definition of the word ratoon

by the Wiktionnary

rattoon

Singular
ratoon

Plural
ratoons

ratoon (plural ratoons)

A shoot sprouting from the root of a cropped plant, especially sugar cane.
- 1926, Frank Wesley Pitman, "The Organization of Slave Labor," The Journal of Negro History, vol. 11, no. 4, p. 600,
  
  Their field tasks were somewhat easier than those of the great gang: cleaning and banking young canes, turning over trash or ratoon pieces (canes sprouting from old roots).
- 1968, Paul C. Ekern, "Phyllotaxy of Pineapple Plant and Fruit," Botanical Gazette, vol. 129, no. 1, p. 94,
  
  A number of very small fruits from Cayenne ratoons were recently examined.

Infinitive
to ratoon

Third person singular
ratoons

Simple past
ratooned

Past participle
ratooned

Present participle
ratooning

to ratoon (third-person singular simple present ratoons, present participle ratooning, simple past and past participle ratooned)

(intransitive, of a plant) To sprout ratoons.
- 1893, "Resouces of British Honduras," Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, vol. 1893, no. 82/83, p. 327,
  
  In the sugar areas to the north and south of the Colony cane has been known to "ratoon" for 20 to 30 years.
(transitive) To cut a plant, especially sugar cane, so that it will produce ratoons.
- 1969, M. Menzel; F. Wilson, "Genetic Relationships in Hibiscus Sect. Furcaria," Brittonia, vol. 21, no. 2, p. 100,
  
  Attempts to propagate them by cuttings (of flowering shoots) and to ratoon the old plants in the greenhouse in November were unsuccessful.