Agronomist dictionary

Breeding and seed production

National List of Varieties

An official catalogue of plant varieties approved by the government for commercial cultivation and sale within a country.

Storage and economics

Natural mass

The actual weight of agricultural products as measured at the point of receipt or sale, regardless of moisture content or purity levels.

Digital farming

NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)

A remote sensing indicator used to quantify crop health and density by measuring the difference between near-infrared and red light reflectance.

Storage and economics

Negative allowance

A method of reducing the seed sowing rate based on superior seed quality, such as high laboratory germination and Thousand Kernel Weight (TKW).

Nutrition and fertilizers

Nitrification

The biological process of oxidizing ammonia nitrogen by soil bacteria into nitrate, which is the form most easily absorbed by plants.

Nutrition and fertilizers

Nitrogen fixation

The process by which atmospheric nitrogen is converted into ammonia or related nitrogenous compounds that plants can use.

Nutrition and fertilizers

Nitrogen immobilization

The process by which soil microorganisms absorb mineral nitrogen, temporarily making it unavailable for uptake by crop plants.

Digital farming

Nitrogen sensor

An agricultural device that measures nitrogen levels in soil or crop canopy to assist in precision nutrient management.

Nutrition and fertilizers

Nitrogen top dressing

Nitrogen top dressing is the application of nitrogen fertilizers during the growing season to promote healthy vegetative growth and increase crop yields.

Nutrition and fertilizers

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Microorganisms capable of transforming atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can easily absorb and use for growth.

Weather and climate

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)

The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index is a simple graphical indicator used to assess whether the target area contains live green vegetation or not based on...

Machinery and irrigation

Nozzle

A nozzle is a precision-engineered tip attached to a sprayer that regulates the flow of liquid and breaks it into droplets of a specific size and pattern.

Machinery and irrigation

Nozzle

A replaceable component of a sprayer designed to atomize liquid into droplets of a specific size and create a spray pattern for uniform pesticide or fertilizer...

Machinery and irrigation

Nozzle

A mechanical device used in sprayers to atomize liquid into droplets and distribute it evenly over a target area.

Machinery and irrigation

Nozzle working pressure

The pressure at which the liquid is forced through the nozzle, determining droplet size, spray pattern, and flow rate.

Nutrition and fertilizers

NPK (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium)

Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium — the main elements of mineral nutrition.

Nutrition and fertilizers

NPK complex

This is a balanced combination of the three primary macronutrients — nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — essential for optimal plant growth and crop yield.

Nutrition and fertilizers

Nutrient balance

This is the net difference between the amount of nutrients applied to the soil through fertilizers and the amount removed from the field by crop harvest.

Nutrition and fertilizers

Nutrient deficiency

A condition in which a plant does not receive sufficient essential nutrients from the soil or fertilizers to support its healthy growth and development.

Nutrition and fertilizers

Nutrient uptake

This is the amount of mineral nutrients that crops absorb from the soil and fertilizers to produce their total biomass and yield.

Nutrition and fertilizers

Nutrient Use Efficiency

This is a measure of the proportion of nutrients actually taken up by the plant from applied fertilizers relative to the total amount applied.