Agronomy - Complete Notes With Questions | Muhammad Tayyab Siddique
🌾 AGRONOMY – Full Detailed Notes
By: Muhammad Tayyab Siddique
Degree: BS (Hons) Agriculture
Contact: 03260188566
🌱 1. INTRODUCTION TO AGRONOMY
Definition:
Agronomy is a branch of agricultural science that deals with principles and practices of crop production and soil management. It integrates knowledge from botany, soil science, climatology, and economics to enhance productivity sustainably.
Objectives:
1. To increase crop yield through modern techniques
2. To conserve natural resources (soil, water)
3. To ensure food security
4. To make agriculture climate-resilient
Interdisciplinary Nature:
Agronomy links with:
1. Soil Science: Fertility, pH, structure
2. Meteorology: Climate and weather impacts
3. Economics: Cost-benefit analysis of inputs
4. Plant Physiology: Growth and development stages
Example:
In wheat production, agronomy determines ideal sowing time, seed rate, irrigation stages, and fertilizer doses to get maximum yield.
📌 Important Questions:
1. What is agronomy and its scope?
2. Explain the interdisciplinary nature of agronomy?
3. How does agronomy contribute to sustainable agriculture?
🌾 2. CLASSIFICATION OF CROPS:
A. Based on Season:
Season Examples
B. Based on Use:
Cereals: Wheat, Rice, Maize
Pulses: Chickpea, Mung, Masoor
Oilseeds: Mustard, Sunflower
Fiber Crops: Cotton, Jute
Sugar Crops: Sugarcane, Sugar beet
Spices: Garlic, Onion, Turmeric
C. Based on Life Cycle:
Annuals: Complete life cycle in one season (e.g., Rice)
Biennials: Two seasons (e.g., Onion)
Perennials: More than two years (e.g., Sugarcane)
📌 Important Questions:
1. Classify crops based on use and season?
2. What are rabi and kharif crops?
3. Write characteristics of perennial crops?
🧪 3. SOIL SCIENCE IN AGRONOMY
Soil Components:
1. Mineral Particles: Sand, Silt, Clay
2. Organic Matter: Decayed plant & animal material
3. Soil Air and Water
4. Microorganisms
Soil Properties:
1. Physical: Texture, Structure, Bulk density
2. Chemical: pH, Cation exchange capacity (CEC), EC
3. Biological: Microbes (bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes)
Ideal Soil for Crops:
1. Loamy soil with neutral pH (6.5–7.5), rich in organic matter.
2. Soil Health Indicators:
4. Good drainage
5. Balanced nutrient availability
📌 Important Questions:
1. What are main properties of soil?
2. Explain the importance of soil tetexture?
3. What is ideal pH for most crops?
💧 4. IRRIGATION & WATER MANAGEMENT
Importance of Irrigation:
1. Maintains soil moisture
2. Enhances nutrient uptake
3. Ensures crop survival during dry spells
4. Modern Irrigation Methods:
1. Drip Irrigation:
Delivers water drop by drop near root zone (best for vegetables)
2. Sprinkler System:
Water is sprayed under pressure like rainfall
3. Furrow/Flood:
Traditional methods used in fields
Critical Stages of Irrigation:
Wheat: Crown root initiation, flowering, grain filling
Rice: Panicle initiation, flowering
Water Use Efficiency (WUE):
Yield produced per unit of water consumed. Improve it using mulching, proper timing, and fertigation.
📌 Important Questions:
1. Define water use efficiency?
2. What are critical stages of irrigation in wheat?
3. Compare drip and sprinkler irrigation?
🌿 5. WEED SCIENCE IN AGRONOMY
Definition of Weed:
Unwanted plants that compete with crops for nutrients, water, and light.
Losses Due to Weeds:
1. Yield loss up to 30–70%
2. Harbor insects and pathogens
3. Increase production cost
Weed Control Methods:
1. Cultural: Crop rotation, early sowing
2. Mechanical: Hand weeding, hoeing
3. Chemical: Herbicides (e.g., Glyphosate, Atrazine)
4.Biological: Insects/pathogens that attack specific weeds
📌 Important Questions:
1. What are cultural methods of weed control?
2. Define herbicide and give two examples?
3. Why is weed management important?
📊 6. CROPPING SYSTEMS
Types of Systems:
System Description
Monocropping Single crop grown repeatedly (e.g., cotton)
Intercropping Two crops grown simultaneously in same field (e.g., maize + beans)
Mixed cropping Random mixture of crops without specific rows
Crop rotation Planned sequence of different crops (e.g., wheat → legumes → rice)
Benefits:
1. Controls pest/disease cycles
2. Improves soil fertility
3. Reduces input costs
📌 Important Questions:
1. What is intercropping?
2. Write benefits of crop rotation?
3. Difference between mixed cropping and intercropping?
🔬 7. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
Essential Plant Nutrients (17 Total):
1. Macronutrients: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S
2. Micronutrients: Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, B, Mo, Cl
Deficiency Symptoms:
1. Nitrogen: Yellowing of older leaves
2. Phosphorus: Purplish leaf tint
3. Potassium: Leaf edge burn
Fertilizer Types:
1. Urea (46% N)
2. DAP (18% N, 46% P₂O₅)
3. SOP/MOP for Potassium
4. Zinc Sulfate for Zn deficiency
📌 Important Questions:
1. Name primary macronutrients?
2. Symptoms of nitrogen deficiency?
3. What is the role of phosphorus?
🌍 8. MODERN & SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
Sustainable Agronomic Practices:
1. Zero Tillage: No plowing; soil moisture conserved
2. Cover Cropping: Legumes grown to improve soil fertility
3. Organic Farming: Avoids synthetic chemicals
4. Precision Farming: Uses GPS and sensors for exact input application
5. INM (Integrated Nutrient Management):
Combines chemical fertilizers, organic manures, and biofertilizers.
6. IPM (Integrated Pest Management):
Combines biological, cultural, and chemical methods to manage pests.
📌 Important Questions:
1. Define zero tillage and its benefits?
2. What is IPM?
3. Explain the role of precision agriculture?
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✅ Final Professional Note (Author’s Message)
> “Agronomy is not just a science – it is the foundation of food security, environmental sustainability, and national prosperity. As a professional in agriculture, my mission is to promote modern and sustainable farming practices that empower farmers, uplift rural economies, and protect our natural resources.
With these notes, I aim to share my knowledge with students, educators, and fellow agriculturists, helping them grow in both understanding and practice. Let us work together to build a smarter, greener, and more resilient future for agriculture in Pakistan and beyond.”
– Muhammad Tayyab Siddique
BS (Hons) Agriculture | Businessman
📞 03260188566
📧 mrtayyabsial289@gmail.com
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