DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY
Patuakhali Science and
Credit hour: 21
Syllabus of B. S. Ag. (Hons.) courses
Course code: AGR 122
Course Title: Principles and Practices of Agronomy
Credit hour: 2+1
Offering semester: Winter/Autumn
Batch of Student entitled: L2-2nd
TILLAGE AND TILTH: Definition, objectives and types of tillage. Classification and efficiencies of tillage implements, tillage operations and their objectives. Factors influencing tillage. Modern concept of tillage – minimum tillage, zero tillage, conservation tillage.
PLANTING : Concepts of seed and seedling. Time, methods and depth of plantings of crops - factors affecting them. Merits and demerits of different methods of planting.
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT: Essential elements: their sources, forms of absorption, role, toxic effects and hunger signs of crops. Definition, distinction, classification and nutrient contents of manures and fertilizers. Principles and methods of fertilizer application with merits and demerits. Means of increasing fertilizer use efficiency. Balanced fertilization. Integrated Plant Nutrition System (IPNS). Maintenance of soil productivity through agronomic manipulation.
INTERCULTURAL PRACTICES: Mulching, Thinning, gap filling, weeding, roguing and earthing up – definition and objectives.
WATER MANAGEMENT : Crop water relations- Functions of water, classification of soil water, water absorbing parts of plant, Mechanism of water absorption, factors affecting water absorption rate, Soil water balance, concept of water requirement of crops, factors affecting water requirement of crops, water use efficiency. Agronomics means of increasing water use efficiency. Irrigation, drainage and moisture conservation, irrigation scheduling of crops.
1. Identification of farm implements.
2. Practicing and acquiring skill in the use of country plough, mould board plough,
power tiller plough, tractor plough, seed drill, transplanter, Japanese rice weeder, hand
hoe and combined harvester.
3. Practicing intercultural operations in different crops.
4. Identification of manures and fertilizers.
5. Preparation and preservation: (a) Farmyard Manure (b) Compost
6. Observation of hunger signs of crops and use of leaf color chart (LCC) in estimating Nitrogen deficiency in rice.
7. Calculation of fertilizer dose of crops.
8. Calculation of water requirement of crops.
9. Lay out of different irrigation systems.
10. Observation of drainage structures.
Books and Periodicals Recommended
1. De ,G. C. 1989. Fundamentals of Agronomy. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd.
2. Mudaliar,V.I.S.1984.Principles of Agronomy.5th Edition.The Bangalore printing and
1 Arakeri, H. R. and Donahue, R. 1988. Conservation and water management.
2. Baver, L. D. 1961. Soil physics. John Willey and Sons,
3. Kakde, J. R. Agricultural Climatology. Metropolitan Book Co. Pvt. Ltd.
4. Mavi, H. S. 1994. Introduction to Agrometrology. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. ,
5. Michael,A.M.1978.Irrigation-Theory and Practice.Vikas publishing
6. Morachan , Y. B. 1978. Crop production and management. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. ,
7. Teaser, M. B. 1988. Physiological Basis of Crop growth and Development. American Society of Agronomy.