Cryptic crossword clue
Earthy scent from lab dish shortened task 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word PETRICHOR

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The straight part
We know that "Earthy scent" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case earthy scent = petrichor.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

Crossword Answer definitions

PETRICHOR noun
  1. The distinctive scent, caused by geosmin, which accompanies the first rain after a long, warm, dry spell.
  2. The yellow organic oil that yields this scent.

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