Lesson 18. Definition and Scope of Agronomy

18.1 INTRODUCTION

The term agriculture is derived from the Latin words ager or 'agri' meaning 'soil' and cultura meaning 'cultivation'. Agriculture is a very broad term encompassing all aspects of crop production, livestock farming, fisheries, forestry, etc. Agriculture is the science and art.

Agriculture is a productive unit where the natural inputs i.e. light, air, water; nutrient, etc. are converted into usable product by the green plants. The livestock, birds and insects feed on the green plants and provide concentrated products such as milk, meat, eggs, wool, honey, silk and lac. Agriculture provides us with the materials needed for our feeding housing and clothing. Agriculture consists of growing plants and rearing animals which help to maintain a biological equilibrium in nature, cultivation of land with a view to produce crop.

18.2 AGRONOMY

Agronomy is a branch of agricultural science which deals with principles and practices of soil, water, and crop management. This term is derived from Greek words agros meaning 'field' and nomos meaning 'to manage'. In recent times, agronomy has assumed newer dimensions and can be defined as a branch of agriculture dealing with field crop production and soil management on sustainable basis.

 18.3 Important events in the history of agriculture

             Period                                         Event

Earlier than 10,000 B.C.      – Hunting and gathering

8700 B.C.                            – Domestication of sheep

7700 B.C.                            –  Domestication of goat

7500 B.C.                            – Cultivation of wheat and barley

6000 B.C.                            – Domestication of cattle and pigs

4000 B.C.                            – Cultivation of maize

3500 B.C.                            – Cultivation of  potato

3400 B.C.                            – Wheel was invented

3000 B.C.                            – Bronze was used to make tools

2900 B.C.                            – Invented Plough, Irrigated farming started

2300 B.C.                            – Chickpea, pear, sarson and cotton

2200 B.C.                             – Cultivation of rice

1800 B.C.                             – Cultivation of finger millet (Ragi)

1725 B.C.                             – Cultivation of  sorghum

1500 B.C.                             – Cultivation of  sugarcane

1400 B.C.                             – Use of iron

15 Century A.D.                   – Cultivation of sweet orange, wild    

                                                 brinjal, pomegranate

16 Century A.D                 – Introduction of several crops into India by  

                                                 Portuguese. They are potato, sweet potato,

                                                 cassava, tomato chillies, papaya, guava,

                                                 groundnut, cashew nut, tobacco etc.

18.4  SCOPE OF AGRONOMY

Agronomy is a dynamic discipline. With the advancement of knowledge and better understanding of plant and environment, agricultural practices are modified or new practices developed for high productivity. For example availability of herbicides for the control of weeds led to development of a vast knowledge about selectivity, time and method of application of herbicides. Gigantic irrigation projects are constructed to provide irrigation facilities. However, these projects created side effects like water logging, and salinity. To overcome this problem, appropriate water management practices are developed. Population pressure is increasing but area under cultivation is static. More number of crops have, therefore, to be grown on the same piece of land in an year. As a result, intensive cropping has come into vogue. Similarly, no tillage practices have come in place of clean cultivation as a result of increase in cost of energy. Likewise new technology has to be developed to exploit their full potential.

The factors restricting increased agricultural production are low soil fertility, crop varieties of low genetic yield potential, poor agronomic practices, inadequate control of disease and insects, non-availability of production inputs, government economy policies affecting agriculture and weak research and extension programmes. Restoration of soil fertility, preparation of good seedbed, use of proper seed rates, correct dates of sowing for each improved variety, proper conservation and management of soil moisture and proper control of weeds are agronomic practices to make our finite land water resources more productive.

Last modified: Saturday, 3 August 2013, 4:29 AM