hairy vetch

Thân thiện

A farmer plants hairy vetch in a field to enrich the soil.

Definition

Noun: 1. A type of European vetch (Vicia villosa) widely cultivated as a forage crop for livestock and as a cover crop to improve soil quality, characterized by its hairy stems and leaves.

Usage and Examples

• As a forage crop:
  • The farmer planted hairy vetch in the pasture to provide nutritious feed for the cattle.
• As a cover crop:
  • Hairy vetch is often grown over the winter to prevent soil erosion and add nitrogen to the field.

Advanced Usage

• In agricultural science: The term is used precisely to refer to this specific species within the genus , often in discussions about sustainable farming, nitrogen fixation, and crop rotation systems.
  • The study compared the nitrogen-fixing efficiency of hairy vetch to that of crimson clover.

Variants and Related Words

• Vetch (n): The common name for plants of the genus , which includes hairy vetch and other similar species.
• Winter vetch: Another common name for hairy vetch, highlighting its use as a winter cover crop.
• Vicia villosa (n): The scientific (Latin) name for hairy vetch.

Synonyms

• Winter vetch
• Fodder vetch (though this can sometimes refer to other species)

Related Terms and Contexts

• Cover crop: A crop planted primarily to manage soil quality.
• Forage crop: A crop grown to be grazed by livestock or harvested for feed.
• Nitrogen fixation: The process performed by bacteria associated with legumes like hairy vetch, which converts atmospheric nitrogen into a form plants can use.

Học thuật

Noun

1. European vetch much cultivated as forage and cover crops

Từ đồng nghĩa

• hairy tare
• Vicia villosa