Ratoon

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɹəˈtuːn/

Definitions

1. A process in agriculture where new shoots arise from the roots following the harvest of the parent plant, particularly common in crops like sugarcane
2. A cultivation technique where new shoots develop from the root system after the main crop is harvested, often used in specific agricultural contexts
3. New plants that sprout from the roots of a crop after the main part has been cut down, commonly seen in crops like sugarcane

Etymology: Ratoon is a word from the sugar and plantation world, and its sense of regrowth came first before any general use. The noun names a new shoot that springs from the roots or stump of a plant after it has been cut, so that the crop comes back without replanting. In the Caribbean and the American South, sugarcane growers relied on this for generations, letting the stalks regrow from old roots for a second or third harvest. The word is possibly borrowed from Spanish "retoño", meaning a sprout or shoot, a derivative of "retoñar", to sprout again. The Spanish term itself ties back to the idea of a bud or offshoot pushing out anew, which fits the plant's habit exactly. Because the connection is not fully established, it is best understood as a likely rather than certain source.

Synonyms: sucker, shoot