Desiccation(redirected from Desication)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical.
the preharvest drying of plants, which hastens their maturation and facilitates machine harvesting. Desiccation is carried out with the help of chemical substances, desiccants . It is most widespread in cotton cultivation. Desiccation of cotton resulting in the opening of as much as 60-75 percent of the bolls does not reduce either the quantity of raw cotton harvested or its quality. Desiccation is also being introduced in harvesting the seeds of horsebeans, legumes , and lupines, sugar beets, rice, wheat, and other crops.