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preharvest

preharvest

1 5.5
The time just before farmers gather their crops
  • noun
  • /ˌpriːˈhɑːrvɪst/
  • Specialized
: preparación para la cosecha
  • Farmers need to monitor weather conditions during the preharvest phase to ensure a successful yield.

Examples

  • Plants will be moved into greenhouses to see how preharvest growing temperatures affect the postharvest response of fruit to quarantine treatments.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Scientists in ARS's Preharvest Food Safety and Enteric Diseases Research Unit are helping to make meals worry-free for people who enjoy meat and poultry.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Proper irrigation strategies are essential for healthy crops during the preharvest period.

  • The agricultural team conducted tests to evaluate soil quality throughout the preharvest season.

Surface Forms

preharvest singular
preharvests plural

Morphology

preharvest = harvest (transparent) = pre + harvest

The noun straightforwardly denotes the time before the harvest stage by adding 'pre-' to 'harvest'.

Etymology

Preharvest combines pre- meaning 'before' and harvest meaning 'gathering crops'. It refers to the time or stage just before people gather the crops.