Fundamentals of Agronomy
, Fundamentals of Agronomy
CONTENTS
S.N. Course content Break-up
1. Agronomy and its scope
2. Seeds and sowing
3. Tillage and tilth
4. Crop density and geometry
5. Crop nutrition, Manures and fertilizers
6. Water resources and soil – plant – water relationships
7. Crop water requirement and water use efficiency
8. Scheduling of irrigation and methods of irrigation
9. Quality of irrigation water
10. Weed and its classification
11. Weed management
12. Herbicide classification
13. Allelopathy
14. Growth and development of crops
15. Plant ideotype
16. Crop rotation and its principles
17. Harvesting and threshing of crops
Page | 1
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, Fundamentals of Agronomy
Chapter 1
Agronomy and its scope
Agriculture:
The term Agriculture is derived from two Latin words “ager” or “agri” meaning soil
and “cultura” meaning cultivation. Agriculture is an applied science which encompasses all
aspects of crop production including horticulture, livestock rearing, fisheries, forestry, etc.
Agriculture is defined as an art, science and business of producing crops and livestock for
economic purposes.
As an art, it embraces knowledge of the way to perform the operations of the farm in a
skillful manner, but does not necessarily include an understanding of the principles
underlying the farm practices.
As a science, it utilizes all technologies developed on scientific principles such as
crop breeding, production techniques, crop protection, economics etc. to maximize the yield
and profit. For example, new crops and varieties developed by hybridization, Transgenic crop
varieties resistant to pests and diseases, hybrids in each crop, high fertilizer responsive
varieties, water management, herbicides to control weeds, use of bio-control agents to combat
pest and diseases etc.
As the business: As long as agriculture is the way of life of the rural population
production is ultimately bound to consumption. But agriculture as a business aims at
maximum net return through the management of land labour, water and capital, employing
the knowledge of various sciences for production of food, feed, fibre and fuel. In recent
years, agriculture is commercialized to run as a business through mechanization.
Agronomy:
The word agronomy has been derived from the two Greek words, agros and nomos
having the meaning of field and to manage, respectively. Literally, agronomy means the “art
of managing field”. Technically, it means the “science and economics of crop production by
management of farm land”.
Agronomy is the art and underlying science in production and improvement of field
crops with the efficient use of soil fertility, water, labourer and other factors related to crop
production. Agronomy is the field of study and practice of ways and means of production of
food, feed and fibre crops. Agronomy is defined as “a branch of agricultural science which
deals with principles and practices of field crop production and management of soil for higher
productivity.
Importance:
Among all the branches of agriculture, agronomy occupies a pivotal position and is regarded
as the mother branch or primary branch. Like agriculture, agronomy is an integrated and
applied aspect of different disciplines of pure sciences. Agronomy has three clear branches
namely Crop Science, Soil Science and Environmental Science that deals only with applied
aspects. Agronomy is a synthesis of several disciplines like crop science, which includes
plant breeding, crop physiology and biochemistry etc., and soil science, which includes soil
fertilizers, manures etc., and environmental science which includes meteorology and crop
ecology.
Page | 2
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, Fundamentals of Agronomy
Basic Principles of Agronomy
• Planning, programming and executing measures for maximum utilization of land,
labourer, capital and other factors of production.
• Choice of crop varieties adaptable to the particular agro-climate, land situation, soil
fertility, season and method of cultivation and befitting to the cropping system;
• Proper field management by tillage, preparing field channels and bunds for irrigation and
drainage, checking soil erosion, leveling and adopting other suitable land improvement
practices;
• Adoption of multiple cropping and also mixed or intercropping to ensure harvest even
under adverse environmental conditions;
• Timely application of proper and balanced nutrients to the crop and improvement of soil
fertility and productivity. Correction of ill-effects of soil reactions and conditions and
increasing soil organic matter through the application of green manure, farm yard manure,
organic wastes, bio fertilizers and profitable recycling of organic wastes;
• Choice of quality seed or seed material and maintenance of requisite plant density per
unit area with healthy and uniform seedlings;
• Proper water management with respect to crop, soil and environment through
conservation and utilization of soil moisture as well as by utilizing water that is available
in excess, and scheduling irrigation at critical stages of crop growth.
• Adoption of adequate, need-based, timely and exacting plant protection measures against
weeds, insect-pests, pathogens, as well as climatic hazards and correction of deficiencies
and disorders;
• Adoption of suitable and appropriate management practices including intercultural
operations to get maximum benefit from inputs dearer and difficult to get, low-monetary
and non-monetary inputs;
• Adoption of suitable method and time of harvesting of crop to reduce field loss and to
release land for succeeding crop(s) and efficient utilization of residual moisture, plant
nutrients and other management practices;
• Adoption of suitable post-harvest technologies.
• Agronomy was recognized as a distinct branch of agricultural science only since about
since about 1900. The American Society of Agronomy was organized in 1908.
Irrigation management: Whether to irrigate continuously or stop in between and how much
water should be irrigated are calculated to find the water requirement.
• Crop planning (i.e.,) developing crop sequence should be developed by agronomist (i.e.)
what type of crop, cropping pattern, cropping sequence, etc.
• Agronomists are also developing the method of harvesting, time for harvesting, etc. The
harvest should be done in the appropriate time.
• Decision-making in the farm management. What type of crop to be produced, how much
crop, including marketing should be planned? Decision should be at appropriate time.
Page | 3
www.AgriMoon.Com
, Fundamentals of Agronomy
CONTENTS
S.N. Course content Break-up
1. Agronomy and its scope
2. Seeds and sowing
3. Tillage and tilth
4. Crop density and geometry
5. Crop nutrition, Manures and fertilizers
6. Water resources and soil – plant – water relationships
7. Crop water requirement and water use efficiency
8. Scheduling of irrigation and methods of irrigation
9. Quality of irrigation water
10. Weed and its classification
11. Weed management
12. Herbicide classification
13. Allelopathy
14. Growth and development of crops
15. Plant ideotype
16. Crop rotation and its principles
17. Harvesting and threshing of crops
Page | 1
www.AgriMoon.Com
, Fundamentals of Agronomy
Chapter 1
Agronomy and its scope
Agriculture:
The term Agriculture is derived from two Latin words “ager” or “agri” meaning soil
and “cultura” meaning cultivation. Agriculture is an applied science which encompasses all
aspects of crop production including horticulture, livestock rearing, fisheries, forestry, etc.
Agriculture is defined as an art, science and business of producing crops and livestock for
economic purposes.
As an art, it embraces knowledge of the way to perform the operations of the farm in a
skillful manner, but does not necessarily include an understanding of the principles
underlying the farm practices.
As a science, it utilizes all technologies developed on scientific principles such as
crop breeding, production techniques, crop protection, economics etc. to maximize the yield
and profit. For example, new crops and varieties developed by hybridization, Transgenic crop
varieties resistant to pests and diseases, hybrids in each crop, high fertilizer responsive
varieties, water management, herbicides to control weeds, use of bio-control agents to combat
pest and diseases etc.
As the business: As long as agriculture is the way of life of the rural population
production is ultimately bound to consumption. But agriculture as a business aims at
maximum net return through the management of land labour, water and capital, employing
the knowledge of various sciences for production of food, feed, fibre and fuel. In recent
years, agriculture is commercialized to run as a business through mechanization.
Agronomy:
The word agronomy has been derived from the two Greek words, agros and nomos
having the meaning of field and to manage, respectively. Literally, agronomy means the “art
of managing field”. Technically, it means the “science and economics of crop production by
management of farm land”.
Agronomy is the art and underlying science in production and improvement of field
crops with the efficient use of soil fertility, water, labourer and other factors related to crop
production. Agronomy is the field of study and practice of ways and means of production of
food, feed and fibre crops. Agronomy is defined as “a branch of agricultural science which
deals with principles and practices of field crop production and management of soil for higher
productivity.
Importance:
Among all the branches of agriculture, agronomy occupies a pivotal position and is regarded
as the mother branch or primary branch. Like agriculture, agronomy is an integrated and
applied aspect of different disciplines of pure sciences. Agronomy has three clear branches
namely Crop Science, Soil Science and Environmental Science that deals only with applied
aspects. Agronomy is a synthesis of several disciplines like crop science, which includes
plant breeding, crop physiology and biochemistry etc., and soil science, which includes soil
fertilizers, manures etc., and environmental science which includes meteorology and crop
ecology.
Page | 2
www.AgriMoon.Com
, Fundamentals of Agronomy
Basic Principles of Agronomy
• Planning, programming and executing measures for maximum utilization of land,
labourer, capital and other factors of production.
• Choice of crop varieties adaptable to the particular agro-climate, land situation, soil
fertility, season and method of cultivation and befitting to the cropping system;
• Proper field management by tillage, preparing field channels and bunds for irrigation and
drainage, checking soil erosion, leveling and adopting other suitable land improvement
practices;
• Adoption of multiple cropping and also mixed or intercropping to ensure harvest even
under adverse environmental conditions;
• Timely application of proper and balanced nutrients to the crop and improvement of soil
fertility and productivity. Correction of ill-effects of soil reactions and conditions and
increasing soil organic matter through the application of green manure, farm yard manure,
organic wastes, bio fertilizers and profitable recycling of organic wastes;
• Choice of quality seed or seed material and maintenance of requisite plant density per
unit area with healthy and uniform seedlings;
• Proper water management with respect to crop, soil and environment through
conservation and utilization of soil moisture as well as by utilizing water that is available
in excess, and scheduling irrigation at critical stages of crop growth.
• Adoption of adequate, need-based, timely and exacting plant protection measures against
weeds, insect-pests, pathogens, as well as climatic hazards and correction of deficiencies
and disorders;
• Adoption of suitable and appropriate management practices including intercultural
operations to get maximum benefit from inputs dearer and difficult to get, low-monetary
and non-monetary inputs;
• Adoption of suitable method and time of harvesting of crop to reduce field loss and to
release land for succeeding crop(s) and efficient utilization of residual moisture, plant
nutrients and other management practices;
• Adoption of suitable post-harvest technologies.
• Agronomy was recognized as a distinct branch of agricultural science only since about
since about 1900. The American Society of Agronomy was organized in 1908.
Irrigation management: Whether to irrigate continuously or stop in between and how much
water should be irrigated are calculated to find the water requirement.
• Crop planning (i.e.,) developing crop sequence should be developed by agronomist (i.e.)
what type of crop, cropping pattern, cropping sequence, etc.
• Agronomists are also developing the method of harvesting, time for harvesting, etc. The
harvest should be done in the appropriate time.
• Decision-making in the farm management. What type of crop to be produced, how much
crop, including marketing should be planned? Decision should be at appropriate time.
Page | 3
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