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Agriculture vocabulary · Soil and Land Management

Soil fertility

Meaning in agriculture, with examples

nounCore term

In agriculture, soil fertility means: The ability of a soil to supply plants with the nutrients, water and conditions they need to grow well and give good yields.

In Turkish: toprak verimliliği, toprak bereketi

How it is used

Advisers assess, maintain, improve and build up soil fertility. The term appears in soil reports, organic farming rules and research. Low soil fertility is corrected with fertilizer, manure, compost and rotations with legumes.

Example sentences

  1. Years of burning the stubble have lowered soil fertility on this farm.

  2. Legumes in the rotation help to maintain soil fertility.

Common collocations

  • improve soil fertility
  • maintain soil fertility
  • low soil fertility
  • soil fertility management
  • soilThe loose upper layer of the earth, made of minerals, organic matter, water and air, in which plants grow and take up water and nutrients.
  • organic matterThe part of the soil formed from decaying plant and animal material; it holds water and nutrients and improves soil structure.
  • soil analysisA laboratory test of soil samples that measures nutrients, pH, organic matter, lime, salinity and texture, used as the basis for fertilizer recommendations.
  • fertilizerA natural or manufactured substance added to soil or plants to supply nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and increase growth.
  • crop rotationThe practice of growing different crops on the same field in a planned order over several seasons to keep the soil healthy and reduce pests, diseases and weeds.

More terms: Soil and Land Management

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