Unit 1 Agronomy_Defination Agriculture Agronomy.pptx

Define agriculture and agronomy

1. Govinda Raj Sedai Agriculture Coordinator cum Instructor Madan Bhandari Memorial Academy Nepal School of Agriculture Urlabari-5, Morang Definition of Agriculture and Agronomy and history of Agriculture (Date: 2078/12/07-15)

2. Tips to Agriculture Father of Agronomy: Pietro de’crescenzi Father of Modern Agronomy is: Olivier de Serres Father of Agronomy in Nepal is: Netra Bahadur Basnyat Father of modern Agriculture/Green Revolution: Norman Ernest Borlaug Father of Systematic Pomology: Decandolle A truly scientific approach to farming was started in 1840 AD by Justus Von Liebig . Wheat is the first crop both the production and area coverage in the world. So wheat is called “ King of Cereals” . Maize is known as “ Queen of cereals” and Tallest cereal . The maize protein is called Zein . Cotton fibre is known as “White gold” .

3. Tips to Agriculture Opium puppy is popularly known as “ Black diamond” . Triticum aestivum is called Bread wheat . Buckwheat is an example of “pseudo-cereal” . Pulses are called “ Poor man’s meat” . Potato is a crop which has always been the “ Poor man’s friend ”. Barley was the first cereal to be domesticated. Rye ( Secale cereale ) is cereal grass which is the chief ingredient of black bread. It is known as the grain of poverty. Soyabean is also called as Wonder crop. It is the richest, cheapest and easiest sources of best quality proteins and fats. Tea is regarded as “ Queen of beverage” . It was originated in China. CTC in tea refers to Cutting, Tearing and Curling. In terms of production and area: Rice, Maize, Wheat and Finger millet occupy the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th position in Nepal.

4. Tips to Agriculture Rose is known as Queen of flower. Dahlia is known as King of flower. Date palm is the oldest known fruit to mankind. Richest source of Vitamin C among fruits is found in: Barbados cherry. ( Amala >Guava) The highest fat containing fruit is: Walnut. (Almond> Cashewnut ) The highest protein containing fruit is: Cashew. (Almond>Walnut) Grape occupies the 1 st position in terms of production in the world. Citrus is the maximum producing fruit in Nepal. Per capita fruit requirement in our daily diet is 85 grams.

5. Agriculture The term agriculture has been derived from two Latin words: “ager” : referring to the soil/land/field “ cultura ” means “cultivation” . Thus Agriculture may be defined as the science, art and business of producing crops and animals under human supervision.

6. Agronomy The term agronomy has been derived from two Greek words: Agros : means field and nomos means management . Thus agronomy has been defined as “the branch of agricultural science that deals with principles and practices of crop production and field management”.

7. Agronomy “Agronomy is the art and science of crop production covering soil, tillage, seed, sowing time, methods of seeding, manures and fertilizers use with their time of application, irrigation schedule, pesticide application, post harvest techniques and efficient and economic management of farm”.

8. Overview of Agriculture Agriculture is very broad term, which includes crop production, livestock farming, fisheries, forestry etc. It is synonymous with farming : the field or field dependent production of food, fodder and industrial organic materials. The Greek " Geoponic" (cultivation in normal soil) " hydroponic " (cultivation in water) and "aeroponic" (cultivation/suspended in air) refers to the three main spheres of agriculture.

9. Soil less agriculture The crop culture without soil is called soil less agriculture. Nutrient solution for plant growth is formulated and made available to the crops. There are three types of soil less agriculture system. Hydroponic system b) Aeroponic c) Sand culture

10. Hydroponic system: Cultivation of crop in water is called hydroponic. In this system the roots of plants are continuously or intermittently submerged in nutrient solution and aerial parts are supported at the base with cardboard, plastic or wires. The continuous submergence limits the oxygen supply and thus an aeration pumping system has to be provided for the growth of plants. b) Aeroponic: Cultivation of crop in air is called aeroponic . In this system the plants are grown in holes in panels of expanded coco pits, polystyrene or foam plastic with roots suspended in mid air beneath the panel and enclosed in a spraying box. Plant roots continuously or intermittently saturated with a mist of nutrient solution. c) Sand culture: Plants are grown in inorganic media like sand, gravel or in organic media like coconut coir dust, saw dust etc. and nutrient solution is given for plant growth.

11. Hunting and gathering System Before agriculture, human ( Homo erectus and H. sapiens ) survived by hunting animals, fishing and gathering plants for food. About 500 thousand years ago man started the use and control of fire. They hunted a variety of animals and cooked their meat on fire. Apart from the meat of animals, they gathered a variety of seeds, leaves and fruits from the jungle. The art of hunting and gathering did not appear to have completely vanished/disappeared even with advent of modern crop culture. Studies shows that pockets of surviving hunters and gathers still exist in the areas where land and climate do not favour deliberate crop culture as profitable enterprise. These areas include parts of the arctic region and pockets of tropical rain forest.

12. Shifting cultivation/ Slash-and-burn agriculture This is a primitive agriculture system in which farmers clear small patches in the forest and burn the dried biomass. They grow different crops on the cleared forestland for several years. When the soil fertility declines, weed infestation began to occur and productivity goes down, they shift on another area to slash and burn for cultivating land. After 10-15 years previous area again become regenerated and ready for repeating the same. This system of cultivation still exists in the forest area of South America and in many pockets of tropical rain forest. We can see this practice in some districts like Tanahun , Gorkha , Dhading and hilly districts of Mid to Far Western Development Region of Nepal

13. This is a type of agriculture system in which, producer consumes a large part of the final produce . Most subsistence agriculture also produces some of crops or animals very little for sale . Many farmers of Nepal practiced the subsistence agriculture system. Traditional agriculture Agriculture system, which are based on indigenous knowledge (ITK) and practices and have evolved over many generations . Many farmers of South Asia including Nepal follow traditional agriculture. Subsistence agriculture

14. Commercial /Industrial/Modern agriculture Agricultural system, which consider agriculture as an industrial enterprise . In this system inputs and technology are applied to gain maximum profit. This type of agriculture system is now followed in the many countries of the world. Poultry industry of Chitwan , tea industry of Jhapa, Ilam are the examples of industrial agriculture.

15. Ecological agriculture is the farming practices that enhance or at least do not harm the environment and are aimed at minimizing the use of chemical inputs. The ecological agriculture is based on the principles of increasing diversity, security of favorable soil condition for plant growth particularly by managing organic matter and enhancing soil life, minimizing loss due to flow of solar radiation, air, water and soil through microclimatic management, water management and erosion control and minimizing loss from pest by means of prevention and safe treatment. Ecological agriculture/eco-farming

16. Any agricultural practice or philosophy and approach of production system that makes agriculture economically viable, ecologically sound, socially just and culturally appropriate. There are different models of sustainable agriculture evolved throughout the world. Some of these models are Low Input Sustainable Agriculture (LISA), Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA), organic farming, biodynamic farming, regenerative agriculture, permaculture and natural farming. Sustainable agriculture

17. Precision farming In large area of field there is always variation in different aspects. That variation may be yielding potential, incidence of weeds, insects and diseases etc. This special variability can be detected with special scientific system like GPS (Global Positioning System), remote sensing etc. After detecting the variability in the field, site-specific crop management practices can be applied. The equipment like Variable Rate Technology (VRT) is now available, which can adjust seed, fertilizer and pesticides according to need of specific site. This system of farming is called precision or prescription farming.

18. Contract farming This is a farming practice in which land is taken on contract for cultivation of crops. Much big company, transnational cooperation takes land on lease and grows crops on large scale for profit. This system is also called cooperate farming. In Nepal, the poor, land less and small landholders also enter into production relation of share tenancy, as there is no option for them other than to sit idle and remain semi starved at home. Land reform act of 1964 made sharecropper as the legal tenant. Thus there are lands, which have dual ownership of landlord and tenant.

19. Cooperative farming This is a farming practice in which land, equipment, labour and benefit are shared equally among the members of community or group involved in agricultural production. Kibutz in Israel is one of the examples of co-operative farming. There may be some different form of cooperative farming where only the part of production system or marketing system are shared among the members of co-operative.

20. Peri -urban agriculture In urban and semi urban area (periphery of city areas) vacant space, balcony, rooftop, backyard space is utilized to grow vegetable, ornamental, herbal and fruit crops. Small animals like swine, goat, poultry, pigeon, duck, rabbit, etc. are raised either for commercial use or for home consumption.

21. Hanging pots, baskets, sacs, plastic bottles, containers etc. are kept in sunny areas to utilize vertical space and to grow crops either for beautification or for home consumption. Growers generally utilize the garbage, recycled waste, and available local resources for cultivation. Plastic tunnels, greenhouse, hydroponics and advanced technology are also used for commercial production. As the consumers are available in nearby market, this type of agriculture is remunerative and successful in the city. Urban agriculture is also done to utilize extra time after office and business work, to supply fresh vegetable for home consumption, to protect environment and beautify home. This type of agriculture is flourishing in many cities of the world. Qqqqq

22. Green revolution Green Revolution refers to a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, occurring between the 1940s and the late 1970s, that increased agriculture production around the world, beginning most markedly in the late 1960s. During 1960’s many countries were facing food deficit. The scientists at International Agricultural Research Centers (IARC) were working to improve the production of food crops. The initiatives, led by Norman Borlaug , (a Pathologist working at CIMMYT, Mexico) the "Father of the Green Revolution" credited with saving over a billion people from starvation, involved the development high yielding wheat varieties ( lerma rojo 64a & sonora 64), which were semi dwarf, adaptive, resistant to disease, responsive to fertilizer and irrigation.

23. These varieties were successfully introduced in many countries. Besides that farmers were encouraged to use fertilizer, farm machineries, irrigation and pesticides. Improved varieties coupled with production technology drastically increased the food production. Eventually Dr. Borlaug received Nobel Prize in 1970. IRRI also developed high yielding, semi-dwarf, fertilizer responsive rice varieties, which increased the rice production of Asian farmers (where >90% rice is produced). This whole process of transformation of agriculture is known as green revolution.

24. Thanking you