Prior to the widespread use of chemical herbicides, cultural controls, such as altering soil pH, salinity, or fertility levels, were used to control weeds. Mechanical control (including tillage) was also (and still is) used to control weeds. The first widely used herbicide was 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, often abbreviated 2,4-D. It was developed by a British team during World War II and first saw widespread production and use in the late 1940s. It is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and kills many broadleaf plants while leavin ...

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Herbicide, Herbicide - History, Herbicide - Uses, Herbicide - Classification of herbicides, Herbicide - Application, Herbicide - Terminology, Herbicide - Some major herbicides in use today, Herbicide - Other herbicides of historical interest

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Weed is the generic word for a plant growing in a spot where it is not wanted. Weeds become of economic significance in connection with farming, where their presence may result in reduced crop yield when growing in fields and poison domesticated animals when growing on pasture land. Many weeds are short-lived annual plants, that normally take advantage of temporarily bare soil to produce another generation of seeds before the soil is covered over again by slower growth; with the advent of agriculture, with extensive areas of ploughed soil exposed every year, the opportuni ...

Including:

• Weed - Invasive species
• Weed - Weed control
• Weed - Plants that are often considered weeds

Read more here: » Weed: Encyclopedia - Weed

Organic food - Less toxic. Organic proponents cite evidence showing that certain chemicals used in conventional farming, including pesticides and herbicides, mimic hormones - usually estrogen - when inside a person. They claim that this is significant even at the minute levels that the average person is exposed to. The US government states that these chemicals are safe when used correctly, but proponents claim such tests are only done on healthy adults - and that it is instead childre ...

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Organic food, Organic food - Types of organic food, Organic food - Identifying organic food, Organic food - Legal definition, Organic food - Preservatives, Organic food - Claimed advantages over conventional farming, Organic food - Less toxic, Organic food - Energy and environmental, Organic food - Tastier, Organic food - Nutritional value, Organic food - GMO free, Organic food - Summary, Organic food - Related movements, Organic food - Facts and statistics

Read more here: » Organic food: Encyclopedia II - Organic food - Claimed advantages over conventional farming

Auxins coordinate development at all levels of plants, from the cellular level to organs and ultimately the whole plant. Auxin - On a cellular level. On the cellular level auxins' presence is essential both for cell division and respective cell growth resulting usually in its axial elongation. According to the "acid growth theory", auxins may stimulate cell elongation, for example, by causing responsive cells to actively tranport hydrogen ions out of the cell, thus lowering the pH around cells. This acidif ...

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Auxin, Auxin - Overview, Auxin - Hormonal activity, Auxin - On a cellular level, Auxin - Organ patterns, Auxin - Organization of the plant, Auxin - Locations, Auxin - Effects, Auxin - Molecular mechanisms of auxin action, Auxin - Herbicide manufacture, Auxin - Sources

Read more here: » Auxin: Encyclopedia II - Auxin - Hormonal activity

Organic certification is not without its critics. Some of the staunchest opponents of chemical-based farming and corporate farming practices, also oppose formal certification. They see it as a way to drive independent organic farmers out of business, and to undermine the quality of organic food. Originally, the organic food industry was built mainly by small, independent farmers, selling locally. Organic "certification" was a matter of trust, based on a direct relationship between farmer and consumer. Formal certification is viewed by ...

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Organic certification, Organic certification - Purpose of certification, Organic certification - The certification process, Organic certification - Certification & Product Labelling, Organic certification - Certification around the world, Organic certification - Certification issues

Read more here: » Organic certification: Encyclopedia II - Organic certification - Certification issues

In order to reduce weed growth, many weed control strategies have been developed. The most basic is ploughing, which cuts the roots of annual weeds. In modern times, chemical weed killers known as herbicides have been widely used. However, to the extent that such chemicals leave a harmful residue in the soil, they can produce unanticipated adverse environmental effects, and efforts are being made to reduce the use of such substances (see for example organic gardening). Other methods of eliminating weeds include covering a ...

See also:

Weed, Weed - Invasive species, Weed - Weed control, Weed - Plants that are often considered weeds

Read more here: » Weed: Encyclopedia II - Weed - Weed control

In order to reduce weed growth, many weed control strategies have been developed. The most basic is ploughing, which cuts the roots of annual weeds. In modern times, chemical weed killers known as herbicides have been widely used. However, to the extent that such chemicals leave a harmful residue in the soil, they can produce unanticipated adverse environmental effects, and efforts are being made to reduce the use of such substances (see for example organic gardening). Other methods of eliminating weeds include covering an area ...

See also:

Weed, Weed - Invasive species, Weed - Weed control, Weed - Plants that are often considered weeds

Read more here: » Weed: Encyclopedia II - Weed - Weed control

The English suffix -cide denotes an act related to killing. From Latin caedere "to cut, kill, hack (at), strike" -cide - A. Acaricide: killer of mites and ticks Algicide: killer of algae Aphicide, aphidicide: killer of aphids Avicide: killing of birds -cide - B. Bactericide: killer of bacteria Biocide: killing living material Bovicide: slaughter of cattle -ci ...

Including:

• -cide - A
• -cide - B
• -cide - C
• -cide - D
• -cide - E
• -cide - F
• -cide - G
• -cide - H
• -cide - I
• -cide - L
• -cide - M
• -cide - O
• -cide - P
• -cide - R
• -cide - S
• -cide - T
• -cide - U
• -cide - V
• -cide - X-Z

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Auxins have been demonstrated to be the basic coordinative signal of plant development. Their transport throughout plants is complex, and often they also control action of other plant hormones. As a result, a plant can (as a whole) react on external conditions and adjust to them, without requiring a nervous system. They are sometimes referred to as cardinal plant hormones. The most important member of the auxin family is indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), which is believed to be the most effective native auxin. It generates the majority of auxin effects in intact plants. Unfortunately, molecules of IAA are chemically unstable, s ...

See also:

Auxin, Auxin - Overview, Auxin - Hormonal activity, Auxin - On a cellular level, Auxin - Organ patterns, Auxin - Organization of the plant, Auxin - Locations, Auxin - Effects, Auxin - Molecular mechanisms of auxin action, Auxin - Herbicide manufacture, Auxin - Sources

Read more here: » Auxin: Encyclopedia II - Auxin - Overview

Although auxins and their effects have been known for a long time, mechanisms of action in plants have remained unknown for a long time. In 2005 it was demonstrated that the F-box protein TIR1, which is part of the ubiquitin ligase complex SCFTIR1, is an auxin receptor. Upon auxin binding TIR1 recruit specific transcriptional repressors (the Aux/IAA repressors) for ubiquitination by the SCF complex. This marking process leads to the degradation of the repressors by the proteasome, alleviating repression and leading to specific gene expression in reponse to auxins. Another protein called ABP1 (Auxin Bindi ...

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Auxin, Auxin - Overview, Auxin - Hormonal activity, Auxin - On a cellular level, Auxin - Organ patterns, Auxin - Organization of the plant, Auxin - Locations, Auxin - Effects, Auxin - Molecular mechanisms of auxin action, Auxin - Herbicide manufacture, Auxin - Sources

Read more here: » Auxin: Encyclopedia II - Auxin - Molecular mechanisms of auxin action

Many plants have become weeds by being transferred by human action to locations where they have no natural grazing predators; and they will compete with other plants for space. The classic case is the prickly pear (Opuntia stricta), which overran vast areas of Australia until a moth (Cactoblastis cactorum) was introduced, eliminating more than 90% of the prickly pear infestation within 10 years. This case is frequently cited as an example of successful biological pest control. In cases like the prickly pear in Australia, ...

See also:

Weed, Weed - Invasive species, Weed - Weed control, Weed - Plants that are often considered weeds

Read more here: » Weed: Encyclopedia II - Weed - Invasive species

In some countries, organic standards are formulated and overseen by the government. The United States and the European Union have comprehensive organic legislation, and the term "organic" may be used only by certified producers. In countries without organic laws, government guidelines may or may not exist, while certification is handled by non-profit organizations and private companies. In the US, the National Organic Program (NOP), was enacted as federal legislation in Oct. 2002. It restricts the use of the term "organic" to certifie ...

See also:

Organic certification, Organic certification - Purpose of certification, Organic certification - The certification process, Organic certification - Certification & Product Labelling, Organic certification - Certification around the world, Organic certification - Certification issues

Read more here: » Organic certification: Encyclopedia II - Organic certification - Certification around the world

Being able to put the word "organic" on a food product is a valuable marketing advantage in today's consumer market. Certification is intended to protect consumers from misuse of the term, and make buying organics easy. However, the organic labelling made possible by certification itself usually requires explanation. In the US, federal organic legislation defines three levels of organics. Products made entirely with certified organic ingredients and methods can be labelled "100% organic". Products with 95% organic ingredients can use ...

See also:

Organic certification, Organic certification - Purpose of certification, Organic certification - The certification process, Organic certification - Certification & Product Labelling, Organic certification - Certification around the world, Organic certification - Certification issues

Read more here: » Organic certification: Encyclopedia II - Organic certification - Certification & Product Labelling

In order to certify a farm, the farmer is typically required to engage in a number of new activities, in addition to normal farming operations: Study the organic standards, which cover in specific detail what is and is not allowed for every aspect of farming, including storage, transport and sale. Compliance - farm facilities and production methods must comply with the standards, which may involve modifying facilities, sourcing and changing suppliers, etc. Documentation - extensive paperwor ...

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Organic certification, Organic certification - Purpose of certification, Organic certification - The certification process, Organic certification - Certification & Product Labelling, Organic certification - Certification around the world, Organic certification - Certification issues

Read more here: » Organic certification: Encyclopedia II - Organic certification - The certification process

Organic certification addresses a growing worldwide demand for organic food. It is intended to assure quality and prevent fraud. For organic producers, certification identifies suppliers of products approved for use in certified operations. For consumers, "certified organic" serves as a product assurance, similar to "low fat", "100% whole wheat", or "no artificial preservatives". It is important to note that certification is essentially a marketing initiative, aimed at regulating and facilitating the sale of organic products to consum ...

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Organic certification, Organic certification - Purpose of certification, Organic certification - The certification process, Organic certification - Certification & Product Labelling, Organic certification - Certification around the world, Organic certification - Certification issues

Read more here: » Organic certification: Encyclopedia II - Organic certification - Purpose of certification

Organic foods, like food in general, can be grouped into two categories, fresh and processed, based on production methods, availability and consumer perception. Fresh food is seasonal and highly perishable. Fresh produce — vegetables and fruits — is the most available type of organic food, and closely associated with organic farming. It is often purchased directly from the growers, at farmers' markets, from on-farm stands, through speciality food stores, and through community-supported agriculture (CSA) projec ...

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Organic food, Organic food - Types of organic food, Organic food - Identifying organic food, Organic food - Legal definition, Organic food - Preservatives, Organic food - Claimed advantages over conventional farming, Organic food - Less toxic, Organic food - Energy and environmental, Organic food - Tastier, Organic food - Nutritional value, Organic food - GMO free, Organic food - Summary, Organic food - Related movements, Organic food - Facts and statistics

Read more here: » Organic food: Encyclopedia II - Organic food - Types of organic food

Definitions of organic food vary. Organics can be difficult to explain by empirical measurement. For one thing, the majority of food industry research of the last 100 years has been focused solely on developing chemical agriculture and modern food processing -- almost nothing has been done to formally investigate side effects of conventional agriculture that are not immediately obvious. Also, organics is an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" proposition, concerned in large part with what NOT to do -- "as much as possible, let Nature do its th ...

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Organic food, Organic food - Types of organic food, Organic food - Identifying organic food, Organic food - Legal definition, Organic food - Preservatives, Organic food - Claimed advantages over conventional farming, Organic food - Less toxic, Organic food - Energy and environmental, Organic food - Tastier, Organic food - Nutritional value, Organic food - GMO free, Organic food - Summary, Organic food - Related movements, Organic food - Facts and statistics

Read more here: » Organic food: Encyclopedia II - Organic food - Identifying organic food

While organic food accounts for 1–2% of total food sales worldwide, the organic food market is growing rapidly, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in both developed and developing nations. World organic food sales were US $23 billion in 2002.[8] The world organic market has been growing by 20% a year since the early 1990s, with future growth estimates ranging from 10-50% annually depending on the country. In the United States, organic food is federally regulated by the National Organic Pr ...

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Organic food, Organic food - Types of organic food, Organic food - Identifying organic food, Organic food - Legal definition, Organic food - Preservatives, Organic food - Claimed advantages over conventional farming, Organic food - Less toxic, Organic food - Energy and environmental, Organic food - Tastier, Organic food - Nutritional value, Organic food - GMO free, Organic food - Summary, Organic food - Related movements, Organic food - Facts and statistics

Read more here: » Organic food: Encyclopedia II - Organic food - Facts and statistics

Various alternative organic standards are emerging. They generally bypass formal certification, which can be expensive and cumbersome, and provide their own definition of organic food. One such, the Authentic Food standard, proposed by leading US organic farmer Eliot Coleman, includes criteria that are incompatible with current agribusiness: All foods are produced by the growers who sell them. Fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs and meat products are produced within a 50-mile radius of their place of their final sal ...

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Organic food, Organic food - Types of organic food, Organic food - Identifying organic food, Organic food - Legal definition, Organic food - Preservatives, Organic food - Claimed advantages over conventional farming, Organic food - Less toxic, Organic food - Energy and environmental, Organic food - Tastier, Organic food - Nutritional value, Organic food - GMO free, Organic food - Summary, Organic food - Related movements, Organic food - Facts and statistics

Read more here: » Organic food: Encyclopedia II - Organic food - Related movements

Most herbicides are applied as water-based sprays using ground equipment. Ground equipment varies in design, but large areas can be sprayed using self-propelled sprayers equipped with a long boom, of 60 to 80 feet (20 to 25 m) with flat fan nozzles spaced about every 20 in (500 mm). Towed, handheld, and even horse-drawn sprayers are also used. Herbicides can also be applied aerially using helicopters or airplanes, and can be applied ...

See also:

Herbicide, Herbicide - History, Herbicide - Uses, Herbicide - Classification of herbicides, Herbicide - Application, Herbicide - Terminology, Herbicide - Some major herbicides in use today, Herbicide - Other herbicides of historical interest

Read more here: » Herbicide: Encyclopedia II - Herbicide - Application