| A
Horizon |
The surface soil. See Soil
Horizon. |
| AB |
Artificial Breeding - Alternative term for Artificial
Insemination (see AI) |
| Abattoir |
A slaughter house i.e. place where animals are killed
for their meat. Those killing meat for sale come under strict
regulation in Australia. |
| Abbreviations |
Click here
for a page of common abbreviations |
| Abiotic |
Non-living components of an ecosystem; basic elements
and compounds of the environment. cf. biota, biomass. |
| Abortion |
Premature expulsion of the foetus
from the uterus, usually caused by disease or injury. |
| Abrading |
Ability of wind-borne particles to wear away surface aggregates (clods) or plant
material. |
| Abomasum |
The fourth division of the stomach in ruminant animals, the
'true' stomach, in which digestion takes place. Also called
the Rennet |
| Abscission |
The separation of leaves, branches, flowers and bark
from plants following the formation of an abscission layer. |
| Abscission layer |
A zone of specialised cells extending across the base
of a leaf, fruit, or flower. Towards the end of the growing season the pectins in the cell walls of
this layer are dissolved by enzymes and the cells separate. |
| Abscisic Acid |
A plant hormone involved in abscission,
dormancy, stomatal closure, growth
inhibition, and other responses. |
| ABV |
Australian Breeding Value. A value based upon a cow or
bull's ability to pass on superior genes
for production or type to its offspring. |
| AC |
Alternating current
as
from mains power supply. |
| Acaricide |
A chemical which kills mites, ticks and spiders. |
| Accelerated
conditioning (AC) |
The procedure of electrically stimulating animal bodies
immediately following slaughter, or carcasses immediately after
dressing. This causes carcasses to go into rigor
mortis within about 2 hours after slaughter after which they can be
frozen without toughening the meat. |
| Acceptable residue |
See Residue. |
| Accessory fruit |
Fruit containing tissues developed from the flower
parts in addition to the ovary, e.g. cucumber, pumpkin, banana. |
| Acclimatised
Species |
An introduced species which has become adapted to a new
climate or a different environment and can perpetuate itself in the
community without cultural treatment. cf. exotic, introduced species. |
| Account |
An individual record of increases and decreases of a
financial statement item. |
| Account Balance |
The difference between the total debit and credit amounts in an account.
If total debits exceed total credits the account has a debit balance,
but if credits exceed debits it has a credit balance. |
| Account
Payable |
An expense
that has been incurred but not yet paid. (Creditor) |
| Account
Receivable |
Income that has been earned but for which no cash
payment has been received. (Debtor) |
| Accounting |
A comprehensive system for recording and summarising
business transactions which may be operated in different ways depending
on the purpose - Tax accounting, Management accounting etc.. |
| Accounting
Period |
The period of time over which accounting transactions
are summarised, at the end of which financial statements are prepared |
| Acronyms |
Click here for a page of common Acronyms |
| Accrual
Accounting |
Accounting which recognises revenues and expenses in
the accounting records in the period in which goods and services are
provided or consumed, rather than in periods when cash is received or
paid. |
| Accrued Expense |
An expense that has been incurred, sometimes
accumulating over time, but has not been paid. On balance day treated
as a liability. |
| Accumulated Depreciation |
The sum of the annual expired costs of a depreciable asset from the date of acquisition
to the reporting date. |
| Achene |
A small dry, one seeded fruit that does not open at
maturity, e.g. sunflower. |
| Acid deposition / acid rain |
Abnormally acidic (low pH)
precipitation (or dry deposition) resulting from emissions of sulphur
and nitrogen compounds that transform during chemical processes in the
atmosphere. Acid deposition can affect the chemistry of soils and
acidify lakes, adversely affecting forests and fish. A number of
governments have introduced regulations focused on controlling
precursor emissions of acid deposition. |
| Acid Soil |
A soil whose soil solution has more hydrogen ions than
hydroxyl ions, giving it a pH
below 7. Soils can become more acid, and this often causes plant growth
to be reduced. See Acidification |
| Acidification |
A state in the soil lowered pH
reduces the availability of molybdenum, phosphorus and sulphur but
increases the probability of toxic levels of manganese and aluminium. |
| Acre |
Imperial land measure. 43,560 square feet =
0.405 hectares. 640 acres = a square mile |
| Acre-foot |
The volume of water that would cover one acre of land
(0.405 hectares) to the depth of one foot (30.5 cm), equivalent to
325,851 gallons or about 1.23 megalitres |
| Active Ingredient,
Active constituent |
That part of a pesticidal
commercial product or spray mix which directly causes pesticidal
effects, often expressed in percent, weight of toxicant per unit of
measure e.g. g/litre (%) for liquids and g/kg (%) for solids.
Occasionally mi/litre (%) is used for liquids. |
| Active Light Sensor |
An apparatus for assessing plant status remotely,
allowing
selective monitoring or treatment of individual plants. May also be
used for measuring the reflectance characteristics of soil or of
objects in general. It uses a solid state light source to illuminate a
plant canopy or object under investigation and an array of spectrally
sensitive photosensors detect light reflected. |
| Activity |
A particular way of operating an enterprise, using a
unique combination of inputs to produce a particular output.
A more specific term than 'enterprise'
eg autumn lambing prime lambs |
| Activity Budget |
Generally a Gross
Margin budget to indicate the relative profitability of an
activity. |
| Ad lib |
Feed allowance so there is no restriction of intake.
Animals can eat at will. |
| Ad valorem |
According to value. Charges on documents or goods are
sometimes calculated according to the value of the goods. For example,
stamp duty on documents and customs duty on some goods. |
| Adaptability (of a system) |
An adaptable farming system is one that
can respond to opportunities for improving production without permanent
detriment to its ecological function. |
| Adipose |
Of, relating to, or composed of animal fat. |
| Adipose tissue |
A type of connective tissue that contains stored
cellular fat. |
| Adjusted Basis |
The income tax basis of an asset,
equal to the original basis reduced by the amount of depreciation expense
claimed and/or increased by the cost of any improvements made. |
| Adjustment |
A change in an account resulting from an inadequate
entry. See also Estimation
error. |
| Adjuvant |
1. Any component which improves the characteristics of
a formulation or mixture of chemical sprays.
2. Any component which improves the effect of a drug or immunological
agent |
| Administration |
The management or direction of any office or employment. |
| Administrative Expenses |
Outlays associated with the general administration of
the entity. |
| Adult Equivalent |
Alternative to DSE
used in cattle only areas of Australia. Adult equivalents are
generally based upon the feed requirements of a 450 kilogram animal at
maintenance for one year. See http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/beef/14699.html |
| Aeration, Soil |
The process by which the air in the soil is replaced by
air from the atmosphere. |
| Aerial
Cover |
See Canopy
Cover |
| Aerial
Photograph |
A photograph of the earth's surface taken from airborne
equipment, sometimes called aerial photo or air photo. |
| Aerobe |
An organism which requires oxygen in its respiration. |
| Aerobic |
Requiring oxygen or occurring only in the presence of
oxygen. cf Anerobic |
| Aerosol |
A preparation consisting of an active ingredient in
solution which when liberated, using liquefied gas as a propellant,
forms a cloud of very finely subdivided liquid or solid particles,
which may remain suspended for several hours, in air. |
| Aflatoxin |
A naturally occurring mycotoxin produced by two types
of mould: aspergillus flavus and aspergillus
parasiticus. Aspergillus flavus is common and widespread in
nature and is most often found when peanuts or certain grains are grown
under stressful conditions such as drought. |
| Agar |
A gelatinous substance obtained from red algae. |
| Age - horse |
The age of a horse is calculated from 1 August in the
year in which it was born.
In horses - over 7 years old. |
| Aged |
Animals (usually sheep) that are past the most economic
period of production. |
| Ageing
- sheep |
Sheep,
like all ruminants
have no top teeth. They have a hard dental pad.
Lambs are born with eight small temporary milk incisors (front teeth)
and these are replaced in pairs, from the centre outwards, at certain
ages. Hence you can "mouth" or age a sheep and
estimate its age. (There is considerable variation in the age of
eruption of teeth.) • Lamb
- 8 temporary milk teeth • Hogget
- 8 temporary teeth - centre pair of permanent teeth start
to erupt about 12 months • 2-tooth
- centre pair of permanent teeth (12-18 months)
• 4-tooth - second pair (21-24 months)
• 6-tooth - third pair (30-36 months)
• Full mouth - a complete set of teeth,
4 pairs = 8 teeth (42-48 months) After 4 years, teeth cannot be used to
age a sheep. |
| Ageing
- cattle |
•
Calf - 8 temporary milk incisors in bottom jaw
• 22-34 months - 2 permanent
incisors
• 27-41 months – 4 permanent
incisors
• 33-42 months – 6 permanent
incisor
• 41 months
- 8 permanent incisor (Note Cattle are not called 2-tooths
etc., as sheep) |
| Aggregate fruit |
Fruit developed from a flower having a number of
pistils, all of which ripen together, e.g. raspberry, blackberry. |
| Aggregate Stability |
Some force is necessary to disintegrate the soil mass
into aggregates (small
crumbs), and the aggregates still intact are those in which the primary
particles cohere strongly enough to be stable against the applied
force. This property of cohesiveness is called aggregate stability. |
| Aggregates |
Soil particles forming cohesive groups. |
| Agistment |
The payment of a pre-determined fee for the use of
grazing land. |
| Agribusiness |
All activities that are relevant to the production,
transformation / value adding, distribution and retailing of food,
fibre and associated products including the provision of services such
as education, banking, finance, investment and technical advice to
participants in the chain. Some users exclude farms from the
definition. See definition
based on page from Agribusiness Association of Australia |
| Agriculture,
Agricultural |
A broad term covering a variety of production systems
designed to meet man's need for food, fibre and other
materials. Se also Alternative
agriculture and conventional
agriculture. |
| Agricultural Implement |
An implement or machine used in the production of food
and fibre. Most commonly an un-powered implement used to till
the soil. |
| Agroecology |
The science of applying ecological concepts and
principles to the design and management of sustainable agroecosystems. |
| Agroecosystems |
Ecological
systems modified by human beings to produce food, fibre or other
agricultural products. An agroecosystem is a complex of air, water,
soil, plants, animals, micro-organisms and everything else in a bounded
area that people have modified for the purposes of agricultural
production. (See Boundary). |
| Agronomy |
The science of cultivation
of land, soil management and crop and pasture production. |
| Agroforestry |
A farming system that integrates trees or woody
perennials, grown for fruits, nuts, seeds, plant extracts, timber,
fodder or natural resource management, with grazing, cropping or other
farm enterprises. Farm forestry is one type of agroforestry, where
trees are managed in stands or woodlots for traditional wood products,
but integrated into the whole-farm plan and farm business |
| AI |
Artificial insemination. Semen introduced into a cow's
uterus, by artificial means, with the intention of causing her to
become pregnant. This semen has been previously collected from a bull
and usually stored (frozen) before being used. |
| ai |
active
ingredient |
| Air Photo |
see Aerial
Photograph |
| Air pollution |
Contamination of the atmosphere by substances that,
directly or indirectly, adversely affect human health or welfare. Air
pollution results from human activities, both deliberate releases (as
from smokestacks) and fugitive emissions (as dust blown from streets or
fields), and from natural sources (including sea spray, volcanic
emissions, pollen, etc). |
| Airseeder |
A broad acre planting machine in which seed and fertiliser
are distributed by air blasts to the planting points. |
| Albumen (poultry) |
The white of an egg, made up of four different layers. |
| Alcohol |
The family name of a group of organic chemical
compounds that includes methanol. ethanol, isopropyl
alcohol, and others. Ethanol is produced from crops or residues with a
high carbohydrate content. Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, and it
is a renewable energy source that may be added to petrol as an octane
enhancer with some air quality benefits. |
| Alfalfa |
See lucerne |
| Algae |
Primitive, microscopic water plants. Blue-grass algae
can multiply rapidly as nutrient levels rise, and can become toxic to
animals and humans. |
| Alienation Of Land: |
The transfer of land from the crown (government
ownership) to private ownership. |
| Alkali |
A base soluble in water. A base
is a class of chemical compounds which combine with acids to form
salts.
An alkali is neutralised by acids, and an acid is neutralised by
alkalis. |
| Alkaline
soil |
A soil with a pH
of greater than about 7.3, or a high sodium content, or both. The
growth of crop plants may be reduced in highly alkaline soils. |
| Alkaloids |
Organic compounds produced by plants.
These substances constitute the active ingredients of many drugs, e.g.
nicotine, morphine, quinine, caffeine. |
| All on the board |
Call given to shearers when the last sheep of a mob has
been caught for shearing. |
| Allele |
Any one of the alternative form of a gene |
| Allelopathy |
The ability of some plants to produce substances which
stop the growth of, or kill other plants trying to occupy the same
site. Chemical inhibition of one organism by another. |
| Allelotoxin |
A chemical produced by one plant that is toxic to
another (also termed Alleochemical) |
| Alley Cropping |
Under this technique hedgerows of leguminous trees are grown
either in parallel rows or along a succession of contours; the
intervening space is used to grow crops which are mulched with prunings
from the hedges. |
| Allocated |
Assigned to particular enterprises. |
| Alternative
agriculture |
Includes
many types and systems of agriculture not currently seen as
‘conventional. Some of these are intended to reduce
agricultural pollution, enhance sustainability, and improve efficiency
and profitability. Often they emphasize management practices
that take advantage of natural processes (such as nutrient cycles,
nitrogen fixation, and pest-predator relationships), improve the match
between cropping patterns and agronomic practices on the one hand and
the productive potential and physical characteristics of the land on
the other, and reduce or eliminate the use of commercial fertilizer and
pesticides. Examples of alternative agricultural practices
include use of crop rotation, animal and green manures, soil and water
conserving tillage systems, such as no-till planting methods,
integrated pest management, and use of genetically improved crops and
animals. |
| Alternative fuels |
Substitutes for traditional liquid, oil-derived motor
vehicle fuels like petrol and diesel. Includes alcohol,
biodiesel, compressed natural gas, and others. The alternatives are
promoted for pollution reduction properties and/or to reduce dependence
on oil. |
| Alluvial Soil |
Soils formed from sediments deposited on land by
streams as in a river flood-plain. |
| Alluvium |
Sediments deposited by streams, rivers and moving
waters. |
| Ammino Acids |
Nitrogen-containing organic acids, the building blocks
from which protein molecules are derived. |
| Amniotic fluid |
The fluid around the foetus. |
| Ammonia |
A
pungent alkaline gas, a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen (NH3).
It is formed naturally when bacteria decompose nitrogen-containing
compounds, such as manures. Emissions of ammonia can be a
problem in enclosed livestock facilities and in the ambient air they
may contribute to very fine particulate matter. Synthetic ammonia is
used as a nitrogen fertilizer. Also called anhydrous ammonia, it
is the basic feed stock for the production of all nitrogen fertilizers
as well as being a direct application material. Synthetic ammonia is
made through a reaction between natural gas and nitrogen. |
| Ammonification |
The reduction of nitrogen containing material to ammonia by micro organisms such as
bacteria. |
| Amortisation |
In finance means the setting aside of a constant annual
amount into a fund which will accumulate over a pre-specified number of
time periods (n) earning interest (i) to the level for replacement of
an asset or repayment of a loan. Referred to as the Credit Foncier or Table
Mortgage system of loan repayment. See Interest
Rate Formulae |
| Amortised Loan |
Loan which is repaid in equal annual instalments of
interest and principal. See amortisation |
| Amp, Ampere |
Unit of current. Watts divided by
voltage. |
| Anaerobic |
(a) Not requiring oxygen or occurring only in the
absence of oxygen.
(b) having a deficiency of molecular oxygen for chemical, physical or
biological processes. cf Aerobic |
| Anaerobic
Digestion |
Decomposition process using micro-organisms to
stabilize organic solids or biosolids. This process generates biogas. |
| Analysis |
The examination and division of anything into its major
parts. |
| Anamorph |
An asexual reproductive stage (morph) of a fungus,
often mould-like. |
| Angiosperm |
A plant whose ovules are enclosed in an ovary; a
flowering plant. cf. Gymnosperm |
| Anhydrous |
Without water, especially water of crystallization. |
| Anhydrous
Ammonia |
A nitrogen fertiliser that is applied as a pressurised
liquid into the soil where it combines with water to release the
nitrogen. It needs special equipment and care in handling.
See http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/cropsystems/DC2326.html |
| Animal feeding operations (AFOs) |
Agricultural facilities that house and feed animals in
a confined area for 45 days or more during any 12-month period and where
structures or animal traffic prevents vegetative growth. (USA EPA
definition). |
| Animal Unit (AU) |
Considered to be one mature cow of approximately 450kg,
either dry or with calf up to 6 months of age, or their equivalent,
based on a standardised amount of forage consumed. c.f. DSE |
| Animal welfare |
There is a growing public demand that animals both
farmed and wild be treated humanely. A number of charitable
organisations have been formed to promote this. A web search
on animal welfare will disclose a number. |
| Anion |
A negatively charged ion that, during hydrolysis, is attracted
to positively charged surfaces. |
| Annual
Percentage
Rate (APR) |
The true annual rate at which interest is charged on a
loan. |
| Annual Plant |
A plant that completes its life cycle and dies in one
year or less. |
| Annual Ring |
A layer of xylem and phloem produced during one season
of growth. |
| Annuity |
a. A series of equal periodic payments. b. The payment
of a certain sum of money each year to the recipient, or annuitant. An
annuity may be payable for a fixed number of years (terminable
annuity), for the life of the annuitant (a life annuity), or in
perpetuity. See Interest Rate
Formulae |
| Anoestrus |
The state in a female animal when no oestrus occurs. The animal
is not receptive to mating. |
| Antecedent Moisture (Antecedent Soil Water) |
The degree of wetness of the soil at the beginning of a
runoff period expressed as an index or as the total
mm-depth-equivalents of water stored in the soil. |
| Anthelmintic Drenches |
A drug used for expelling or killing stomach or
intestinal worms in animals. |
| Anther |
A sac-like structure of the stamen in flowering plants,
in which pollen grains are produced. |
| Anthesis |
A developmental stage in flowering when anthers rupture
and pollen is shed. |
| Anthocyanins |
Natural pigments in cell-sap, usually of shades of red
or blue. |
| Antibiotic |
Any of several chemical substances capable of
destroying or inhibiting the growth of micro-organisms. |
| Anticholinesterase |
A chemical that inhibits a cholinesterase enzyme from
breaking down acetylcholine, so increasing both the level and duration
of action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. They occur naturally
as venoms and poisons. See Wikipedia
for more information. |
| Antidote |
A substance which counteracts a poison.
For many poisons there is no known antidote.
Treatment of poisoning therefore usually consists of •
Removing the poison by thorough washing with copious quantities of
water of all affected parts and removal of contaminated clothing, fresh
air, artificial respiration, etc.; and • The treatment of
symptoms of poisoning. |
| Antimortem |
Before Slaughter (death) |
| Antitranspirant |
A substance designed to prevent moisture losses from
plants caused by transpiration. |
| Antlers |
These are distinct from the permanent horns of species
such as cattle, sheep, and goats. Composed of
bone, not horn (keratin), they grow anew each year from pedicies, which
are permanent outgrowths of the frontal bones of the skull.
They are shed in September/October and new growth starts almost
immediately. |
| Aphicide |
A chemical used especially to kill aphids. |
| Apical Dominance |
Domination and control of meristematic leaves or buds
located on the lower stem, roots, or rhizomes by hormones produced by
apical meristems located on the tips and upper branches of plants,
particularly woody plants. |
| Apical Meristem |
A mass of undifferentiated cells at the tip of a root
or shoot that are capable of division. See Apical Dominance |
| Appraisal |
a. The process of estimating the market value of an asset.
b. Wool: The efvaluation of wool characteristics by subjective (mainly
visual) methodsx. |
| Appreciation |
An increase in the market value of an asset. |
| Approach |
Action of a dog when it comes up to the sheep. |
| Apron |
1. The large fold of skin in the front of the neck of a
Merino ram
2. A piece of material suspended under a 'teaser'
ram to prevent normal service |
| Aquaculture |
The propagation and rearing of aquatic species in
controlled or selected environments on land or in the ocean. |
| Aqueous concentrate |
A concentrated solution of the active ingredient in
water with or without the addition of adjuvants.
This solution may be diluted, normally with water, to the concentration
recommended for application. |
| Aquifer |
A geologic formation capable of transmitting water
through its pores at a rate sufficient for water supply purposes. The
term water-bearing is sometimes used synonymously with aquifer when a
stratum furnishes water for a specific use. Aquifers are usually
saturated sands, gravel, fractures, caverns or vesicular rock. |
| Arable
Farms |
Those used for cropping, especially where cultivation is practised. |
| Arbitrage |
Buying on one futures
market and selling on another market elsewhere to take
advantage of price differences between the two. |
| Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi |
A type of mycorrhiza in which the fungus penetrates the
cortical cells of the roots of a vascular plant. They are characterised
by the formation of unique structures such as arbuscules and vesicles
by fungi of the phylum Glomeromycota (AM fungi). AM fungi help plants
to capture nutrients such as phosphorus and micronutrients from the
soil. It is believed that the development of the arbuscular mycorrhizal
symbiosis played a crucial role in the initial colonisation of land by
plants and in the evolution of the vascular plants. |
| Arid |
A term applied to regions or climates where lack of
sufficient moisture severely limits growth and production of
vegetation. The limits of precipitation vary considerably according to
temperature conditions, with an upper annual limit for cool regions of
200mm or less and for tropical regions as much as 350-400mm. cf. semi arid. |
| Artesian water |
Water in an aquifer
under pressure so that it rises to the surface when a bore or well is
sunk into it. |
| Arthropods |
Any invertebrate of the phylum
Anthropoda having jointed limits, a segmented body and an exoskeleton
made of chitin. |
| Artificial Insemination |
See AI |
| Ascomycete |
A fungus whose spores are borne in an ascus (a
sack-like structure), e.g. Penicillium, yeast. |
| Asexual
Reproduction |
Not involving the fusion of male and female gametes, as in vegetative
reproduction and cloning. |
| Assessable
income |
The total of the various forms of income that are
included when calculating tax. |
| Asset |
1. An economic resource controlled by an entity which
is expected to provide future benefits to the entity.
2. An unconsumed resource.
3. An object or a right which can be exchanged for another asset or
which is retained to serve a purpose useful to the owner.
See also Balance sheet
and Intangible Assets. |
| Asset Backing (Of A Share): |
Is calculated by determining the Net Tangible Assets
(Total Assets less intangibles
and Liabilities)
and dividing by number of ordinary shares. |
| Assets |
All the things of value used in a business, such as
land, machinery, equipment, livestock, cash, stocks of inputs and
fodder. See Asset |
| Assimilative capacity |
The ability of a body of water to cleanse itself; its
capacity to receive waste waters or toxic materials without deleterious
effects and without damage to aquatic life or humans who consume the
water. |
| Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) |
A multilateral organization formed in 1967 by the
governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and
Thailand to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation among
nations in the Southeast Asian region. Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar,
and Cambodia joined later. See
http://www.aseansec.org/ |
| Atomisation, Atomise |
The breaking up of a liquid into very small droplets. |
| Atrazine |
A widely used selective herbicide. It is
environmentally significant, since it is one of the most commonly
detected pesticide residue in drinking water wells.
Its use in Australia was reviewed with the final report in
2002. See http://www.apvma.gov.au/chemrev/atrazine_final.pdf
and http://www.nccnsw.org.au/member/tec/projects/tcye/tox/atrazine.html |
| Attractant |
A chemical or agent that lures insects or other pests
by stimulating their sense of smell. Attractants are a non-toxic
technique for luring insects into traps and are heavily used in orchard
crops. |
| Audit |
An examination of the business books by an auditor to
see that they are correctly kept. |
| Auger |
1. A machine having a rotating helical shaft.
A soil auger may be used to bore a hole in the ground. In a
grain auger the rotating helical shaft is enclosed in a pipe and it is
used to transfer grain e.g. from a bin to a silo.
2. A tool for boring holes in timber. |
| Auricle |
A small 'lip' at the base of a grass leaf. |
| Australian
Wheat Grades |
Australian wheat is classified into six major market
grades including Australian Prime Hard (APH), Australian Hard (AH),
Australian Premium White (APW), Australian Standard White (ASW),
Australian Soft (AS) and Australian Premium Durum (APDR). However, each
year more than 50 different wheat products are exported. |
| Australorp |
Breed of fowl developed in Australia from Black
Orpington. Dual purpose bird. |
| Autecology |
A subdivision of ecology that deals with the
relationship of individuals of a species to their environment. cf. synecology. |
| Autotrophic |
(Of a plant) capable of utilising carbon dioxide or
carbonates as the sole source of carbon, and/or organisms that obtain
energy for life processes from the oxidation of inorganic elements or
compounds such as iron, sulfur, hydrogen, ammonium, and nitrites, or
from radiant energy. |
| Autotrophic
Organism |
An organism capable of synthesising organic matter from
inorganic substances. |
| Autumn Lot Feeding |
The practice of enclosing the flock (or herd) just
after the autumn break to avoid trampling of emerging pasture and to
allow deferment of grazing. |
| Autumn-saved
pasture
(ASP) |
Pasture that is saved in the autumn to be eaten during
the winter. |
| Auxin |
A natural or synthetic plant-growth regulator or
hormone. Average cost total cost divided by total output. Average fixed
cost total fixed cost divided by total output. Average product total
output divided by total input. |
| Available water |
Soil moisture held between field capacity and wilting
point. Water that is usable or obtainable by plants. |
| Average Fixed Cost
(AFC) |
Total fixed cost divided by total output; average fixed
cost per unit of output. |
| Average
Physical
Product (APP) |
The average amount of physical output produced for each
unit of input used; total output divided by total input. |
| Average Total Cost
(ATC) |
Total cost divided by total output; average cost per
unit of output. |
| Average Variable
Cost (AVC) |
Total variable cost divided by total output; average
variable cost per unit of output. |
| Avian |
Relating to birds. |
| Avicide |
A chemical that kills birds. |
| Avirulence gene |
A gene in a pathogen that must be present for a
resistance gene in the host to recognise and resist the pathogen. |
| AWB |
AWB
Limited is Australia’s major national grain asset manager and
one of the world’s largest wheat managers and marketers.
Having evolved for the Australian Wheat Board, which operated as a
government statutory marketing authority for 60 years, AWB is now
publicly listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.
Its core activities are the pooling, marketing, trading, financing,
risk management and logistical management of Australian wheat.
AWB (International) is the exclusive manager and marketer of all
Australian bulk wheat exports through what is known as the Single Desk
system. AWB also markets and trades a range of
other grains including barley, sorghum and oilseeds. See http://www.awb.com.au/ |
| Awn |
A bristle-like structure on some grass flowers and
seeds (like barley). |
| Azonal Soil |
A soil lacking a well-defined profile. See Soil Horizon |
