Agriculture and food terminology · MLC-0114

Agriculture and food terms: L (250)

• La NinaLa Niña, a phase of El Niño-Southern Oscillation, is a periodic cooling of surface ocean waters in the...
• labile carbonThe highly reactive fraction of soil organic carbon with the most rapid turnover times; its oxidation drives...
• labor forceEmployed persons and those looking for work.
• labor marketFactors affecting the supply of and demand for workers.
• labor productivityOutput per unit of labor input.
• labor unionsAssociation of workers formed for the purpose of collective bargaining with employers for the benefit of the...
• laboratory animal jacketsA flexible and form-fitting garment used on laboratory animals in which test devices or chemicals are applied...
• laboratory animal proceduresSampling and diagnostic tests performed on laboratory animals that may cause pain and distress, such as blood...
• laboratory animal undershirtsA flexible and form-fitting spandex garment that's used to reduce rubbing and chafing caused by collection...
• laboratory rearingRearing in the laboratory environment.
• LaburnocytisusGraft chimera of Chamaecytisus and Laburnum.
• lacerationsTorn, ragged, mangled wounds.
• lactationThe processes of milk secretion by the maternal mammary glands after parturition. The proliferation of the...
• lactic fermentationFermentation carried out by lactic acid bacteria in which sugar is converted either entirely, or almost...
• lactoseA disaccharide of glucose and galactose unique to milk.
• lactose intoleranceInability to digest foods that have lactose. Lactose is a type of sugar contained in milk and foods made with...
• lacustrine sedimentsMaterials deposited in lake water and later exposed through the water level lowering or the land uplifting.
• lacustrine soilsSoils formed on or from lacustrine deposits, i.e. material deposited in lake water and later exposed.
• lairageTemporary holding pens for farm animals to rest during transit to slaughterhouses, docks, or markets; lairage...
• lambing rateThe number of ewes that lamb divided by the number of ewes mated, usually pertaining to the flock and not the...
• laminae (animals)A thin strata or platelike structure, as one of the layers of sensitive vascular tissue between the bone and...
• laminar flowUninterrupted flow of a gas or liquid in which the velocity at any point is relatively steady, as over or...
• laminated veneer lumberAn engineered wood product created by parallel lamination of veneers glued under heat and pressure with the...
• laminectomyA surgical procedure that entails removing all (laminectomy) or part (laminotomy) of selected vertebral...
• lammas growthAbnormal late season growth of terminals or buds.
• lammas shootsLammas shoots are shoots that develop by bursting and elongating the current year terminal bud. This will...
• lampante olive oilA nonedible oil derived from olive fruit and is used for industrial purposes.
• landA term denoting the entire complex of surface and near-surface attributes of the solid portions of the...
• land capability classThe broadest category in the system. Class codes I to VIII indicate progressively greater limitations and...
• land capability classificationLand capability classification is a system of grouping soils primarily on the basis of their capability to...
• land capability subclassThe second category in the system. Class codes e (erosion problems), w (wetness problems), s (root zone...
• land coverThe physical materials characterizing the surface of land. These include trees, grasses or other vegetation...
• land degradationLand degradation is defined as the reduction or loss of the biological or economic productivity and...
• land evaluationThe assessment of the inherent capability and managed suitability of land for man's use in agriculture...
• Land Grant universitiesThe term used to identify a public university in each state that was originally established as a land grant...
• land managementThe intentional process of planning, organizing, programming, coordinating, directing, and controlling land...
• land restorationThe reestablishment and development of a plant cover. This may take place naturally through the reproductive...
• land retirementThe process of taking agricultural land out of production.
• land tenureThe holding of land and the rights that go with such holding, including all forms of holding from fee simple...
• land transportationTransport of people and goods by land vehicles.
• land useThe occupation or reservation of land or water area for any human activity or any defined purpose. It also...
• landfillsA site where solid waste materials are disposed of on land - supposedly in a manner which prevents their...
• landformsNatural surface features of the earth.
• landracesTraditional crop cultivars or animal breeds with enough genetic integrity to be morphologically identifiable...
• LandsatThe Landsat Program is the longest running enterprise for acquisition of imagery of the earth from space. The...
• landscape managementThe application of management principles to conserve, protect, enhance and restore landscape resources...
• landscape positionDescriptor of the relationship between a wetland and an adjacent waterbody. Four general types are...
• landscapesThe characteristics that distinguish a certain geographic area including its physical environment, biological...
• landscapingThe design and installation of plant materials (including turf) and architectural elements.
• landslidesDownslope movement of a relatively dry or coherent mass of earth and/or rock at a rate fast enough to be...
• laparoscopyA procedure in which a laparoscope is inserted through a small incision near the navel to examine the...
• laparotomyTechnique of surgical incision of abdominal wall at any point; usually exploratory
• LaplandA region of extreme northern Europe including northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. It is largely...
• laponiteA synthetic clay mineral used in the production of cosmetic and industrial materials.
• lardRendered fat derived from swine. Its composition, characteristics and consistency vary according to the...
• larvaeThe immature stage of the life cycle following hatching from the egg, especially seen in insects and other...
• larvicidesChemical agents that kill the larval stage of a pest or parasite.
• larvicultureThe cultivation of fish or shellfish larvae for food or other purposes.
• laryngeal neoplasmsCancers or tumors of the larynx or any of its parts.
• laryngopharyngeal refluxBack flow of gastric contents to the laryngopharynx where it comes in contact with tissues of the upper...
• laryngoscopyExamination, therapy or surgery of the interior of the larynx performed with a specially designed endoscope.
• lasalocidCationic ionophore antibiotic obtained from Streptomyces lasaliensis that, among other effects, dissociates...
• laser capture microdissectionTechniques using a laser to cut away and harvest a specific cell or cluster of cells from a tissue section...
• latent heatHeat absorbed or released during a change of phase at constant temperature and pressure.
• latent heat fluxThe flux of heat from the earth's surface to the atmosphere that is associated with evaporation or...
• latent periodThe time that elapses between exposure to an injurious agent and the manifestation of response.
• lateral line systemAquatic vertebrate sensory system in fish and amphibians. It is composed of sense organs (canal organs and...
• lateral move irrigationA sprinkler irrigation system suited to small or rectangular fields, with a wheeled mechanism for moving the...
• lateral rootsThe roots arising from pericycle cells of other roots.
• latewoodThe portion of the growth ring that is formed after the earlywood formation has ceased. It is usually denser...
• latex agglutination testAgglutination tests in which the antigen is adsorbed onto latex particles before mixing with the antibody...
• lathyrismA paralytic condition of the legs caused by ingestion of lathyrogens, especially beta-aminopropionitrile or...
• Latin AmericaCollectively, those countries in the Western Hemisphere in which the predominant language is a Romance...
• LatinosPeople who identify their nationality, ethnic identity, or ancestry as Latin American
• law enforcementThe generic name for the activities of the agencies responsible for maintaining public order and enforcing...
• laxativesAn agent that acts to promote evacuation of the bowel, a cathartic or purgative.
• LCA background systemThe background system consists of processes on which no or, at best, indirect influence may be exercised by...
• LCA foreground systemThe foreground system consists of processes which are under the control of the decision-maker for which an...
• leaf area indexThe total area of the upper surface of leaves per unit area of ground that is directly below the plant.
• leaf densityIt is defined as the ratio of leaf dry weight to leaf volume. It is calculated by dividing specific leaf...
• leaf dry matter contentThe ratio of leaf dry mass to water-saturated fresh mass.
• leaf reflectanceLeaf reflectance is defined as the proportion of the irradiated light that is reflected by the leaf.
• leaf relative water contentIt is the actual leaf water content relative to the water content of leaf at full turgescence. It is used to...
• leaf venationThe distribution and arrangement pattern of veins system in a leaf.
• lean body massTotal body mass excluding fat mass.
• lean fishOceanic deep water fish that has little or no fat as in lean meat.
• leasingContracting for the use and possession of land, buildings, etc., for a specified time and fixed payments.
• least squaresA statistical method for finding a line or curve (i.e., the 'best fit') that represents a relationship...
• leather tanningThe process of applying chemical agents to hides in the manufacture of leather.
• lecithinsA complex mixture of phospholipids; glycolipids; and triglycerides; with substantial amounts of...
• lectotypesA specimen designated as the type of a species or subspecies when no holotype was designated at the time of...
• leghemoglobinA hemoglobin-like oxygen binding heme protein present in the nitrogen fixing root nodules of leguminous...
• legionellosisGram-negative bacterial infections by any species of Legionella except Legionella pneumophila.
• Legionnaires' diseaseAn acute, sometimes fatal, pneumonia-like bacterial infection characterized by high fever, malaise, muscle...
• leiomyosarcomaA sarcoma containing large spindle cells of smooth muscle. Although it rarely occurs in soft tissue, it is...
• lentic systemsAn aquatic ecosystem in which the water is still and not rapidly moving, such as is found in ponds and...
• Leontopithecus caissaraA New World monkey belonging to the family Callitrichidae also known as the black-faced lion tamarin or...
• Leontopithecus chrysomelasAlso known as golden-headed lion tamarins this is one of four species of lion tamarins in the Genus...
• lepromatous leprosyA chronic communicable infection which is a principal or polar form of leprosy. This disorder is caused by...
• leptinA 16-kD peptide hormone secreted from white adipocytes. Leptin serves as a feedback signal from fat cells to...
• leptospirosisInfections with bacteria of the genus Leptospira.
• lethal concentration 50Concentration of a material in the air that kills 50% of the test animals when administered as a single...
• lethal dose 50The amount of a single dose of a solid or liquid substance required to kill 50% of the tested population. It...
• lethal genesGenes whose loss of function or gain of function mutation leads to the death of the carrier prior to...
• lethal yellowingA fatal disease of coconut and other palms. It has swept through the coconut-growing regions of Jamaica...
• leucine zipperDNA-binding motifs formed from two alpha-helixes which intertwine for about eight turns into a coiled coil...
• leucomycinsAn antibiotic complex produced by Streptomyces kitasatoensis. The complex consists of a mixture of at least...
• leukemiaA progressive, malignant disease of the blood-forming organs, characterized by distorted proliferation and...
• leukemia inhibitory factorAn interleukin-6 related cytokine that exhibits pleiotrophic effects on many physiological systems that...
• leukocyte countA count of the number of white blood cells per unit volume in venous blood. A differential leukocyte count...
• leukocyte disordersDisordered formation of various types of leukocytes or an abnormal accumulation or deficiency of these cells.
• leukopeniaCondition in which the number of leukocytes in the circulating blood is below normal levels.
• leukotoxinsCytotoxins that cause degeneration and necrosis of leukocytes.
• Lewis acidsAny chemical species which accepts an electron-pair from a Lewis base in a chemical bonding reaction.
• Lewis basesAny chemical species which acts as an electron-pair donor in a chemical bonding reaction with a Lewis acid.
• Lewy bodiesIntracytoplasmic, eosinophilic, round to elongated inclusions found in vacuoles of injured or fragmented...
• Leydig cellsSteroid-producing cells in the interstitial tissue of the testis. They are under the regulation of pituitary...
• lianasWoody vines which are rooted in the soil and typically produce long serpentine stems that climb into the...
• library administrationPlanning, organizing, staffing, direction, and control of libraries.
• library associationsOrganizations of persons and institutions associated with a type of library or region.
• library automationApplication of computers and related equipment to the processing of data in libraries.
• library collection developmentDevelopment of a library collection, including the determination and coordination of selection policy...
• library materialsBooks, periodicals, pamphlets, reports, microforms, maps, records, tapes, and other materials that are...
• library scienceStudy and profession of the administration of libraries and their contents - includes the procedures by which...
• library servicesServices offered to the library user. They include reference and circulation.
• library technical servicesAcquisition, organization, and preparation of library materials for use, including selection, weeding...
• liceEctoparasites of animals and humans which feed on host blood, skin or feathers.
• lidarThe use of reflected laser pulses to measure distance, position or velocity.
• life cycle assessmentA technique to assess the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product, process, or...
• life cycle costingThe life cycle cost of a product or project includes discounted costs of operation, maintenance, contracting...
• life cycle designLife cycle design incorporates environmental impact considerations into each phase of product design so the...
• life cycle engineeringA process to develop specifications to meet a set of performance, cost, and environmental requirements and...
• life cycle impact assessmentThe phase of life cycle assessment which evaluates potential environmental impacts of a product, process, or...
• life cycle inventoryA process of quantifying energy and raw material requirements, atmospheric emissions, waterborne emissions...
• life cycle sustainability assessmentIt refers to the evaluation of all environmental, economic and social impacts towards more sustainable...
• life cycle thinkingLCT is a concept that integrates existing consumption and production strategies, preventing a piece-meal...
• life eventsSpecific events in a person's life that are significant and may require some sociological, psychological or...
• life historyA continuous, descriptive account of the life cycle of an organism.
• life skillsPersonal and social skills needed by everyone in daily living.
• life support careCare provided patients requiring extraordinary therapeutic measures in order to sustain and prolong life.
• lifestyleA characteristically different way of living which may be an individual variant within the cultural main...
• ligandsA molecule that binds to another molecule, used especially to refer to a small molecule that binds...
• lightElectromagnetic radiation that produces a visual sensation.
• light emitting diodesA device that uses a material called a semi-conductor to produce light without using a lot of electricity...
• light extinction coefficientIt is a measure of how much light is absorbed or scattered as it passes through a medium, such as the...
• light harvesting complexA pigment-protein complex that harvests light energy and converts it to exciton energy that can migrate to...
• light non-aqueous phase liquidsAn LNAPL is one of a group of organic substances that are relatively insoluble in water and are less dense...
• lignansA class of dibenzylbutane derivatives which occurs in higher plants and in fluids (bile, serum, urine, etc.)...
• ligninThe second most abundant constituent of wood, located principally in the secondary wall and the middle...
• lignotubersA woody swelling at ground level originating from the axils of the cotyledons from whose concealed dormant...
• limestoneA sedimentary rock made mostly of the mineral calcite (calcium carbonate). Limestone is usually formed from...
• liming materialsAgrochemicals containing calcium and/or magnesium compounds capable of neutralizing soil acidity.
• limited liability partnershipA partnership formed by two or more persons in which partners are statutorily provided full-shield protection...
• limited partnershipA business organization where a partnership is formed by two or more persons and has one or more general...
• limiting amino acidsThe amino acid that is in shortest supply in relation to need.
• limnologyThe study of the physical, chemical, hydrological, and biological aspects of fresh water bodies.
• limnophilic speciesOrganisms which prefer to live in lakes, ponds, marshes, pools or other slow moving, still or stagnant water.
• limpetsMarine gastropod mollusk that has a low conical shell broadly open beneath and grazes over rocks or timbers...
• Limulus amebocyte lysate assaySensitive method for detection of bacterial endotoxins and endotoxin-like substances that depends on the in...
• lincomycinAn antibiotic produced by Streptomyces lincolnensis var. lincolnensis. It has been used in the treatment of...
• line planting (agroforestry)Woody perennials in a linear arrangement adjacent to cropland or grassland.
• linear modelsStatistical models in which the value of a parameter for a given value of a factor is assumed to be equal to...
• linear programmingAn optimization problem characterization in which a set of parameter values are to be determined, subject to...
• linkage disequilibriumNonrandom association of linked genes. This is the tendency of the alleles of two separate but already linked...
• linkage (genetics)The co-inheritance of two or more non-allelic genes due to their being located more or less closely on the...
• lint cottonCotton fibers that have been removed from the seed during the cotton ginning process.
• lint yieldThe quantity of cotton fiber produced per unit of land.
• lipid bodiesCytoplasmic inclusion which contains lipids and has an unusual membrane composed of a single layer of...
• lipid metabolismPhysiological processes in biosynthesis (anabolism) and degradation (catabolism) of lipids.
• lipid peroxidationPeroxidase catalyzed oxidation of lipids using hydrogen peroxide as an electron acceptor.
• lipidomicsA branch of metabolomics concerned with the study of global lipids profiles in physiological systems.
• lipogenesisDe novo fat synthesis in the body. This includes the synthetic processes of fatty acids and subsequent...
• lipoglycopeptidesGlycopeptides that have an additional lipophilic side chains. Several semisynthetic lipoglycopeptide...
• lipolytic microorganismsLipase producing microorganisms that are able to degrade lipids and produces free fatty acids.
• lipopolysaccharide receptorsGlycolipid-anchored membrane glycoproteins expressed on cells of the myelomonocyte lineage including...
• lipoprotein receptorsCell surface proteins that bind lipoproteins with high affinity. Lipoprotein receptors in the liver and...
• liposomes (artificial)Artificial, single or multilaminar vesicles (made from lecithins or other lipids) that are used for the...
• lipotoxicityThe detrimental effects of triglyceride accumulation in non-adipose tissues of the body. It leads to cellular...
• lipotropic agentsEndogenous factors or drugs that increase the transport and metabolism of lipids including the synthesis of...
• liquefied natural gasNatural gas (primarily methane) that has been liquefied by reducing its temperature to -260 degrees...
• liquid biosolidsBiosolids that contain 1-12% solids.
• liquid chromatographyChromatographic techniques in which the mobile phase is a liquid.
• liquid junction potentialThe movement of chemical compositions across the juction between two electrolyte solutions and introduce a...
• liquid membranesIt is water-immisible, stable and synthetic membrane made of liquid and used mainly for separation or...
• liquid nitrogenLiquid nitrogen is a non-toxic, colorless, tasteless, odorless fluid with a boiling point of -196° C. On...
• liquid state fermentationA controlled fermentation process in which microorganisms are grown in a liquid culture medium.
• liquid-liquid extractionThe removal of a soluble component from a liquid mixture by contact with a second liquid, immiscible with the...
• liquid-phase microextractionMiniaturized methods of liquid-liquid extraction.
• listeriosisAn infection with bacteria of the genus Listeria, especially L. monocytogenes.
• literacyAbility to read and write.
• lithologyDescription of rocks on the basis of their physical and chemical characteristics.
• lithotripsyThe destruction of a calculus of the kidney, ureter, bladder, or gallbladder by physical forces, including...
• litters (young animals)A collective term for the offspring produced at a single birth by a multiparous, nonhuman mammal.
• littoral zoneShallow area on or near the shore of a lake, river or other body of water.
• live bird marketsA specific location where live birds or poultry are sold for the purpose of consumption. It can also contain...
• live fencesA form of line planting meant for the demarcation and enclosure of a piece of cropland or pasture land.
• live mulchesTypically, plants that grow close to the ground and are sown or planted as an understory to the main crop...
• live tissue trainingThe use of anesthetized animals (mostly goats and pigs) for the purposes of direct surgical intervention such...
• live vaccinesLive vaccines prepared from microorganisms which have undergone physical adaptation (e.g., by radiation or...
• livelihoodAn individual's capabilities, assets and activities required for supporting one's living.
• liver cirrhosisLiver disease in which the normal microcirculation, the gross vascular anatomy, and the hepatic architecture...
• liver microsomesClosed vesicles of fragmented endoplasmic reticulum created when liver cells or tissue are disrupted by...
• liver transplantThe transference of a part of or an entire liver from one human or animal to another.
• livestockDomestic or farmed animals raised for food and fiber such as hogs, sheep, cattle, and horses.
• L-lactate dehydrogenase (cytochrome)A cytochrome form of lactate dehydrogenase found in the mitochondria. It catalyzes the oxidation of L-lactate...
• local anestheticsA drug used to numb a specific area of the body without loss of conscioussness; generally used for small...
• local food systemsLocal food systems are collaborative efforts that integrate food production, processing...
• local lymph node assayThis assay is an alternative method for the identification of chemicals that have the ability to cause skin...
• locustsPest insects highly destructive to plants, typically belonging to the family Acrididae. Species migrate in...
• lodgingThe condition of a plant, especially a cereal, that has been flattened in the field or damaged so that it...
• loessA uniform and unstratified fine sand or silt (rarely clay) deposit transported by wind (an aeolian soil). It...
• log yardingThe operation of hauling timber from the stump to a collecting point.
• loggingThe cutting and extraction of timber, particularly logs.
• long chain fatty acidsFatty acids with aliphatic tails thirteen to twenty one carbons.
• long-day plantsA plant that requires a long period of light (day time) to flower. They usually flower when day length or...
• longitudinal studiesStudies in which variables relating to an individual or group of individuals are assessed over a period of...
• Long-Term Agroecosystem Research NetworkIt is a partnership among 18 premier long-term research sites across the United States. LTAR was established...
• looky lousMirrors which allow animals to see themselves and serve as an enrichment.
• loss modulusA measure of the energy dissipated as heat in a viscoelastic material, such as a polymer, when subjected to...
• loss of heterozygosityThe loss of one allele at a specific locus, caused by a deletion mutation; or loss of a chromosome from a...
• loss-of-function mutationA type of mutation in which the altered gene product lacks the molecular function of the wild-type gene.
• lotic systemsAn aquatic ecosystem in which the water is actively moving, such as is found in streams and rivers. Compare...
• louping illAn acute tick-borne arbovirus infection causing meningoencephalomyelitis of sheep.
• low acid foodsFood with pH values higher than 4.6.
• low density lipoprotein receptorsReceptors on the plasma membrane of nonhepatic cells that specifically bind LDL. The receptors are localized...
• low fat milkMilk containing at least 8.25% solids and from which sufficient milk fat has been removed to produce a milk...
• low input agricultureA farming system in which the use of off-farm resources, such as commercially purchased chemicals and fuels...
• low moisture foodsLow moisture foods have low water activity and do not support the growth of spoilage or foodborne pathogens...
• lowest observed effect levelIn a study, the lowest dose or exposure level at which a statistically or biologically significant effect is...
• low-income populationA group whose level of living, which may be defined by a specific income level, is below the community...
• lowlandsIn physical geography, a broad expanse of land that is low in relation to the surrounding area.
• lumbar spineThe lower back region of the spine between the thoracic and sacral vertebrae, consisting of five lumbar...
• lumberThe product of the saw and planing mill for which manufacturing is limited to sawing, resawing, passing...
• lumber gradesThe designation of the quality of a manufactured piece of wood or of logs.
• luminescent assayTechniques used for determining the values of photometric parameters of light resulting from luminescence.
• luminescent proteinsProteins which are involved in the phenomenon of light emission in living systems. Included are the...
• luteolysisDegradation of corpus luteum. In the absence of pregnancy and diminishing trophic hormones, the corpus luteum...
• lymphadenitisinflammation of the lymph nodes.
• lymphangitisInflammation of lymphatic vessels.
• lymphatic diseasesDiseases of lymph; lymph nodes; or lymphatic vessels.
• lymphocyte countThe number of lymphocytes per unit volume of blood.
• lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1An integrin heterodimer widely expressed on cells of hematopoietic origin. CD11A antigen comprises the alpha...
• lymphocyte proliferationMorphologic alteration of small B lymphocytes or T lymphocytes in culture into large blast-like cells able to...
• lymphokinesSoluble protein factors generated by activated lymphocytes that affect other cells, primarily those involved...
• lymphotoxinA tumor necrosis factor family member that is released by activated lymphocytes.
• lysimetersInstruments for measuring the water percolating through soils and determining the materials dissolved by the...
• lysogenyThe phenomenon by which a temperate phage incorporates itself into the DNA of a bacterial host, establishing...
• lysophosphatidylcholineDerivatives of phosphatidylcholines obtained by their partial hydrolysis which removes one of the fatty acid...
• lysophospholipidsDerivatives of phosphatidic acids that lack one of its fatty acyl chains due to its hydrolytic removal.
• lysostaphinA 25-kDa peptidase produced by Staphylococcus simulans which cleaves a glycine-glycine bond unique to an...

250 of 6,908 terms in Agriculture and food terminology (MLC-0114). Request the full dataset.