UNDER-GRADUATE COURSES

Courses as per Sixth Dean Committee

AGRON-011 Farming Based Livelihood Systems 3(2+1) Sem. I, II

(For the students of B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture, B. Tech. (Food Technology), B. Tech. (Biotechnology), B.Tech. (Agricultural Engineering), B.Sc. (Hons) Horticulture, B.Sc. (Hons.) Agribusiness Management, B.Sc. (Hons.) Community Science and B.Sc. (Hons.) Food Nutrition and Dietetics – In collaboration with concerned departments)

Status of agriculture in India and different states. Income of farmers and rural people in India. Livelihood – Definition, concept and livelihood pattern in urban and rural areas; Different indicators to study livelihood systems. Agricultural livelihood systems (ALS)- Meaning, approaches and framework. Definition of farming systems and farming based livelihood systems. Prevalent farming systems in India contributing to livelihood. Types of traditional and modern farming systems. Components of farming system/farming-based livelihood systems- Crops and cropping systems, Livestock (dairy, piggery, goatry, poultry, duckry etc.), Horticultural crops, Agro-forestry systems, Aquaculture, Small-, medium- and large-enterprises including value chains and secondary enterprises as livelihood components for farmers. Feasibility of different farming systems for different agro-climatic zones. Commercial farming-based livelihood models by NABARD, ICAR and other organizations across the country. Risk and success factors in farming-based livelihood systems. Schemes and programs by Central and State Government, Public and Private organizations involved in promotion of farming-based livelihood opportunities.

Practical: Survey of farming systems and agricultural based livelihood enterprise. Study of components of important farming based livelihood models/systems in different agro-climatic zones. Study of production and profitability of crop based, livestock based, processing based and integrated farming based livelihood models. Field visit of innovative farming system models. Visit of Agri-based enterprises and their functional aspects for integration of production.

AGRON-111 Fundamentals of Agronomy 3(2+1) Sem. I

(For the students of B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture)

Agronomy and its scope- Definition and scope of Agronomy; Art, science and business of crop production. Relation of Agronomy with other disciplines of Agricultural Science. Field crops and classification. Seeds and sowing. Definition of crop, variety and seed. Factors affecting crop stand establishment – good quality seed, time of sowing, seed rate, depth and method of sowing- broadcasting, drilling, dibbling, transplanting, etc. Tillage and tilth- Definition, objectives, types, advantages and disadvantages of tillage including conservation tillage. Crop density and geometry and its effect on growth and yield. Crop nutrition- Definition of essential nutrients, criteria of essentiality, classification of essential nutrients, role of macro and micro nutrients; forms of plant nutrients absorbed by plants. Manures and fertilizers. Sources of nutrients – Inorganic (fertilizers), organic (manures) and bio-fertilizers, their classification and characteristics. Integrated Nutrient Management (INM)- Meaning, different approaches and advantages of INM. Nutrient use efficiency. Green manuring – role in crop production- Definition, objectives, types of green manuring, desirable characteristics, advantages and limitations of green manuring. Water management – Water resources of the world, India and the state. Soil Moisture Constants–gravitational water, capillary water, hygroscopic water. Crop water requirement and water use efficiency, methods of irrigation- scheduling of irrigation, different approaches of scheduling irrication. Weeds- Definition, importance and classification of weeds and their control. Cropping systems- Factors affecting cropping systems, major cropping patterns and systems in the country. Sustainable crop production- Definition, importance and practices, natural resources and conservation. Growth and development of crops and factors affecting growth and development.

Practical: A visit to Instructional Crop farm and study on field crops, Identification of crops, seeds and fertilizers. Study of preparatory tillage implements, Study of interculture implements. Practice of ploughing/puddling. Numerical exercises on calculation of seed, plant population and fertilizer requirement. Study of yield contributing characters and yield estimation of crops. Identification of weeds in different crops. Seed germination and viability test of seed. Practice on time and method of application of manures and fertilizers. Measurement of soil moisture by gravimetric method. Determination of gross irrigation requirement.

AGRON-112 Crop Production and Protection Technologies 4(3+1) Sem. I

(For the students of B.Tech. (Agricultural Engineering)-In collaboration with concerned departments)

Introduction and scope of Agronomy. Classification of crops. Effect of different weather parameters on crop growth and development. Principles of tillage, tilth and its characteristics. Seed rate, time and method of sowing of major field crops (wheat, rice, maize, cotton, sugarcane and moong bean). Methods and time of application of manures and fertilizers; Fertigation. Basic principles of natural farming, organic farming and sustainable agriculture. Water requirement of crops and critical stages for irrigation. Weeds and their management in crops. Soil forming processes, composition of soil. Important soil physical properties and their importance; soil particle distribution; soil inorganic colloids – their composition, properties and origin of charge; nutrient availability; soil organic matter– its composition and decomposition. Essential plant nutrients- criteria of essentiality and their classification. Quality of irrigation water. Gypsum requirement for reclamation of sodic soils and neutralizing RSC. Liquid fertilizers and their solubility and compatibility. Cultivation of horticultural crops (mango, guava and citrus)- Seed rate, seed treatment, sowing/planting time and methods for vegetable crops (potato, tomato and peas). Macro and micro propagation methods; Types of plant growing structures; pruning and training. Water requirement and critical stages. Management of orchard. Major pests and diseases of horticultural crops and their management.

Practical: Identification of crops, seeds and weeds. Study of different fertilizer application methods and weed control methods. Judging the maturity time for harvesting of crop. Study of seed viability and germination test. Examination of soil profile in the field. Determination of bulk density, particle density and porosity of soil. Determination of organic carbon of soil. Identification of nutrient deficiency symptoms of crops in the field. Determination of gypsum requirement of sodic soils. Identification and description of important fruits and vegetables crops. Study of different garden tools. Preparation of nursery bed. Practices of pruning and training in some important fruit crops. Study of cultural operations for vegetable crops (sowing, fertilizer application, mulching, irrigation and weed control). Seed extraction techniques. Visit to commercial greenhouse/ polyhouse.

AGRON-113 Introduction to Agronomy and Crop Production Technology 2(1+1) Sem. I

(For students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agribusiness Management)

Agriculture, Agronomy and their scope, tillage and tilth, crop density and geometry, factors affecting growth and development, crops and cropping systems, crop rotation and its principles. Manures and fertilizers. Irrigation, water resources, crop water requirement, water-use efficiency, irrigation-scheduling criteria and methods. Weeds- importance, classification; crop-weed competition. Concept of weed management-principles and methods of herbicide application. Origin, geographical distribution, economic importance, soil and climatic requirements, varieties, cultural practices of kharif crops (rice, maize, cotton, mung bean, groundnut and soybean) and rabi crops (wheat, chickpea, gobhi sarson, sunflower and sugarcane).

Practical: Identification of crops, seeds, fertilizers, hand tools and implements. Identification of weeds in crops. Methods of herbicide and fertilizer application. Numerical exercises on fertilizer requirement, plant population, herbicides and water requirement, Methods of irrigation. Methods of sowing of different crops. Nutrient functions and deficiencies, top dressing and foliar application of nutrients. Study of yield contributing characters and yield calculation of important crops. Visit to research farm of related crops.

AGRON-114 Introduction to Major Field Crops 3(2+1) Sem. I

(For students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Horticulture)

Classification and distribution of field crops. Definition, concept and principles of multiple cropping, mixed cropping, intercropping; relay and alley cropping, crop rotation. Economic importance, soil and climatic requirement, varieties, cultural practices for raising major cereals (rice, wheat, maize), pulses (gram, arhar, moong), oilseeds (rapeseed and mustard, sunflower, groundnut), cash crops (cotton, sugarcane) and fodder crops (sorghum, bajra, berseem, maize). Principles and practices of green manuring.

Practical: Identification of crop plants, seeds and weeds. Identification and use of hand tools and implements. Morphological description of field crops. Working and calibration of seed drill. Methods of sowing, fertilizer and herbicide application in field crops. Calculation of fertilizer and herbicide dose. Study of yield contributing characters and yield calculation of field crops. Visit to research farm.

AGRON-211 Crop Production Technology-I (Kharif crops) 3(1+2) Sem. I

(For students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture)

Origin, geographical distribution, economic importance, soil and climatic requirements, varieties, cultural practices and yield of kharif crops- cereals- rice, maize, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet, pulses- pigeonpea, mungbean and urdbean; oilseeds- groundnut and soybean; fibre crops- cotton and jute; forage crops- sorghum, cowpea, cluster bean and napier bajra hybrid.

Practical: Rice nursery preparation, transplanting of rice; Sowing of soybean, pigeon pea and mungbean, maize, groundnut and cotton. Effect of seed size on germination and seedling vigour of kharif season crops. Effect of sowing depth on germination of kharif crops. Identification of crops and weeds in kharif crops. Top dressing and foliar application of nutrients. Study of yield contributing characters and yield calculation of kharif crops. Study of important agronomic experiments at experiential farm. Identification and morphological description of kharif crops. Silage and hay making. Visit to research farm.

Practical Crop Production- Crop planning. Raising field crops in multiple cropping system-field preparation, seed treatment, nursery raising, sowing, nutrient, water, weed, insect-pest and disease management of crops, harvesting, threshing, drying, winnowing, storage and marketing.

AGRON-212 Crop Production Technology-II (Rabi crops) 3(1+2) Sem. II

(For students of B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture)

Origin, geographical distribution, economic importance, soil and climatic requirements, cultural practices and yield of rabi crops- cereals- wheat and barley, pulses- chickpea, lentil, field pea, oilseeds – rapeseed, mustard and sunflower; sugar crops-sugarcane; medicinal and aromatic crops- mentha, lemon grass and citronella, forage crops – berseem, lucerne and oats.

Practical: Sowing methods of important rabi crops. Identification of weeds in rabi season crops. Study of morphological characteristics of rabi crops. Study of yield contributing characters of rabi season crops. Study of important agronomic experiments of rabi crops at experimental farms. Oil extraction of medicinal crops.

Practical Crop Production- Crop planning. Raising field crops in multiple cropping system-field preparation, seed treatment, nursery raising, sowing, nutrient, water, weed, insect-pest and disease management of crops, harvesting, threshing, drying, winnowing, storage and marketing.

AGRON-213 Principles and Practices of Natural Farming 2(1+1) Sem. I

(For students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture and B.Sc. (Hons.) Horticulture)

Indian Heritage of Ancient Agriculture, History of Natural Farming. Importance of natural farming in climate resilience, soil health, water conservation, biodiversity, food security, and sustainability. Concept of natural farming; Definition of natural farming; Objective of natural farming, Essential characteristics and principles of natural farming; Scope and importance of natural farming; Main pillars of natural farming; Methods of natural farming. Characteristics and design of a natural farm; Importance of natural farming in maintaining biodiversity and community responsibility. Integration of crops, trees, animals, biodiversity, farm waste recycling, water conservation and renewable energy. Nutrient and weed management in natural farming. Processing, labeling, economic viability, certification, and export potential of natural farming produce. Initiatives taken by government, NGOs, and organizations for promotion of natural farming through policies, support programs, and success stories.

Practical: Visit of natural farm and chemical free traditional farms to study the various components and operations of natural farming principles at the farm; Indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) for seed, tillage, water, nutrient and weed management. On-farm inputs preparation methods and protocols. Studies in green manuring- in-situ and green leaf manuring. Studies on different types of botanicals and animal urine and dung based non-aerated and aerated inputs for plant growth. Weed management practices in natural farming. Various methods of clean seed production under natural farming. Cost evaluation of natural farm.

AGRON-214 Water Management 2(1+1) Sem. II

(For students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture)

Irrigation- Definition and objectives; Importance and functions of water for plant growth. Water resources and irrigation development in India; Soil-plant-water relationships; Available and unavailable soil moisture- distribution of soil moisture, water budgeting, rooting characteristics, moisture extraction pattern; effect of moisture stress on crop growth. Methods of soil moisture estimation. Evapotranspiration and crop water requirement, effective rainfall; different approaches of scheduling of irrigation; Methods of irrigation application- surface and sub-surface, pressurized methods viz., sprinkler and drip irrigation, their suitability, merits and limitations, fertigation. Economic use of irrigation water- Irrigation efficiency and water use efficiency, conjunctive use of water. Water management of different crops (rice, wheat, maize, cotton, groundnut, sugarcane, citrus, guava, mango, potato, tomato and peas). Agricultural drainage. Water management in problematic soils.

Practical: Determination of bulk density by field method. Determination of soil moisture content by gravimetric method and tensiometer. Determination of field capacity by field method. Determination of permanent wilting point. Measurement of irrigation water by using water measuring devices viz., flumes and weirs. Calculation of irrigation water requirement. Determination of infiltration rate. Demonstration of furrow method of irrigation, demonstration of check basin and basin method of irrigation. Visit to farmers field and cost estimation of drip irrigation system. Demonstration of filter cleaning, fertigation, injection and flushing of laterals; layout for different methods of irrigation. Installation and operation of sprinkler irrigation system. Measurement of emitter discharge rate, wetted diameter and calculation of emitter discharge variability.

AGRON-311 Weed Management 2(1+1) Sem. I

(For students of B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture)

Introduction to weeds, characteristics of weeds, their harmful and beneficial effects. Classification, reproduction and dissemination of weeds, crop-weed competition, factors of competition. Concepts of weed management- physical, cultural, chemical, biological and integrated weed management. Implements for weed control. Herbicide classification, selectivity, mode of action of herbicides. Concept of adjuvants, surfactants, herbicide formulation and their use, Concept of herbicide mixture and utility in agriculture; Herbicide compatibility with agro-chemicals and their application. Herbicide resistance- introduction and its management. Weed management in different field (rice, wheat, maize, cotton, groundnut and sugarcane) and horticultural crops (citrus, guava, mango, potato, tomato and peas). Aquatic weed management.

Practical: Technique of weed preservation. Weed identification and losses caused by weeds. Biology of important weeds. Study of weeds in different situations. Study on shift in weed flora in long term trials. Study of herbicide formulations and mixture of herbicides, methods of herbicide application. Herbicide spraying equipments, their parts, use and maintenance. Weed control implements. Calculation of herbicide doses and requirement, weed control efficiency and weed index.

AGRON-312 Rainfed Agriculture and Watershed Management 2(1+1) Sem. II

(For students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture)

Rainfed agriculture- Introduction, types and characteristics. History of rainfed agriculture in India. Problems and prospects of rainfed agriculture in India; Soil and climatic conditions prevalent in rainfed areas. Soil and water conservation techniques. Drought- types, effect of water deficit on physio-morphological characteristics of the plants, crop adaptation and mitigation to drought. Water harvesting- importance, its techniques, efficient utilization of water through soil and crop management practices. Crops and cropping systems in rainfed areas- management of crops in rainfed areas. Contingent crop planning for aberrant weather conditions. Concept, history, objective, principles and components of watershed management and factors affecting watershed management.

Practical: Studies on climate classification. Studies on rainfall pattern in rainfed areas of the country and pattern of onset and withdrawal of monsoons. Scheduling of supplemental irrigation on the basis of evapo-transpiration demand of crops. Effective rainfall and its calculation. Studies on cultural and mechanical measures for mitigating moisture stress. Soil moisture determination under different land situations. Importance and methods of seed priming to mitigate drought. Visit to model watershed. Field demonstration on soil and moisture conservation measures. Field demonstration on construction of water harvesting structures. Visit to rainfed research experiments.

AGRON-313 Sustainable Farming Systems and Precision Agriculture 2(1+1) Sem. I

(For the students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agribusiness Management- In collaboration with Department of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology)

Farming System-scope, importance, concept and types. Farming systems components, indicators of sustainability, adaptation and mitigation, determining production and efficiencies in cropping and farming systems. Sustainable agriculture- problems and its impact on agriculture. Integrated Farming System (IFS)- historical background, objectives and characteristics, components of IFS and its advantages, resource use efficiency and optimization techniques. Operational structure of National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP). Organic certification process and economic considerations. Marketing export potential of organic products. Precision agriculture- components, concepts and principles, techniques, their issues and concern for Indian agriculture. Familiarization with Remote Sensing (RS), Geographic Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS). Site irrigation management practices using remote sensing and GIS.

Practical: Tools for determining production and efficiencies in cropping and farming system, Visit cropping systems and IFS models. Organic farming guidelines and alternative philosophies. ITKs in organic farming. NPOP- certification process and standards of organic farming; processing, labelling, marketing and export of organic products. Economic of Organic production systems. Visit to organic farmer’s fields. Use of GPS for agricultural survey and recording the observations with GPS. Area estimation, navigation and recording elevation points. Conversion of GPS readings, Study of maps, topo sheets, cartography; GPS software’s, spatial data creation and editing. Introduction to image processing and its techniques. Visual and digital interpretation of remote sensing images. VRT, Generation of spectral profiles of different objects. Supervised and unsupervised classification. Use of UAV in agriculture.

Skill Enhancement Courses

SEC-AGRON1 Organic and Natural Farming 2(0+2) Sem.II

(For the students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture and B.Sc. (Hons.) Horticulture)

Practical: Introduction to organic and natural farming: Basics, principles and benefits, certification and standards, policies and programs supporting organic and natural farming. Soil and nutrient management: Soil health and organic/natural practices, composting techniques, bio-fertilizers and organic amendments, green manures and cover crops; natural farming concoctions. Crop management: Cultural practices, weed management. Pest and disease management: Biological pest control, preparation of organic extracts, Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM). Post-harvest management and marketing: Post-harvest handling, value-added products, marketing and certification, economics of organic horticulture. Visit to organic and natural farms to study various components and operations of organic and natural farming principles; Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) for seed, tillage, water, nutrient, insect-pest, disease and weed management, hands-on training sessions on preparation of organic extracts and natural farming concoctions, compost preparation and seed treatment. On-farm input preparation methods and protocols.

SEC-AGRON2 Cultivation of Aromatic and Spice Crops 2(0+2)

(For the students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture and B.Sc. (Hons.) Horticulture)

Practical: Identification of crops based on morphological and seed characteristics; Important cultural practices involved in raising of aromatic (Patchouli, Mentha, lemongrass, basil, citronella, palmarosa, vetiver and geranium) and spice (Turmeric, ginger, dill seed, coriander, ajwain, fennel, celery and fenugreek) crops. Quality characters in spices and aromatic plants. Methods of analysis of essential oil and other chemicals of importance in aromatic and spice crops.

Elective Courses

AGRON-411 Water Conservation and Resource Management 4(3+1) Sem. I

(For the students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture)

Global water distribution, Water resources scenario in India and state: availability, demand and deficit; Importance of water conservation; History of water resource development and management, irrigation water projects, major rivers and canal water distribution networks; Hydrological cycle, surface water and groundwater interactions, Water balance components and their computation at field, regional and global scale; Crop-weed-nutrient-water interactions; Traditional and modern water-saving methods, Precision irrigation techniques (e.g., drip and sprinkler irrigation), IoT and sensor based smart water systems; Water-saving technologies in major field crops. Rainwater harvesting: importance, designs and implementation; Water recycling and reuse strategies; Sources of water pollution and their effects; Emerging technologies for desalination and water treatment; Water footprints: blue, green and grey, virtual water; Natural flow regimes for ecosystem health, Restoration of rivers and wetlands; Impact of climate change on water resources; Key water laws and policies, Water pricing, incentives and sanctions (global and regional); Role of education and community participation in water conservation, Behavioral change and water-use efficiency

Practical: Estimation of water balance by Thornthwaite and FAO methods; Determination of system efficiency of different irrigation methods (drip, sub-surface drip, and flood irrigation) through water usage and crop yield comparison. Water use efficiency and water productivity (Numericals). Demonstration of drip irrigation systems: components and installation; Design and working of IoT- and sensor-based smart irrigation systems. Visit to a rainwater harvesting structure, its design and calculation of potential water savings. Measurement of irrigation water by volume and velocity-area method Determination of water footprints of major crops and virtual water (Numerical) Determination of water use patterns in a household or village, and preparation of a water conservation plan. Visit to a large irrigation/multipurpose project/dam.

AGRON-412 Principles and Practices of Weed Control 3(2+1) Sem. I

(For the students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture)

Introduction, characteristics and importance of weeds-their useful and harmful effects. Critical period of crop-weed competition. Crop-weed interference including allelopathy. Studies on weed seed bank and shift in weed flora. Classification of weeds, weed biology and ecology including establishment, weed persistence, dormancy, weed reproduction and their dissemination. Weed Management; principles and methods – physical, chemical, biological, cultural; advantages and disadvantages of different methods. Weed control in important field crops. Weed management in organic/natural farming. Herbicides – their classification and methods of application. Concept of adjuvant, surfactant, herbicide formulation and their use. Introduction to mechanism of action of important herbicides, herbicide selectivity, herbicide compatibility with agro-chemicals and their application. Use of nano herbicides and precision weed management. Use of drones and robotic for weed control. Concept of Integrated Weed Management. Overview of herbicide resistance: types and control strategies.

Practical: Identification of rabi, kharif and perennial weeds,. Preparation of herbarium of weeds. Methods of recording weed data. Calculation of weed control efficiency and weed index. Computation of herbicide doses and demonstration of methods of herbicide application. Study of herbicides– their formulations and mixtures. Diagnosis of toxicity symptoms and selectivity of herbicides in crops and weeds.; Visit to different weed control experiments.

AGRON-413 Principles and Practices of Conservation Agriculture 3(2+1) Sem. I

(For the students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture)

Conservation Agriculture (CA): Its origin, definition, principles, scope, importance and objectives. Global perspectives and trends in CA adoption. Conservation tillage and its types; Significance of crop residue management. Challenges for diversified use of crop residue in high cropping intensity areas. On-site and off-site management of crop residues. Cover cropping and Mulching: their importance for soil protection, types of cover crops and its role in moisture retention and weed suppression. Efficient cropping systems adoption in CA. Climate change mitigation and adaptation. Soil health indicators (Soil organic matter, pH, bulk density, respiration, nutrient levels, microbial biomass, infiltration rate, soil erosion risk) and crop yield. Carbon sequestration. Environmental, economic and social aspects of CA. Recent technologies and advanced tillage and seeding equipments for precision farming under CA. Limitations and policy options for adoption of CA.

Practical: Estimation of load of crop residue of different crops. Study of different cropping systems under CA; Observations on different types of conservation tillage methods. Use of farm machinery for sowing of different crops under in-situ crop residue management. Effect of crop residue mulch on microclimate, crop growth and yield parameters. Study of weed flora under conservation tillage. Estimation of soil moisture conservation under conservation tillage v/s conventional tillage. Agronomic practices for raising different cover crops; Comparison of CA and conventional agriculture practices with respect to economics.

AGRON-414 Principles of Crop Growth and Productivity 4(3+1) Sem. I

(For the students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture)

Overview of crop growth and productivity. Key factors influencing crop growth (genetics, environment, management). Different stages of crop growth and factors affecting it. Growth curve, growth indices and their significance. Plant structure and functions: roots, stem, leaves and flowers. Reproductive development: Flowering, pollination, and fruiting. Concept of yield components: number of tillers, grains per plant, and seed size. Maturation and senescence in crops. Crop productivity: Definition and factors influencing yield potential of important field crops. Methods of measuring crop productivity (harvest index, yield components). Photosynthesis: Mechanism, stages and impact on crop productivity. Respiration: Role in energy production and growth. Transpiration: Water movement, stomatal functioning and cooling effect. Mineral nutrition: Essential nutrients for crops and their uptake mechanism. Regulation of plant growth hormones (Auxins, Cytokinins, Gibberellins, Ethylene, Abscisic Acid). Effect of different climatic conditions on crop growth and their adaptation to different environmental conditions. Water management: Role of irrigation and water stress on crop productivity. Abiotic stresses: Drought, heat, water logging, salinity and their impact on crops. Biotic stresses: pests, diseases, and weeds. Mechanisms of stress tolerance in crop growth and productivity. Mitigation strategies for abiotic and biotic stresses.

Practical: Study of the different growth stages in field crops. Examination of root zones, types of roots, and the structure of stem and leaves in monocot and dicot plants. Exploration of the role of light in the photosynthetic process. Demonstration of the role of CO? in both aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Study of various types of stomata in specimen plants. Demonstration of processes such as imbibition, osmosis, plasmolysis and diffusion. Identification of nutrient deficiency symptoms in plants through visual observation. Study of the role of plant growth regulators (PGRs) in seed germination and growth. Evaluation of yield attributes at maturity in different field crops including theoretical yield calculations. Field visits to acquaint students with various stresses such as drought, heat, water logging, salinity, pests, diseases and weeds.

AGRON-415 Medicinal, Aromatic and Spice Crops 3(2+1) Sem. I

(For the students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture)

Importance of medicinal, aromatic and spice crops in national economy. Description, distribution, climate, soil requirements and cultural practices of Medicinal crops- Kalmegh, dioscoria, rauvolfia, safed musli, opium, periwinkle, guggal, belladonna, nuxvomica, Solanum nigrum, senna, isabgol, coleus and vach; Aromatic crops- Patchouli, Mentha, lemongrass, citronella, palmarosa, vetiver and geranium; Spice crops- Cardamom, black pepper, pipli mug, asafoetida, turmeric, ginger, dill seed, coriander, cumin, fennel, celery and fenugreek.

Practical: Identification of crops based on morphological and seed characteristics. Raising of medicinal, spices and aromatic crops. Quality characters in medicinal, spices and aromatic plants. Methods of analysis of essential oil and other chemicals of importance in medicinal and aromatic plants.

AGM-411 Climate Resilient Agriculture 3(2+1) Sem. I

(For the students of B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture and to be offered by the Department of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology)

Climate change and impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security; crop productivity under different climate change scenarios including extreme events such as drought, flood, pest and disease outbreak etc. Basics of adaption and mitigation in the agricultural sectors; analyzing and assessing climate vulnerability to identify vulnerable sectors and possible adaptation options in agriculture; assessing biophysical and socio-economic impacts on agricultural sector; risk assessment strategies, preparedness for weather and climate risks in agriculture; application of geospatial tools and techniques for sustainable agriculture. Climate resilient agriculture (CRA) – concept, scope and importance with special reference to India, climate resilient technologies for enhancing crop productivity and sustainability – role of weather and climatic information, agro-advisories, ICTs and simulation models; climate resilient agronomic practices – crop/cultivar selection, crop diversification/ crop mixtures; water management practices – rain water harvesting, micro-irrigation, deficit irrigation and drainage management, organic/natural farming, integrated farming systems (IFS); site specific nutrient management (SSNM), conservation agriculture technologies to build soil organic carbon, harnessing microbial biodiversity, biomass recycling; use of renewable sources of energy; climate resilient pest-disease management strategies. Breeding strategies for development of climate change resilient crops and varieties, development of biotic and abiotic stress tolerant/resistant cultivars under changed climatic scenarios including extreme weather events.

Practical: Acquaintance with meteorological instruments including AWS, Statistical techniques to study trend of climatic parameters, Analysis of extreme weather events using non-parametric tests, Building climate change scenarios under different futuristic emission of GHGs, Designing strategies to mitigate the effect of climate change using climate resilient crops/cultivars, Climate resilient technologies and manipulation of cropping patterns, Acquaintance with ICTs for effective dissemination of local weather information and agro-advisories, Analyzing carbon sequestration potential of different agro-ecosystems; Designing climate smart village model considering the availability of resources. Awareness programme on climate change and climate resilient agriculture among farming community.

Student READY

AGRON-421 Experiential Learning in Organic Production Technology 10(0+10) Sem. II

Courses as per Fifth Dean Committee

Agron. 51 Elementary Agriculture Credit Hours: 2(1+1) Semester: I

Agriculture and its component sciences. Classification of crops. Seed, its structure, germination, phases of growth, factors affecting growth. Seed bed preparation. Nutrients for plant growth. Fertilizers and manures. Importance of water to plants, its uptake and losses. Weeds and their control.

Practical: Identification of various crops and seed. Study of germination of different types of crop seeds. Familiarization of important agricultural implements and hand tools, weeds, fertilizers.

Agron. 52 Elementary Agronomy Credit Hours: 3(2+1) Semester: I

Agronomy – its importance and relation with other sciences. Classification of crops. Tillage – principles and practices. Different methods of sowing. Common manures and fertilizers, and their time and method of application. Green manuring. Methods of irrigation. Weeds and their control. Cropping systems, crop rotations and inter-cropping. Harvesting and threshing. Conservation agriculture.

Practical: Land measurements. Use of common hand tools and farm implements. Identification of different fertilizers. Computation of fertilizer doses. Methods of fertilizer application. Germination and purity test. Use of spray pumps. Practice in harvesting and threshing. Farm visit for familiarization with field problems.

Agron. 53 Crop Production – I Credit Hours: 3(2+1) Semester: I

Important kharif crops – rice, maize, bajra, cotton, sugarcane, moong, mash, red gram, soybean, groundnut, sesamum, mentha, turmeric and fodder crops, their importance, improved varieties, cultural practices, harvesting and threshing.

Practical: Identification of important kharif crops, their seeds and weeds. Field practices like seedbed preparation, seed treatment, preparation of sugarcane seed sets, sowing, transplanting, thinning, earthing up, hoeing, fertilizer and herbicide application, propping, maturity indexing and harvesting.

Agron. 54 Crop Production – II Credit Hours: 3(2+1) Semester: II

Important rabi crops – wheat, winter maize, gram, lentil, rapeseed and mustard, sunflower, safflower, celery and fodder crops, their importance, improved varieties, cultural practices, harvesting and threshing.

Practical: Identification of important rabi crops, their seeds and weeds. Field practices like seedbed preparation, seed treatment, sowing, transplanting, thinning, earthing up, hoeing, fertilizer and herbicide application, maturity indexing and harvesting.

Agron. 101 Fundamentals of Agronomy Credit Hours: 4(3+1) Semester: I

Agronomy and its scope. History of agriculture and impact of green revolution on Indian agriculture. Seeds and sowing, tillage and tilth. Crop density and geometry. Crop nutrition, manures and fertilizers, nutrient use efficiency. Water resources. Soil-plant-water relationship; crop water requirement, water use efficiency. Irrigation- scheduling criteria and methods, quality of irrigation water, water logging. Weeds-importance, classification, crop weed competition, concepts of weed management-principles and methods, herbicides- classification, selectivity and resistance, allelopathy. Growth and development of crops. Cropping system and its diversification in present day agriculture. Factors affecting growth and development. Plant ideotypes. Crop rotation and its principles. Adaptation and distribution of crops. Crop management technologies in problematic areas. Harvesting and threshing of crops.

Practical: Identification of crops, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and tillage implements. Study of agro-climatic zones of India. Identification of weeds in crops, methods of herbicide and fertilizer application. Study of yield contributing characters and yield estimation. Seed germination and viability test. Numerical exercises on fertilizer requirement, plant population, herbicides and water requirement. Use of tillage implements-reversible plough, one way plough, harrow, leveller, seed drill. Study of soil moisture measuring devices, measurement of field capacity, bulk density and infiltration rate. Measurement of irrigation water.

Agron. 102 Principles of Agronomy Credit Hours: 2(1+1) Semester: II

(For students of B. Tech. Agri. Engineering)

Introduction and scope of Agronomy. Classification of crops. Effect of different weather parameters on crop growth and development. Principles of tillage, tilth and its characteristics. Modern concepts of tillage. Crop seasons. Varieties, methods, time and depth of sowing, weed control, irrigation and fertilizer management of major field crops. Methods and time of application of manures and fertilizers. Precision agriculture. Organic farming. Sustainable agriculture. Soil water plant relationship, methods of irrigation, water requirement of crops and critical stages for irrigation. Weeds and their control. Crop rotation, cropping systems, relay cropping and mixed cropping.

Practical: Land measurement. Identification of crops, seeds, hand tools, implements, fertilizers and weeds. Calculation of fertilizer doses, fertilizer application methods. Different weed control methods. Practice of ploughing, practice of puddling, practice of sowing.

Agron. 103 Crop Production Technology Credit Hours: 3(2+1) Semester: I

(For students of B.Tech. Biotechnology – In collaboration with Department of Soil Science)

Soil and its components. Soil morphological, physical, chemical and biological properties. Acidic, saline and alkali soils and their reclamation. Essential plant nutrients-functions and deficiency symptoms. Soil micro-organisms. Rhizosphere and its domain in soil. Organic manures and inorganic fertilizers. Agriculture, Agronomy and its relation with other sciences. Classification of crops. Tillage and tillage practices, concepts of tillage and objectives. Seed, its characteristics and different sowing methods. Weed management-definition of weed, losses and benefits of weeds, different weed control methods and their suitability under different conditions. Irrigation-Soil water classification, methods of irrigation, approaches for scheduling irrigation. Soil fertility and productivity. Concept of essentiality of plant nutrients. Fertilizers, manures and their types, methods of fertilizer application. Concepts of crop rotation, multiple cropping and intercropping – their principles, advantages and limitations. Cropping intensity. Production technology of major crops: Rice, maize, cotton, soybean, mung bean, mash, wheat, rapeseed and mustard, gram and Egyptian clover.

Practical: Study of soil profile and its characteristics. Determination of soil particle size distribution, particle density and bulk density. Determination of soil pH, electrical conductivity and organic carbon. Isolation of soil micro-flora (bacteria, fungus and actinomycetes). Land measurement. Practice in seedbed preparation and seeding methods. Identification of crop seeds, crops, weeds and fertilizers. Identification and use of hand tools and implements. Computation of fertilizer doses and their method of application.

Agron. 105 Crop Production Practices Credit Hours: 3(2+1) Semester: I

(For students of B. Tech. Food Technology – In collaboration with Department of Fruit Science & Vegetable Science)

Classification of crops. Effect of different weather parameters on crop growth and development. Principles of tillage. Soil-water-plant relationship. Crop rotation, cropping systems, relay cropping and mixed cropping. Crop production technology for major cereal crops viz., paddy, wheat, maize, pearl millet, sorghum, etc. Major varieties, sowing time, method of sowing, spacing, inter-culturing, fertilizer and water requirement, time of harvest, maturity index, yield potential, etc. Crop production technology for major oilseed crops viz., groundnut, sesame, rapeseed, mustard, castor, etc. Major varieties, sowing time, method of sowing, spacing, inter-culturing, fertilizer and water requirement, time of harvest, maturity index, yield potential, etc. Crop production technology for major pulse crops viz., pigeon pea, cowpea, gram, green gram, black gram, etc. Major varieties, sowing time, method of sowing, spacing, inter-culturing, fertilizer and water requirement, time of harvest, maturity index, yield potential etc. Crop production technology for major spices and cash crops viz., cumin, coriander, fennel, ginger, garlic, sugarcane etc. Major varieties, sowing time, method of sowing, spacing, inter-culturing, fertilizer and water requirement, time of harvest, maturity index, yield potential, cost of cultivation, income from production, etc. Horticulture – Scope of horticultural crops. Soil and climatic requirements for fruits and vegetables, nursery raising and management. Crop production technology for major fruit crops viz., mango, banana, sapota, aonla, pomegranate, guava, etc., Major varieties, time of transplanting, spacing, inter-culturing, fertilizer and water requirement, time and method of harvest, maturity index, yield potential, cost of cultivation, income from production, etc. Crop production technology for major vegetable crops viz., potato, onion, tomato, chilli and other green and leafy vegetables; Major varieties, sowing time, method of sowing, spacing, inter-culturing, fertilizer and water requirement, time of harvest, maturity index, yield potential, cost of cultivation, income from production, etc.

Practical: Examination of soil profile in the field, Introduction to different equipments utilized in a weather observatory. Identification of seed of different agricultural crops and their varieties. Study of seed viability and germination test. Identification of different weeds and methods of their control. Use of different inter-culturing equipments. Study of water requirement of different crops. Fertilizer application methods and equipments. Judging maturity time for harvesting of crop. Identification and description of important fruit and vegetable crops. Preparation of nursery. Study of different garden tools. Practices of pruning and training in some important fruit crops.

Agron. 201 Production Technology for Kharif Crops Credit Hours: 2(1+1) Semester: I

Origin, geographical distribution, economic importance, soil and climatic requirements, varieties, cultural practices and yield of kharif crops. Cereals- rice, maize, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet; pulses- pigeon pea, mung bean and urdbean; oilseeds- groundnut and soybean; fibre crops- cotton and jute; forage crops- maize, sorghum, bajra, cowpea, cluster bean and Napier-bajra hybrid.

Practical: Rice nursery preparation and transplanting. Sowing of cotton, maize, soybean, pigeon pea, mung bean, groundnut and forage crops. Effect of seed size and sowing depth on germination and seedling vigour of kharif crops. Identification of weeds in kharif crops. Top dressing and foliar application of fertilizers. Morphological description of kharif crops. Yield calculation of kharif crops. Visit to experiments at Agronomy farm and research centres.

Agron. 202 Production Technology for Rabi Crops Credit Hours: 2(1+1) Semester: II

Origin, geographical distribution, economic importance, soil and climatic requirements, varieties, cultural practices and yield of rabi crops. Cereals – wheat and barley; pulses- chickpea, lentil, peas; oilseeds – rapeseed, mustard and sunflower; sugar crops- sugarcane; medicinal and aromatic crops- lemon grass and citronella; forage crops-berseem, lucerne and oat.

Practical: Sowing methods of wheat and sugarcane. Identification of weeds in rabi season crops. Study of morphological characteristics of rabi crops. Study of yield contributing characters of rabi season crops and their yield. Study of important agronomic experiments of rabi crops at experimental farms. Study of rabi forage experiments. Oil extraction of medicinal crops. Visit to research stations of related crops.

Agron. 203 Farming System and Sustainable Agriculture Credit Hours: 1(1+0) Semester: II

Farming System-scope, importance, and concept. Types and systems of farming system and factors affecting types of farming. Farming system components and their maintenance. Cropping system and pattern. Multiple cropping system. Efficient cropping system and their evaluation. Allied enterprises and their importance. Tools for determining production and efficiencies in cropping and farming system. Sustainable agriculture-problems and its impact on agriculture. Indicators of sustainability. Adaptation and mitigation. Conservation agriculture strategies in agriculture. HEIA, LEIA and LEISA and its techniques for sustainability. Integrated farming system-historical background, objectives and characteristics. Components of IFS and its advantages. Site specific development of IFS model for different agro-climatic zones, resource use efficiency and optimization techniques. Resource cycling and flow of energy in different farming system, farming system and environment, Visit of IFS model in different agro-climatic zones of nearby states University/ institutes and farmers field.

Agron. 301 Practical Crop Production-I (Kharif Crops) Credit Hours: 2(0+2) Semester: I

Practical: Crop planning. Raising field crops in multiple cropping system- field preparation, seed treatment, nursery raising, sowing, nutrient, water, weed, insect-pest and disease management of crops, harvesting, threshing, drying, winnowing, storage and marketing of produce with emphasis on seed production, mechanization, resource conservation and integrated nutrient, weed, insect-pest and disease management technologies. Preparation of balance sheet including cost of cultivation and net returns per student and as well as per team of 8-10 students.

Agron. 302 Practical Crop Production-II (Rabi Crops) Credit Hours: 2(0+2) Semester: II

Practical: Crop planning. Raising field crops in multiple cropping system-field preparation, seed treatment, nursery raising, sowing, nutrient, water, weed, insect-pest and disease management of crops, harvesting, threshing, drying, winnowing, storage and marketing of produce with emphasis on seed production, mechanization, resource conservation and integrated nutrient, weed, insect-pest and disease management technologies. Preparation of balance sheet including cost of cultivation and net returns per student and as well as per team of 8-10 students.

Agron. 303 Rainfed Agriculture and Watershed Management Credit Hours: 2(1+1) Semester: I

Rainfed agriculture-introduction and types. History of rainfed agriculture and watershed concept in India. Problems and prospects of rainfed agriculture in India. Soil and climatic conditions in rainfed areas. Drought – types, effect of water deficit on physio-morphological characteristics of the plants. Crop adaptation to drought and mitigation of its effects. Soil and water conservation techniques. Water harvesting– importance and its techniques. Efficient utilization of water through soil and crop management practices. Management of crops in rainfed areas. Contingent crop planning for aberrant weather conditions. Concept, objectives, principles and components of watershed management. Factors affecting watershed management.

Practical: Climate classification. Rainfall pattern in rainfed areas of the country. Pattern of onset and withdrawal of monsoons. Calculations of effective rainfall. Cropping pattern of different rainfed areas in the country and their mapping. Interpretation of meteorological data. Scheduling of supplemental irrigation on the basis of evapo-transpiration demand of crops. Cultural practices for mitigation of moisture stress. Characterization and delineation of model watershed. Field demonstration on soil and moisture conservation measures. Field demonstration of water harvesting structures. Visit to rainfed research station/ watershed.

Agron. 304 Principles of Organic Farming Credit Hours: 2(1+1) Semester: II

(In collaboration with Department of Soil Science, Entomology and Plant Pathology)

Organic farming – principles and its scope in India. Initiatives taken by Government (central/state), NGOs and other organizations for promotion of organic agriculture. Organic ecosystem and their concepts. Organic nutrient resources and its fortification. Restrictions to nutrient use in organic farming. Choice of crops and varieties in organic farming. Fundamentals of insect, pest, disease and weed management under organic mode of production. Operational structure of NPOP. Certification process and standards of organic farming. Processing, labelling, economic considerations and viability, marketing and export potential of organic products.

Practical: Visit to organic farms for studying various components and their utilization. Preparation and analysis of enriched compost, vermicompost and bio-fertilizers/bio-inoculants. Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) for nutrient, insect, pest, disease and weed management. Cost calculation of organic production systems. Post harvest management- quality aspect, grading, packaging and handling.

Agron. 305 Weed Management (Optional course) Credit Hours: 3(2+1) Semester: II

Weeds – introduction, characteristics and their harmful effects. Classification, reproduction and dissemination of weeds. Herbicide classification. Concept of adjuvant, surfactant, herbicide formulation and their use. Introduction to mode of action of herbicide and selectivity. Allelopathy and its application for weed management. Bio-herbicides and their application in agriculture. Concept of herbicide mixture and utility in agriculture. Herbicide compatibility with agro-chemicals and their application. Integration of herbicides with non-chemical methods of weed management. Herbicide resistance and its management.

Practical: Weed identification and techniques of weed preservation. Losses caused by weeds. Biology of important weeds. Study of herbicides– their formulations and mixtures. Shift of weed flora study in long term experiments. Methods of herbicide application. Spraying equipments and their calibration. Calculation of herbicide doses, weed control efficiency and weed index.

Agron. 491 Agro-industrial Attachment: Seed Industries/Herbicide Formulations

Credit Hours: 4(0+4) Semester: I

Agron. 492 Experiential Learning in Organic Production Technology

Credit Hours: 20(0+20) Semester: II

POST-GRADUATE COURSES: BSMA courses

COURSE OFFERING SCHEDULE, SEMESTER II

Agron.-501     Modern Concepts in Crop Production    Credit Hours: 3(3+0)   Semester: I

Theory

UNIT-I

Crop growth analysis in relation to environment; Agro- ecological zones of India.

UNIT-II

Quantitative agro-biological principles and inverse yield nitrogen law; Mitscherlich yield equation, its interpretation and applicability; Baule unit.

UNIT-III

Lodging in cereals; physiology of grain yield in cereals; optimization of plant population and planting geometry in relation to different resources, concept of ideal plant type and crop modeling for desired crop yield.

UNIT-IV

Scientific principles of crop production; crop response production functions; concept of soil-plant relations; yield and environmental stress, use of growth hormones and regulators for better adaptation in stressed condition.

UNIT-V

Integrated farming systems, organic farming, and resource conservation technology including modern concept of tillage; dry farming; determining the nutrient needs for yield potentiality of crop plants, concept of balance nutrition and integrated nutrient management; precision agriculture. Modern crop production concepts: soil less cultivation, Aeroponics, Hydroponics, Robotics and terrace farming. Use of GIS, GPS and remote sensing in modern agriculture, precision farming and protected agriculture. Agronomic bio-fortification of food crops.

Agron.-502   Principles and Practices of Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management

Credit Hours: 3(2+1)   Semester: II

Theory

UNIT I

Soil fertility and productivity – factors affecting; features of good soil management; problems of supply and availability of nutrients; relation between nutrient supply and crop growth; organic farming – basic concepts and definitions.

UNIT II

Criteria of essentiality of nutrients; Essential plant nutrients – their functions, nutrient deficiency symptoms; transformation and dynamics of major plant nutrients.

UNIT III

Preparation and use of farmyard manure, compost, green manures, vermicompost, biofertilizers and other organic concentrates their composition, availability and crop responses; recycling of organic wastes and residue management. Soil less cultivation.

UNIT IV

Commercial fertilizers; composition, relative fertilizer value and cost; crop response to different nutrients, residual effects and fertilizer use efficiency; agronomic, chemical and physiological, fertilizer mixtures and grades; methods of increasing fertilizer use efficiency; nutrient interactions.

UNIT V

Time and methods of manures and fertilizers application; foliar application and its concept; relative performance of organic and inorganic nutrients; economics of fertilizer use; integrated nutrient management; use of vermincompost and residue wastes in crops.

Practical: Determination of soil pH, soil EC, and soil organic C. Determination of available and total N, P, K and S of soil. Determination of total N, P, K, S in plant. Computation of optimum and economic yield.

Agron.-503 *    Principles and Practices of Weed Management Credit Hours: 3(2+1)

Semester: I

Theory

UNIT I

Weed biology, and ecology and classification, crop-weed competition including allelopathy; principles and methods of weed control and classification management; weed indices, weed shift in different eco-systems

UNIT II

Herbicides introduction and history of their development; classification based on chemical, physiological application and selectivity; mode and mechanism of action of herbicides.

UNIT III

Herbicide structure – activity relationship; factors affecting the efficiency of herbicides; herbicide formulations, herbicide mixtures, sequential application of herbicides, rotation; weed control through use of nano-herbicides and bio-herbicides, myco-herbicides bioagents, and allelochemicals; movement of herbicides in soil and plant, Degradation of herbicides in soil and plants; herbicide resistance, residue, persistence and management; development of herbicide resistance in weeds and crops and their management, herbicide combination and rotation.

UNIT IV

Weed management in major crops and cropping systems; alien, invasive and parasitic weeds and their management; weed shifts in cropping systems; aquatic and perennial weed control; weed control in non-crop area.

UNIT V

Integrated weed management; recent development in weed management- robotics, use of drones and aeroplanes, organic etc., cost: benefit analysis of weed management.

Practical: Identification of important weeds of different crops, Preparation of a weed herbarium, Weed survey in crops and cropping systems, Crop-weed competition studies, Weed indices calculation and interpretation with data, Preparation of spray solutions of herbicides for high and low-volume sprayers, Use of various types of spray pumps and nozzles and calculation of swath width, Economics of weed control, Herbicide resistance analysis in plant and soil, Bioassay of herbicide resistance residues, Calculation of herbicide requirement

Agron.-504     Principles and Practices of Water Management Credit Hours: 3(2+1)

Semester: I

Theory

Water and its role in plants; Irrigation: Definition and objectives, water resources and irrigation development in India and concerned state, major irrigation projects, extent of area and crops irrigated in India and in different states.

UNIT II

Field water cycle, water movement in soil and plants; transpiration; soil-water-plant relationships; water absorption by plants; plant response to water stress, crop plant adaptation to moisture stress condition. Determination of hydraulic conductivity of saturated soil below the water table by auger hole method. Estimation of upward flux of water using tensiometer and from depth ground water table. Water availability and its relationship with nutrient availability and loses.

UNIT III

Soil, plant and meteorological factors determining water needs of crops, scheduling, depth and methods of irrigation; micro irrigation systems; deficit irrigation; fertigation; management of water in controlled environments and polyhouses. Irrigation efficiency and water use efficiency.

UNIT IV

Water management of crop and cropping system, Crop water requirement estimation of ET and effective rainfall; Automated irrigation system and use of Internet of things (IoT) in water management.

UNIT V

Excess of soil water and plant growth; water management in problem soils, drainage requirement of crops and methods of field drainage, their layout and spacing; rain water management and its utilization for crop production.

UNIT VI

Quality of irrigation water and management of saline water for irrigation, water management in problem soils

UNIT VII

Soil moisture conservation, water harvesting, rain water management and its utilization for crop production.

UNIT VIII

Hydroponics and aeroponics

UNIT IX

Water management of crops under climate change scenario

Practical: Determination of field capacity by field method and permanent wilting point by sunflower pot culture technique. Determination of field capacity and permanent wilting point by Pressure Plate Apparatus. Determination of hygroscopic coefficient, maximum water holding capacity of soil and soil-moisture characteristics curves. Measurement of matric potential using gauge and mercury type tensiometer. Determination of saturated hydraulic conductivity by constant and falling head method. Measurement of soil water diffusivity. Estimation of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. Determination of irrigation requirement of crops (calculations) and effective rainfall (calculations). Determination of ET of crops by soil moisture depletion method. Determination of water requirements of crops. Measurement of irrigation water by volume and velocity-area method. Measurement of irrigation water by measuring devices and calculation of irrigation efficiency. Determination of infiltration rate by double ring infiltrometer

Agron.-505      Conservation Agriculture      Credit Hours: 2(1+1)    Semester: II

Theory

UNIT I

Conventional and conservation agriculture systems, sustainability concerns, conservation agriculture: Historical background and present concept, global experiences, present status in India

UNIT II

Nutrient management in CA, water management, weed management, energy use, insect-pest and disease management, farm machinery, crop residue management, cover crop management

UNIT III

Climate change mitigation and CA, C-sequestration, soil health management, soil microbes and CA

UNIT IV

CA in agroforestry systems, rainfed / dryland regions

UNIT V

Economic considerations in CA, adoption and constraints, CA: The future of agriculture

Practical: Study of long-term experiments on CA, evaluation of soil health parameters, estimation of C-sequestration, machinery calibration for sowing different crops, weed seed bank, estimation under CA, energy requirements, economic analysis of CA.

Agron.-506      Agronomy of Major Cereals and Pulses   Credit Hours: 2(1+1)

Semester: II

Theory

Origin and history, area and production, classification, improved varieties, adaptability, climate, soil, water and cultural requirements, nutrition, quality components, handling and processing of the produce for maximum production of

UNIT-I

Rabi cereals – Wheat, Barley, Oats

UNIT-II

Kharif cereals – Rice, Maize, Sorghum

UNIT-III

Rabi pulses – Gram, Lentil

UNIT-IV

Kharif pulses – Pigeonpea, Mungbean, Urdbean

Practical: Phenological studies at different growth stages of crop. Estimation of crop yield on the basis of yield attributes. Formulation of cropping schemes for various farm sizes and calculation of cropping and rotational intensities. Working out growth indices (CGR, RGR, NAR, LAI, LAD, LAR, LWR, SLA, SLW etc). Assessment of land use and yield advantage (Rotational intensity, Cropping intensity, Diversity Index, Sustainable Yield Index Crop Equivalent Yield, Land Equivalent ratio, Aggressiveness, Relative Crowding Coefficient, Competition Ratio and ATER etc). Estimation of protein content in pulses. Planning and layout of field experiments. Judging of physiological maturity in different crops. Intercultural operations in different crops. Determination of cost of cultivation of different crops. Working out harvest index of various crops. Study of seed production techniques in selected crops. Visit of field experiments on cultural, fertilizer, weed control and water management aspects. Visit to nearby villages for identification of constraints in crop production.

Agron.-507       Agronomy of Oilseed, Fibre and Sugar crops        Credit Hours: 3(2+1)

Semester: I                 

Theory

Origin and history, area and production, classification, improved varieties, adaptability, climate, soil, water and cultural requirements, nutrition, quality component, handling and processing of the produce for maximum production of

UNIT I

Rabi oilseeds – Rapeseed and mustard, Linseed and Safflower

UNIT II

Kharif oilseeds – Groundnut, Sesame, Castor, Sunflower, Soybean and Niger

UNIT III

Fiber crops – Cotton, Jute, Ramie and Mesta.

UNIT IV

Sugar crops – Sugar-beet and Sugarcane.

Practical: Planning and layout of field experiments. Cutting of sugarcane setts, its treatment and methods of sowing, tying and propping of sugarcane. Determination of cane maturity and calculation on purity percentage, recovery percentage and sucrose content in cane juice phenological studies at different growth stages of crop. Intercultural operations in different crops. Cotton seed treatment. Working out growth indices (CGR, RGR, NAR, LAI, LAD, LAR, LWR, SLA, SLW etc). Assessment of land use and yield advantage (Rotational intensity, Cropping intensity, Diversity Index, Sustainable Yield Index Crop Equivalent Yield, Land Equivalent ration, Aggressiveness, Relative Crowding Coefficient, Competition Ratio and ATER etc). Judging of physiological maturity in different crops and working out harvest index. Working out cost of cultivation of different crops. Estimation of crop yield on the basis of yield attributes. Formulation of cropping schemes for various farm sizes and calculation of cropping and rotational intensities. Determination of oil content in oilseeds and computation of oil yield. Estimation of quality of fibre of different fibre crops. Study of seed production techniques in various crops. Visit of field experiments on cultural, fertilizer, weed control and water management. Visit to nearby villages for identification of constraints in crop production.

Agron.-508     Agronomy of Medicinal, Aromatic & Underutilized Crops

Credit Hours: 3(2+1)       Semester: I

Theory:

UNIT-I

Importance of medicinal and aromatic plants in human health, national economy and related industries, classification of medicinal and aromatic plants according to botanical characteristics and their uses, export potential and indigenous technical knowledge.

UNIT-II

Climate and soil requirements; cultural practices; yield and important constituents of medicinal plants (Mulhati, Isabgol, Rauwolfia, Poppy, Aloe vera, Satavar, Stevia, Safed Musli, Kalmegh, Asaphoetida, Nuxvomica, etc).

UNIT-III

Climate and soil requirements; cultural practices; yield and important constituents of aromatic plants (Citronella, Palmarosa, Mentha, Basil, Lemon grass, Rose, Patchouli, Geranium).

UNIT-IV

Climate and soil requirements; cultural practices; yield of under-utilized crops

(Rice bean, Lathyrus, Sesbania, Clusterbean, French bean, Fenugreek, Grain, Amaranth, Celery.

UNIT-V

Post harvest handling –drawing, processing, grading, packing and storage, value addition and quality standards in herbal products.

Practical: Identification of crops based on morphological and seed characteristics. Raising of herbarium of medicinal, aromatic and under-utilized plants. Quality characters in medicinal and aromatic plants. Methods of analysis of essential oil and other chemicals of importance in medicinal and aromatic plants.

Agron.-509     Agronomy of Fodder and Forage Crops     Credit Hours: 3(2+1)

Semester: II

Theory

UNIT-I

Adaptation, distribution, varietal improvement, agro-techniques and quality aspects including anti-quality factors of important fodder crops like sorghum, maize, bajra, guar, cowpea, oats, barley, berseem, senji, lucerne etc.

UNIT-II

Adaptation, distribution, varietal improvement, agro-techniques and quality aspects including anti-quality factors of important forage crops/grasses lime, Napier grass, Panicum, Lasiuras, Cenchrus etc.

UNIT-III

Year-round fodder production and management, preservation and utilization of forage and pasture crops.

UNIT-IV

Principles and methods of hay and silage making; chemical and biochemical changes, nutrient losses and factors affecting quality of hay and silage; use of physical and chemical enrichments and biological methods for improving nutrition; value

addition of poor quality fodder. Fodder production through hydroponics. Azolla cultivation.

UNIT-V

Economics of forage cultivation uses and seed production techniques of important fodder crops.

Practical

Practical training of farm operations in raising fodder crops. Canopy measurement, yield, Leaf: Stem ratio and quality estimation, viz. crude protein, NDF, ADF, lignin, silica, cellulose and IVDMD etc. of various fodder and forage crops. Anti-quality components like HCN in sorghum and such factors in other crops. Hay and silage making and economics of their preparation

Agron.-510        Agrostology and Agro-Forestry      Credit Hours: 3(2+1)   Semester: I

Theory

UNIT-I

Agrostology: definition and importance; principles of grassland ecology: grassland ecology – community, climax, dominant species, succession, biotype, ecological status of grasslands in India, grass cover of India; problems and management of grasslands.

UNIT-II

Importance, classification (various criteria), scope, status and research needs of pastures; pasture establishment, their improvement and renovation-natural pastures, cultivated pastures; common pasture grasses.

UNIT-III

Agroforestry: definition and importance; agroforestory systems, agrisilviculture, silvipasture, agrisilvipasture, agrihorticulture, aqua silviculture, alley cropping and energy plantation.

UNIT-IV

Crop production technology in agro-forestory and agrostology system; silvipastoral system: meaning and importance for wasteland development; selection of species, planting methods and problems of seed germination in agro-forestry systems; irrigation and manuring in agro-forestry systems, associative influence in relation to above ground and underground interferences; lopping and coppicing in agro-forestry systems; social acceptability and economic viability, nutritive value of trees; tender operation; desirable tree characteristics.

Practical: Preparation of charts and maps of India showing different types of pastures and agro-forestry systems. Identification of seeds and plants of common grasses, legumes and trees of economic importance with reference to agro-forestry. Seed treatment for better germination of farm vegetation. Methods of propagation/planting of grasses and trees in silvipastoral system. Fertilizer application in strip and silvipastroal systems. After-care of plantation. Estimation of protein content in loppings of important fodder trees. Estimation of calorie value of wood of important fuel trees. Estimation of total biomass and fuel wood. Economics of agro-forestry. Visit to important agro-forestry and farm forestry sites.

Agron.-511         Cropping Systems and Sustainable Agriculture      Credit Hours: 2(2+0)

Semester: II

UNIT-I

Cropping systems: definition, indices and its importance; physical resources, soil and water management in cropping systems; assessment of land use.

UNIT-II

Concept of sustainability in cropping systems and farming systems, scope and objectives; production potential under monoculture cropping, multiple cropping, alley cropping, sequential cropping and intercropping, mechanism of yield advantage in intercropping systems.

UNIT-III

Above and below ground interactions and allelopathic effects; competition relations; multi-storied cropping and yield stability in intercropping, role of non-monetary inputs and low cost technologies; research need on sustainable agriculture.

UNIT-IV

Crop diversification for sustainability; role of organic matter in maintenance of soil fertility; crop residue management; fertilizer use efficiency and concept of fertilizer use in intensive cropping system. Advanced nutritional tools for big data analysis and interpretation.

UNIT-V

Plant ideotypes for drylands; plant growth regulators and their role in sustainability.

Unit VI

Artificial Intelligence- Concept and application.

Agron.-512        Dryland Farming and Watershed Management       Credit Hours: 3(2+1)

Semester: II

Theory

UNIT-I

Definition, concept and characteristics of dry land farming; dry land versus rainfed farming; significance and dimensions of dry land farming in Indian agriculture.

UNIT-II

Soil and climatic parameters with special emphasis on rainfall characteristics; constraints limiting crop production in dry land areas; types of drought, characterization of environment for water availability; crop planning for erratic and aberrant weather conditions.

UNIT-III

Stress physiology and resistance to drought, adaptation of crop plants to drought, drought management strategies; preparation of appropriate crop plans for dry land areas; mid contingent plan for aberrant weather conditions.

UNIT-IV

Tillage, tilth, frequency and depth of cultivation, compaction in soil tillage; concept of conservation tillage; tillage in relation to weed control and moisture conservation; techniques and practices of soil moisture conservation (use of mulches, kinds, effectiveness and economics); antitranspirants; soil and crop management techniques, seeding and efficient fertilizer use.

UNIT-V: Concept of watershed resource management, problems, approach and components.

Practical: Method of Seed Priming. Determination of moisture content of germination of important dryland crops. Determination of Relative Water Content and Saturation Deficit of Leaf. Moisture stress effects and recovery behaviour of important crops. Estimation of Potential ET by Thornthwaite method. Estimation of Reference ET by Penman Monteith Method. Classification of climate by Thornthwaite method (based on moisture index, humidity index and aridity index). Classification of climate by Koppen Method. Estimation of water balance by Thornthwaite method. Estimation of water balance by FAO method. Assessment of drought. Estimation of length of growing period. Estimation of probability of rain and crop planning for different drought condition. Spray of anti-transpirants and their effect on crops. Water use efficiency. Visit to dryland research stations and watershed projects.

Agron.-513         Principles and Practices of Organic Farming      Credit Hours: 3(2+1)

Semester: II

UNIT I

Organic farming – concept and definition, its relevance to India and global agriculture and future prospects; principles of organic agriculture; standards of organic farming, organic farming v/s natural farming and sustainable agriculture; selection and conversion of land, soil and water management – land use, conservation tillage; shelter zones, hedges, pasture management, agro-forestry.

UNIT II

Organic farming and water use efficiency; soil fertility, nutrient recycling, organic residues, organic manures, composting, soil biota and decomposition of organic residues, earthworms and vermicompost, green manures, bio-fertilizers and biogas technology,

UNIT III

Farming systems, selection of crops and crop rotations, multiple and relay cropping systems, intercropping in relation to maintenance of soil productivity. Integrated organic farming systems and organic IFS models.

UNIT IV

Control of weeds, diseases and insect pest management, biological agents and pheromones, bio-pesticides.

UNIT V

Socio-economic impacts; marketing and export potential: inspection, certification, labeling and accreditation procedures; organic farming and national economy.

Practical

Method of making compost by aerobic and anaerobic method. Method of making vermicompost. Identification and nursery raising of important agro-forestry tress and tress for shelter Belts. Efficient use of biofertilizers, technique of treating legume seeds with Rhizobium cultures, use of Azotobacter, Azospirillum, and PSB cultures in field. Visit to a biogas plant. Visit to an organic farm. Quality standards, inspection, certification and labeling and accreditation procedures for farm produce from organic farms.

Agron.-514            Field Plot Techniques       Credit Hours: 2(1+1)        Semester: II

Theory

Unit I

Field plot experimentation: Principles. Planning field experiments-objectives, selection of field and treatments. Efficient conduct of the experiments. Recording biometrical observations. Sources of error in the field experiments and methods of reducing it.

Unit II

Selection of experimental designs.

Commonly used designs in field experiments; CRD, RCBD, LSD, Split-plot, Strip-plot Factorial experiments and interaction effects.

Experiments to study the effect of years and locations.

Unit III

Compilation, presentation and interpretation of the data. Different tests of significance. Correlation and response functions.Transformation of data.

Practical: Actual layout of field experiments. Data analysis of different experiment designs; CRD, RCBD, LSD, Split-plot, Strip-plot. Critical examination of experiments scientific journals. Compilation and interpretation of the given data. Missing plots and analysis of variance results. Use of computers for analysis of data.

Agron.-601          Current Trends in Agronomy             Credit Hours: 3(3+0)  Semester: II

UNIT-I

Agro-physiological basis of variation in yield, recent advances in soil plant-water relationship.

UNIT-II

Globalization of agriculture and WTO, precision agriculture, contract farming, organic farming, marketing and export potential of organic products, certification, labeling and accreditation procedures and ITK in organic farming.

UNIT-III

Crop residue management in multiple cropping systems; latest developments in plant management. Mechanization in crop production: modern agricultural precision tools and technologies, weed management, cropping systems, grassland management, agro-forestry, allelopathy.

UNIT-IV

GIS, GPS and remote sensing for crop management, global warming, GM crops, seed production technology; seed certification, seed multiplication, hybrid seed

production etc.

UNIT-V

Concepts of system agriculture; holistic approach of farming systems, dryland farming, sustainable agriculture and research methodology in Agronomy. Conservation agriculture, principles, prospects and importance, potential benefits of CA under climate change scenario, policy issues.

Agron.-602       Recent Trends in Crop Growth and Productivity           Credit Hours: 3(2+1)

Semester: I

Theory

UNIT-I

Plant density and crop productivity; plant and environmental factors, yield, plant distribution, strategies for maximizing solar energy utilization; leaf area; interception of solar radiation and crop growth; photosynthesis: the photosynthetic apparatus, factors essential for photosynthesis; difference in photosynthetic rates among and within species; physiological limitations to crop yield; solar radiation concept and agro-techniques for harvesting solar radiation.

UNIT-II

Growth analysis: concept, CGR, RGR, NAR, LAI, LAD, LAR; validity and Limitations in interpreting crop growth and development; growth curves: sigmoid, polynomial and asymptotic; root systems; root-shoot relationship; principles involved in inter and mixed cropping systems under rainfed and irrigated conditions; concept and differentiation of inter and mixed cropping; criteria in assessing the yield advantages.

UNIT-III

Competitive relationship and competition functions; biological and agronomic basis of yield advantage under intercropping; physiological principles of dry land crop production, constraints and remedial measures; heat unit concept of crop maturity: concept and types of heat units.

UNIT-IV

Concept of plant ideotypes: crop physiological and new ideotypes; characteristics of ideotype for wheat, rice, maize, etc.; concept and types of growth hormones; their role in field crop production; efficient use of resources.

Practical: Field measurement of root-shoot relationship in crops at different growth stages. Estimation of growth evaluating parameters like CGR, RGR, NAR, LAI etc., at different stages of crop growth. Computation of harvest index of various crops. Assessment of crop yield on the basis of yield attributing characters. Construction of crop growth curves based on growth analysis data. Computation of competition functions, viz. LER, IER aggressivity competition index etc in intercropping. Senescence and abscission indices. Analysis of productivity trend in un-irrigated areas. Analysis of productivity trend in irrigated areas

Agron.-603      Irrigation Management          Credit Hours: 3(2+1)             Semester: II

UNIT-I

Global water resources; Water resources of India, irrigation projects during pre and post independence period and their significance in crop production

UNIT II

Movement of water in soil-water movement under saturated and unsaturated conditions, Poiseulle’s and Darcy’s law, general equation of saturated and unsaturated flow of water in soil. physiological processes and crop productivity.

UNIT III

Water requirement, irrigation needs, factors affecting irrigation need; water use efficiency, Infiltration; management practices for improving water use efficiency of crops.

UNIT IV

Soil and plant water potential, SPAC, transpiration and evapotranspiration, significance of transpiration, energy utilization in transpiration, factors affecting ET, control of ET by mulching and use of anti-transpirants; fertilizer use in relation to irrigation.

UNIT V

Crop water stress – water deficits and crop growth, adoptability to the crops. Water availability with relation to nutrient availability

UNIT VI

Application of irrigation water, conveyance and distribution system, irrigation efficiency; agronomic considerations in the design and operation of irrigation projects; characteristics of irrigation and farming systems affecting irrigation management.

UNIT VII

Strategies of using limited water supply; optimizing the use of given irrigation supplies.

UNIT VIII

Land suitability for irrigation, land irrigability classification; integrated water management in command areas, institution of water management in commands, farmer’s participation in command areas; irrigation legislation.

UNIT IX

Economic analysis of irrigation and cop planning for optimum use of irrigation water

UNIT X

Crop water production function

Practical: Determination of water infiltration characteristics and water holding capacity of soil profiles. Determination Moisture extraction pattern of crops. Determination of water balance component of transplanted rice by drum culture technique. Determination of consumptive use and water requirement of a given cropping pattern. Determination of crop coefficient of one important crop. Planning, designing and installation of drip and sprinkler irrigation system. Designing of drainage channel. Measurement of irrigation efficiencies. Determination of irrigation timing under different methods of irrigation. Visit to irrigation command area.

Agron.-604             Recent Trends in Weed Management         Credit Hours: 2(2+0)

Semester: II

Theory

UNIT I

Crop-weed competition in different cropping situations; changes in weed flora, various causes and effects; different methods of weed management. Migration, introduction, adaptation of weeds, Invasive weeds – biology and management. Different mechanisms of invasion – present status and factors influencing weed invasion.

UNIT II

Physiological and biological aspects of herbicides, their absorption, translocation, metabolism and mode of action; selectivity of herbicides and factors affecting them.

UNIT III

Climatic factors and phytotoxicity of herbicides; fate of herbicides in soil and factors affecting them, Degradation of herbicides in soil and plants- factors affecting it, primary and secondary metabolites, residue management of herbicides, adjuvants.

UNIT IV

Advances in herbicide products and application techniques and methods; herbicide resistance; antidotes and crop protection compatibility of herbicides of different groups; compatibility of herbicides with other pesticides; herbicide rotation and herbicide mixtures.

UNIT V

Development of transgenic herbicide resistant crops; herbicide development, registration procedures.

UNIT VI

Relationship of herbicides with tillage, fertilizer, and irrigation, cropping system; bioherbicides, allelochemical and alleloherbicides, herbicide bioassays. Recent advances in nonchemical weed management including deleterious rhizobacteria, robotics, biodegradable film etc.

Agron.-605         Integrated Farming Systems for Sustainable Agriculture

Credit Hours: 2(2+0)             Semester: I

Theory

UNIT I

Integrated Farming systems (IFS): definition, scope and importance; classification of IFS based on enterprises as well as under rainfed/irrigated condition in different land situation. farming systems according to type of rotation, intensity of rotation, degree of commercialization, water supply, enterprises. Bankable IFS models, farming system typology analysis, value chain analysis, farming system study using farm design software.

UNIT II

Concept of sustainability in of Integrated farming systems; efficient Integrated farming systems based on economic viability and natural resources – identification and management.

UNIT III

Production potential of different components of Integrated farming systems; interaction and mechanism of different production factors; stability of Integrated Farming system based on research/long term information. in different systems through research; eco-physiological approaches to intercropping. Integration of components and adaptability of different farming system based on land situations and climatic condition of a region; evaluation of IFS.

UNIT IV

Simulation models for intercropping; soil nutrient in intercropping; preparation of different farming system models; evaluation of different farming systems. Formation of different Integrated Farming system Models; evaluation of different Integrated Farming system models. Recycling of organic waste in farming system, in IFS.

UNIT V

New concepts and approaches of farming system and organic farming; value addition, waste recycling, quantification and mitigation of Green House gases; case studies/success stories of different Integrated Farming systems. cropping systems and organic farming; case studies on different farming systems. Possible use of ITK in Integrated farming system.

Agron.-606        Soil Conservation and Watershed Management          Credit Hours: 3(2+1)

Semester: I

Theory

UNIT-I

Soil erosion: definition, nature and extent of erosion; types of erosion, factors affecting erosion.

UNIT-II

Soil conservation: definition, methods of soil conservation; agronomic measures – contour cultivation, strip cropping, cover crops; mulching, tillage, cropping system vegetative barriers; improved dry farming practices; mechanical measures – bunding, gully control, bench terracing; role of grasses and pastures in soil conservation; wind breaks and shelter belts.

UNIT-III

Watershed management: definition, objectives, concepts, approach, components, steps in implementation of watershed; development of cropping systems for watershed areas.

UNIT-IV

Land use capability classification, alternate land use systems; agroforestry; ley farming; jhum management – basic concepts, socio-ethnic aspects, its layout.

UNIT-V

Drainage, methods of drainage, Drainage considerations and agronomic management; rehabilitation of abandoned jhum lands and measures to prevent soil erosion.

Practical

Study of different types of erosion. Determination of dispersion ratio. Estimation of soil loss by Universal Soil Loss Equation and by wind erosion. Measurement of runoff and soil loss. Field studies of different soil conservation measures. Laying out run-off plot and deciding treatments. Identification of different grasses and trees for soil conservation. Visit to watershed areas, soil conservation research centre, demonstration and training centre.

Agron.-607         Stress Crop Production            Credit Hours: 3(2+1)         Semester: II

(In collaboration with Department of Plant Physiology/Botany)

Theory

UNIT-I

Stress and strain terminology; nature and stress injury and resistance; causes of stress.

UNIT-II

Low temperature stress: freezing injury and resistance in plants, measurement of freezing tolerance, chilling injury and resistance in plants, practical to overcome the effect of low temperature tress through, soil and crop manipulations.

UNIT-III

High temperature or heat stress: meaning of heat stress, heat injury and resistance in plants, practical ways to overcome the effect of heat stress through soil and crop manipulations.

UNIT-IV

Water deficit stress: meaning of plant water deficient stress and its effect on growth and development, water deficit injury and resistance, practical ways to overcome effect of water deficit stress through soil and crop, manipulations.

UNIT-V

Excess water or flooding stress: meaning of excess water stress, its kinds and effects on crop plants, excess water stress injury and resistance, practical ways to overcome excess water stress through soil and crop manipulations.

UNIT-VI

Salt stress: meaning of salt stress and its effect on crop growth, salt stress and resistance in plants, practical ways to overcome the effect of salt stress through soil and crop manipulations.

UNIT-VII

Mechanical impedance of soil and its impact on plant growth; measures to overcome soil mechanical impedance.

UNIT-VIII

Environmental pollution: air, soil and water pollution, and their effect on crop growth and quality of produce; ways and means to prevent environmental pollution.

Practical: Determination of electrical conductivity of plant cell sap. Determination of osmotic potential and tissue water potential. Measurement of transpiration rate and stomatal frequency. Measurement of Relative water content of leaf. Measurement of electrolytic leakage. Growing of plants in sand culture under salt stress for biochemical and physiological Studies. Studies on effect of osmotic and ionic stress on seed germination and seedling growth. Measurement of low temperature injury under field conditions. Studies on plant responses to excess water.