Agronomy crop

production
 Contents
• What is Agronomy??
• Principles of agronomy.
• Relation of agronomy with other branches.
• Scope of agronomy.
• Conclusions
• References
 What is Agronomy??
Agronomy is the branch of agriculture which
deals with principles and practice of soil, water
and crop management.
OR
Agronomy is the branch of agriculture which
deals with methods, which provide favorable
environment to the crop for higher productivity.
• Agronomist work to develop methods that will
improve the use of soil and increase the
production of food and fiber crops.
• They conduct research in crop rotation,
irrigation and drainage, soil fertility, weed
control and other areas.
• Corp production in Agronomy follows some of
the principles.
• Principles of agronomy deals with scientific
facts in relations to environments in which crop
are produce.
 Principles of Agronomy
• Cropping system
• Tillage
• Water management
• Weed management
• Fertilizer management
• Insect, pest and disease management
• Harvesting and storage
 Cropping system
A cropping system is defined as the cropping
pattern and its management to derive benefits
from a given resource base under a specific
environmental condition. 
The productive base of cropping system is plant
growth, which is influenced by management and
environment. Management here includes all
those components associated with crop
production.
 Types of cropping systems
 Mono Cropping
 Double Cropping/Sequential Cropping
 Strip Cropping
 Synergetic Cropping
 Relay Cropping
 Ratooning
 Intercropping – 1) Mixed cropping
2) Parallel cropping
3) Companion cropping
 Mono cropping
Mono cropping is the agricultural practice of growing a single
crop year after year on the same land.
Example- Corn, soybeans and wheat are three common crops
often grown using mono cropping techniques.
 Double/sequential Cropping
The practice of consecutively producing two crop of
either like or unlike commodities on the same land
within the same year.
 Strip Cropping
Cultivation in which different crops are sown in alternate
strips to prevent soil erosion.
 Synergetic Cropping
In this type of cropping yield of both crops are
higher than their pure crops on unit area.
 Relay Cropping
Relay planting is inter planting or inter sowing of
seeds/seedlings of the succeeding crop before
harvesting the preceding/maturing crop.
 Ratooning
One of the important methods of intensive cropping,
allowing the stubbles of the original crop to strike again
after harvesting an to raise another crop.
 Inter cropping

Multiple cropping Mixed cropping

Companion cropping Parallel cropping

 Tillage
Tillage is defined as the mechanical
manipulation of the soil aimed at improving its
physical condition or Tilth.
Practice of modifying the state of soil in order to
provide conditions favorable to growth.
Preparation of seedbed is the Primary stage of
Crop prouction.
 Tillage Implements
A variety of tillage implements are used to
weaken soil strength, reduce compaction an
allow the free movements of water and air in
order.
These are used depending on the kind of soil,
type of cropping and agro-climate conditions.
 Plough
Plough has been used for centuries and still
being used in many areas of the country.
 Mouldboard plough
This is most common primary tillage implement.
Disc plough
Chisel plough
Some of secondary tillage
implements

Disc Harrows Rollers

 Water management
Agriculture water management is done for
improving crop productivity. It also helps in the
understanding of plant water use, quantifying
crop transpiration and soil evaporation and
allows us to devise strategies to improve crop
production, reduce unproductive water losses
and prevent land and water degradation.
• Water is considered as the most critical resource for
sustainable development.
• Currently the rapid growth of population along with
the extension of irrigation agriculture, industrial
development and climate change are stressing the
quantity and quality aspects of the natural system.
Some of the sustainable water management
in agriculture
 Localized irrigation- such as drip irrigation and micro-
sprayers.
 Irrigation scheduling- decision making for determining
when to irrigate the crop and how much water to
supply.
 Soil water balance- the aim to approach to predict
water content in the rooted soil by means of water
conservation equation.
Δ(AWC x Root depth)=balance of entry + outgoing
water fluxes
 Weed management
• Weeds are unwanted and undesired plants which
interfere with utilization of land and water
resources and thus adversely effect human
welfare.
• Some of the principles of weed managements are
-Prevention
-Eradication
-Control
 Some of the kharif weed

Chulai ( Amaranth virides ) Baru (Sorghum halepense)

 Bharkra (Tribulus
Deela (Cyprus rotundus)
terrestris)
 Some of Rabi weeds

Bathu(Chenopdium album) Kru(Chenpodium murale

Pohli (Carthanus oxycantha) Wild oat (Avena fatua)
 Chemical control of weed
Chemical attack with herbicides(weed killers)
Ex- Aminopyralid is a broad leaf herbicide in the
pyridine group used to control weeds
 Fertilizer management
• Fertilizers play a key role in increasing crop
production.
• Types of fertilizers
 Organic fertilizers-ex Alfalfa meal
 Chemical fertilizer-ex Urea
 Bio-fertilizer-ex Rizobium
The current fertilizers practices results in high
loss of applied fertilizers. Recently, scientist
have developed a new technique of nutrient
management known as site specific nutrient
management- based on, climate and actual
plant needs.
 Insect pest and disease management

• Crop production involves proper insect, pest

and disease management orelse it causes
great lose to the crop quality an yield.
• Three main objective this management is
 Prevention
 Suppression
 Eradication
 Insect pest management
• Integrated pest management- Ecological approach to
control works with ecosystem and natural balance.
Focused on preventing pests.
• Steps involved
 Correctly identifying pest or disease.
 Determining the threshold level.
 Treatment-Deciding most effective least invasive
control such as biological control using living organisms
to suppress or insecticidal soaps it kills by contact of
fatty acids.
 Harvesting and storage
• The process of cutting an gathering a crop is called
Harvesting
• The traditional method implement use to harvest a
crop is the sickle.
• Modern farms use harvesters, which cuts the crop.
• Harvested rains are usually dried before being stored
because moisture encourages the growth of
microorganisms.
• They are then stored in metal or earthen container,
gunny bags or grain silos.
• The go downs where grains are stored are first
fumigated to get rids of pests.
• Fumigation is the process of using the vapours of
a chemical to get rid of pest an infections.
• The stored grains are inspected from time to
time to make sure that they are free from
disease and pests.
• Grain silos are tall structures built in such way
that grains can be stored at different levels.
• Each levels has an opening through which the
grain can be taken when required.
• Cold storage – fruits and vegetables.
Harvesting
Storage
Relation of agronomy with other branches

• Soil sciences-texture and porosity

• Plant pathology an entomology-disease
management
• Plant physiology- fertilizer need
• Horticulture- crop system
 Scope of Agronomy
• Identification of proper season for cultivation of wide range of
crops is needed which could be made possible only by Agronomy
science.
• Proper methods of cultivation are needed to reduce the cost of
cultivation and maximize the yield and economic returns.
• Availability and application of chemical fertilizers has necessitated
the generation of knowledge to reduce the ill-effects due to excess
application and yield losses due to the unscientific manner of
application.
• Availability of herbicides for control of weeds has led to
development for a vast knowledge about selectivity, time & method
of its application.
• Water management practices play grater role in
present day crisis of water demand and Agronomy
science answer to the questions ‘how much to
apply?’ and ‘when to apply?’.
• Maintaining the ecological balance through
efficient management of crops, livestock and their
feedings in a rational manner is possible only by
knowing agronomic principles.
• New technology to overcome the effect of
moisture stress under dry land condition is
explored by Agronomy and future agriculture is
depends on dry land agriculture.
 Conclusions
• The livelihood of 70% of Indian population is based on agriculture.
• Therefore, economy of the country is agriculture dependent.
More than 65% area is dependent on rains for cultivation of crops.
The productivity of crops in these rainfed and dryland areas is very
variable.
• It is therefore, necessary to reduce irregular behavior of
monsoon/winter rains through different agro-techniques for
increasing the productivity of crops.
• Similarly irrigation management is very essential in irrigated areas
for enhancing crop productivity.
• Different disciplines of agriculture (mainly agronomy, Genetics,
Horticulture, Crop Physiology, Agricultural Engineering, Animal
Husbandry and Dairy, Economics and Extension) play important
role in increasing crop production.
• Through different agrotechniques namely,
suitability of soil type, standardization of sowing
time, seed rate, plant population, plant geometry,
nutrient management, irrigation and rainwater
management, weed management, insect-pests and
diseases management, animal nutrition and dairy
management, technology transfer, economics of
different crops/cropping systems/farming systems,
suitable farm machinery, implements etc.
• In different disciplines, research work is
continuously being carried out to improve the need
of the changing problems arise in crop production.
 References
• 592-Research-Techniques-in-Agronomy-SSR-SKG.pdf.
• http://eagri.org/eagri50/AGRO101/lec07.pdf
• https://www.agronomy.org/about-agronomy
• https://www.slideshare.net
• https://www.isragov.in
• Emerson nafziger, Department of crop science
ednaf@illinois.edu, Cropping systems
• Image sources- GOOGLE
 Thank you all
--- presented by
Supriya S Kammar