The extent to which a soil is covered (in space and/or time) by a vegetation, including crops, or dead crop residues on the surface of the soil, directed at reducing soil erosion and the loss of particulate pollutants (i.e. those attached to soil) including nutrients, plant protection products and fecal microbes. Measures directed at increasing [...]
The part of the soil that can be penetrated by plant roots.
see Intercrop
Main crop under which an undersowing is established which accompanies the main crop during at least a part of its growing season.
The growing of a single arable crop species on a field year after year, for at least 10 years.
A crop grown amidst a main crop or in between the planting rows of that main crop and intended to be harvested or to be supportive to the harvest of the main crop.
The portion of the year when soil and air temperature allow biological activity; this period can be approximated by the number of frost-free days.
Non-harvested crop grown in between two main crop seasons, intended to improve the soil fertility, generally not growing under N limitation due to the use of fertilizers and manures, or the ability to fix atmospheric N.
Cropland left idle in order to restore productivity through accumulation of moisture or organic matter. Summer fallow is common in regions of limited rainfall where cereal grains are grown. The soil is tilled for at least one growing season for weed control and decomposition of plant residue.
The process by which water passes from a liquid to a vapour (gaseous) state through transpiration from vegetation, and evaporation from soil and plant surfaces. The rate of evapotranspiration is usually expressed in mm day-¹; a distinction can be made between the potential evapotranspiration under unlimited availability of water and the actual evapotranspiration under limited [...]
