Agronomy

• Introduction to Agronomy: Definition and scope of Agronomy. 
• Relationship of Agronomy with other branches of Agriculture; 
• Climatology: Concept of weather and climate. Effect of temperature, day length
  and solar radiation on growth, development and yield of crops. 
• Cropping seasons of Bangladesh and their characteristics; 
•  Agronomic classification of crops.
•  Methods of cropping.
  Crop suitability in different agro-ecological zones in Bangladesh. 
• Distribution of crops in relation to season, soil and land topography; 
• Tillage: Concept, objectives and types of tillage.
•  Characteristics of ideal tilth.
•  Effect of tillage on soil characteristics and nutrient availability. 
• Determinants of time, depth and number of ploughing;
•  Plant Nutrition: Plant nutrient elements, their sources and forms of absorption.
  Functions and deficiency symptoms of nutrient elements in crop plants.
•  Manures and fertilizers and their methods of application; 
• Seed and seedling: Definition and classification of seed. 
• Attributes of seed quality.
•  Importance of quality seed in crop production. 
• Factors affecting seed rate and depth of seeding. 
• Effect of plant density and planting geometry on crop growth, seed yield and quality. 
• Seed processing and grading. Seed treatment. 
• Maintenance of seed quality during seed processing and storage;
•  Water Management: Definition, objectives and methods of irrigation and drainage.
•  Water use efficiency and irrigation scheduling; 
• Intercultural Operations: Weeding, mulching, thinning, earthing up- their objectives, methods, advantages and disadvantages; 
• Production Technology of Crops: Origin and distribution botanical description, climate and soil requirements, variety selection, cultivation practices and post-harvest operations of the following crops- rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane, jute, mustard,
  groundnut, soybean and lentil. 
• Points to be considered during production and processing of crops for seed and for grain; 
• Mechanization of Agriculture: Present status, problems and prospects of mechanization of Agriculture in Bangladesh.

Practical 

• Identification and study of farm implements;
•  Identification and study of crops; Identification and study of seeds; 
• Identification and study of weeds;
•  Identification and study of manures and fertilizers; 
• Practising ploughing and determination of efficiency of plough; 
• Practising weeding, thinning and gap filling;
  practising mulching operation; 
• Practising different methods of application of manures and fertilizers; 
• Methods of seed sampling;
•  Methods of seed grading;
•  Methods of seed treatment;
•  Conducting crop cutting experiment and calculation of expected yield of crops;
•  Study of the effect of plant nutrients/seed rate/planting density, planting geometry on the performance of a crop in students’ plot.