	20 ppm
0.0100 gram (100 milligram)	1 Litre	0.01%	10 ppm

1 ml = 0.001 litre; 1 mg = 0.001 gm

(Readers comments for the minor discrepancy in the above chart is eagerly awaited)