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Department of Agronomy
About Department
An independent Post Graduate Department of Agronomy was started in 1971 with separate staff for teaching at Post Graduate level. Basically the Department is imparting education at both the Post Graduate and Doctorate degree levels.
The Head, University Department of Agronomy has technical control over teaching and research activities in Agronomy of constituent and affiliated colleges and research units/stations of the University
Academic Programmes
  • Department is imparting education at both the Post Graduate and Doctorate degree levels.
  • There are four specialized fields viz., Irrigation Management, Weed Management, Soil Fertility & Crop Nutrition and Agro- Meteorology under which different courses are offered and also the research projects were conducted in partial fulfillment for award of M.Sc.(Agri.) and Ph. D. (Agri.) degree
  • The courses are grouped under two major fields of specialization viz., crop husbandry and soil & water management
  • The postgraduate education leading to M.Sc. (Agri.) and Ph.D. degree is offered at Department of Agronomy, Akola whereas Agriculture College, Nagpur offers M.Sc. (Agri.) degree programme. The total intake capacity for Post Graduate students (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) is as under
Degree Programme in Agronomy
Akola
Nagpur
Total
M.Sc.(Agri.)
16
08
24
Ph.D.(Agr.i)
03
--
03
 
Infrastructure
The Department has well furnished staff rooms, well equipped classrooms and seminar hall with Computer (Internet), LCD, OHP, Digital cameras etc., which are frequently used by the students and faculty.
Department has 4 well-equipped laboratories
  • Soil Fertility & Crop Nutrition
  • Irrigation
  • Agro-meteorology
  • Weed Science
Soil Fertility & Crop Nutrition
Irrigation
Agro-meteorology
Weed Science
Class Room
Practical Demonstrations to the Students
LABORATORY EQUIPMENTS AVAILABLE
Sr.No Name of Equipments Use
1
Nitrogen Analyzer Unit Estimation of available and total nitrogen from soil/plant/fertilizer/samples
2
Digital Colorimeter Estimation of phosphorus from soil samples
3
Digital Flame Photometer Estimation of potassium content from soil samples
4
Digital pH Meter Determination of soil/water pH
5
Digital Conductivity Meter To test electrical conductivity
6
Grinding Machine To prepare plant and soil samples for analytical work
7
Water Distillation Units To make available the distilled water for chemical analysis of soil and plant samples
8
Weighing balances/ machines To obtain precise weight of the reagents/ dry matter
9
Laboratory Ovens To dry plant and soil samples
10
Refrigerator To keep chemicals and analytical material
11
Computer Set For feeding the analytical data and obtaining precise results
12
Water meters, parshal flume, V notch Measurement of irrigation water
13
Bouyoucos hydrometer Soil mechanical analysis for texture determination
14
Core samplers, augers, penetrometer Soil physical studies
15
Single Stevenson Screen Aerial temperature estimation
16
Psychrometer Estimation of vertical temperature & humidity profiles
17
Soil thermometers Estimation of soil temperature
Mandate
  • Postgraduate education and research for developing new concepts and approaches of agronomic technology.
  • To disseminate information on recent techniques on crops and cropping systems
  • To develop environmentally sound and economically viable practices for avoiding wasteful inputs and sustainable crop production
Sections
Ph.D (Agri)
Sr.No Course No Course Title Credits
1
Agron 801 Concepts of crop production 2+1
2
Agron 802 Crop growth and Yield analysis 1+1
3
Agron 803 Crop nutrition 2+1
4
Agron 804 Crop geography and ecology 2+0
5
Agron 805 Agro- Climatology 3+1
6
Agron 806 Crop production in dry region 2+1
7
Agron 807 Weeds and Principles of their control 2+1
8
Agron 808 Theory and use of herbicides 2+1
9
Agron 809 Crop and seed physiology 2+1
10
Agron 810 Advance course in sugar crops 1+1
11
Agron 811 Advance course in cereals 1+1
12
Agron 812 Weed control in field crops and non crops 1+1
13
Agron 813 Advance course in forage crops 1+1
14
Agron 815 Root system of field crops 1+0
15
Agron 817 Advance course in millets 1+1
16
Agron 818 Advance course in oilseeds 1+1
17
Agron 819 Pasture & grassland management 1+1
18
Agron 820 Research technique in crop husbandry 1+1
19
Agron 821 Water-Soil-Plant-Atmosphere relationship 3+1
20
Agron 822 Principles of irrigation & drainage 2+1
21
Agron 825 Manures and fertilizer use 2+1
22
Agron 827 Seed bed management and seed environment 1+1
23
Agron 830 Irrigation management 2+1
24
Agron 832 Fertilizer use planning 1+1
25
Agron 833 Seminar I (Major 0+1
26
Agron 834 Seminar II (Minor) 0+1
M.Sc (Agri)
Sr.No Course No Course Title Credits
1
Agron 501 Modern concepts in crop production 2+1
2
Agron 502 Principles and practices of weed management 1+1
3
Agron 503 Principles and practices of Water management 2+1
4
Agron 504 Soil fertility management and fertilizer use 2+0
5
Agron 505 Seminar 3+1
6
Agron 511 Agronomy of major field crop – I 2+1
7
Agron 512 Agronomy of major field crop – II 2+0
8
Agron 513 Dry land farming 2+1
9
Agron 514 Crop ecology and geography 2+1
10
Agron 515 Crop and seed physiology 2+1
11
Agron 516 Soil conservation and watershed management 2+1
12
Agron 517 Management of problem soil 2+1
13
Agron 518 Fodder and forage crop 2+1
14
Agron 519 Medicinal and aromatic crop 2+1
15
Agron 520 Agronomy of vegetable crop 2+1
16
Agron 521 Agroforestry 2+1
17
Agron 522 Seed production agronomy 2+1
18
Agron 524 Organic farming 2+1
Students
The undergraduate education is offered at the College of Agriculture, Akola and Nagpur. Agronomy is among the top choice of agricultural graduates of SAUs to pursue PG studies. The postgraduate education leading to M.Sc. (Agri.) and Ph.D. degree is offered at Department of Agronomy, Akola, whereas Agriculture College, Nagpur offers M.Sc.(Agri.) degree programme. The total intake capacity for Post Graduate students (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) is as under:
Sr.No Degree Programme in Agronomy Akola Nagpur Total
1
M.Sc.(Agri.) 16 08 24
2
Ph.D.(Agri) 03 -- 03
So far this discipline has produced 344 M.Sc. and 35 Ph.D. scholars (up to 2005), amongst who are holding important positions in State Universities, State Departments, as well as in private sector undertakings. Six students have cleared NET and one student each secured JRF & ASPEE foundation scholarship
Number of post graduate research studies completed in the various areas of discipline
Sr.No Area of Research No of Research Students
1
Agronomy of new promising genotypes 21
2
Production Agronomy 68
3
Cropping system research 30
4
Nutrient management 118
5
Weed management 59
6
Soil and water conservation 11
7
Irrigation management 59
8
Agro-meteorology 13
Total
379
A meeting of Board of Studies in Agronomy, Meteorology, Forage and Pasture management is annually convened for review of academic performance of UG and PG students, finalization of outline of Research work of PG students and other relevant issues.
Co-Curricular Activities
The faculty of the department associates with various co-curricular activities pertaining to admissions, examinations, University sports, Social gathering, University convocation, student’s educational tours etc.
Research Activities
Departmental research studies completed (up to 2005)
Sr.No
Departmental Units
Research Studies
1
Soil fertility & Crop nutrition 37*
2
Weed Science 60*
3
Irrigation management 33*
4
Agro-meteorology 193
5
Others  
i
NATP RCPS 5 1
ii
NATP ROPS 10 1
iii
NATP RNPS-22 1
iv
NATP MM-III-17 1
v
CACA and CAPE Project 1
Total 328
* Since 1988-89
Research Achievements
Before establishment of crop research units in the University, most of the Agronomic research on different crops was carried out in the Department of Agronomy. Subsequently, the emphasis was given on basic and strategic aspects of crop husbandry and soil & water management. Research work is primarily based on various problems received as feedbacks from time to time and finalized in the project level meeting of Agronomy discipline. Research outcome is discussed in the annual RRC and RFRC meetings and then research recommendations are released after approval in Joint AGRESCO. Agronomy has contributed significantly in developing improved production technologies. The most important achievements are briefly summarized below –
(1) The scientific approach of irrigation scheduling based on IW/CPE ratio was dealt in different crops of the region. The details regarding depth of irrigation, irrigation layouts / land configurations and identification of critical growth stages for irrigation have been worked out.
(2) Screening and suitability of herbicides for weed management in different crops, weed control in non-crop area and integrated weed management have been attained for different crops. Recommendations on use of herbicides particularly dose, time and methods of application have been worked out.
Extension Activities and Achievements
Major breakthroughs in crops have been facilitated by enhancing productivity of various Agronomists. Besides the main the function of postgraduate teaching, the staff members are actively involved in extension activities like krishi melawa, shivar pheri,field days,
This Department has organized 21 days winter school on Organic Framing on Sustainable Crop Production from 22 November to 12 December 2004.
Contact Information
 
Dr. V. M. Bhale
Head, Department of Agronomy
Dr. PDKV, Akola
Phone and Fax (0724) 2258218
E-mail : hdagronomy@pdkv.ac.in
vmb1957@yahoo.co.in
Mobile: 9960564637

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