Desiccation
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desiccation
[‚des·ə′kā·shən] (hydrology)
The permanent decrease or disappearance of water from a region, caused by a decrease of rainfall, a failure to maintain irrigation, or deforestation or overcropping.
(science and technology)
Thorough removal of water from a substance, often with the use of a desiccant.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
desiccation
1. The use of a desiccant for drying.
2. The use of heated air to remove moisture, as from timber in a kiln.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.
Desiccation
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.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.