GENERAL AGRICULTURE
1. Introduction to Agriculture
- Etymology: The word "Agriculture" is derived from Latin words: 'Ager' or 'Agri' (Soil or Land) + 'Cultura' (Cultivation).
- Definition: It is the practice of cultivating the soil or land for the purpose of growing crops and rearing livestock.
- Exceptions in Terminology: While words ending in "-culture" are Latin (e.g., Agriculture, Horticulture, Floriculture) and "-logy" or "-my" are Greek (e.g., Agronomy, Pathology, Entomology), Pomology and Sociology are exceptions derived from both Latin and Greek roots.
India’s Global Position:
- Resources: India possesses only 2.4% of the world's landmass and 4.2% of freshwater resources but supports 17.8% of the world's human population and 8% of global biodiversity.
2. History of Agriculture
Timeline of Events:
- Earlier than 10,000 B.C.: Hunting and gathering.
- 8700 B.C.: Domestication of Sheep.
- 7700 B.C.: Domestication of Goat.
- 7500 B.C.: Cultivation of Barley & Wheat (First cultivated crops),.
- 4400 B.C.: Cultivation of Maize.
- 3500 B.C.: Cultivation of Potato.
- 3400 B.C.: Invention of Wheel.
- 2900 B.C.: Invention of Plough.
- 2700 B.C.: Domestication of Silk worm (China).
- 2200 B.C.: Cultivation of Rice.
- 1725 B.C.: Cultivation of Sorghum.
- 1400 B.C.: Use of Iron.
- 1862 (USDA): Department of Agriculture established in the world (USA).
3. Important Agricultural Institutes
A. ICAR Institutions (Selected Key Institutes)
- IARI: Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi (Est. 1905).
- NDRI: National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal (Est. 1923).
- IVRI: Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar (Est. 1889).
- CIFE: Central Institute on Fisheries Education, Mumbai (Est. 1961).
- CAZRI: Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur (Est. 1959).
- CRIDA: Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad (Est. 1985).
- NRRI: National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack (Est. 1946).
- IIPR: Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur (Est. 1993).
- IGFRI: Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi (Est. 1962).
- SBI: Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore (Est. 1912).
- IISR: Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow (Est. 1952).
- CIAE: Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal (Est. 1976).
- NIASM: National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Malegaon, Maharashtra (Est. 2009).
B. ICAR National Research Centres (NRCs)
- First NRC: Groundnut (1979) in Junagadh, Gujarat.
- Banana: Trichy, Tamil Nadu.
- Grapes: Pune, Maharashtra.
- Camel: Bikaner, Rajasthan.
- Mithun: Medziphema, Nagaland.
- Yak: Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh.
- Seed Spices: Ajmer, Rajasthan.
- Pomegranate: Solapur, Maharashtra.
C. International Institutes (CGIAR Centres)
- IRRI: International Rice Research Institute, Philippines (1960).
- CIMMYT: International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, Mexico (1966).
- ICRISAT: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad (1972).
- ICARDA: International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Beirut (1977).
- CIP: International Potato Centre, Lima, Peru (1971).
4. Agro-Climatic & Ecological Zones
A. Classifications
- Planning Commission: Divided India into 15 Agro-climatic regions based on homogeneity in rainfall, temperature, soil, and topography.
- ICAR (NARP): The National Agricultural Research Project (1979) demarcated the country into 127 agro-climatic zones (later revised to 131).
- NBSS & LUP: Classified India into 20 Agro-ecological zones and 60 sub-zones.
B. The 15 Agro-Climatic Zones (Planning Commission)
- Western Himalayan Region: Jammu & Kashmir, HP, Uttarakhand (Skeletal soils, temperate climate).
- Eastern Himalayan Region: North-East states (Shifting cultivation/Jhoom prevalent).
- Lower Gangetic Plains: West Bengal (Alluvial soils, prone to floods, Rice/Jute).
- Middle Gangetic Plains: UP, Bihar (Subtropical, large area under salt-affected lands).
- Upper Gangetic Plains: UP, Haryana, Delhi (Alluvial soils, Wheat/Rice).
- Trans-Gangetic Plains: Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Ganganagar (Highest net sown area, highest cropping intensity 180%).
- Eastern Plateau and Hills: Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha (Red & Yellow soils).
- Central Plateau and Hills: MP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra.
- Western Plateau and Hills: Maharashtra, MP, Rajasthan (Major crops: Sorghum, Cotton).
- Southern Plateau and Hills: AP, Karnataka, TN (Semi-arid, dryland farming 81%).
- East Coast Plains and Hills: Coastal AP, Odisha, TN (Humid tropical, Rice/Spices).
- West Coast Plains and Ghat: Kerala, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra (Tropical maritime, plantation crops).
- Gujarat Plains & Hills Region: Gujarat (Arid to semi-arid, Cotton/Groundnut).
- Western Dry Region: 9 districts of Rajasthan (Hot desert, sandy soil, drought frequent).
- The Islands Region: Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep (Smallest zone, coconut/fisheries).
C. Agro-Climatic Zones of Rajasthan
Rajasthan is the largest state (10.41% of area) and is classified into 10 agro-climatic zones.
- Largest Zone: IC (Hyper arid partial irrigated zone).
- Smallest Zone: IV B (Humid southern plains).
5. Agricultural History & Organizations
A. ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research)
- Established: 16 July 1929 as a registered society.
- Evolution: Originally "Imperial Council...", renamed "Indian Council..." in 1946 under Jogendra Singh.
- Leadership: The Director General (DG) of ICAR is also the Secretary of DARE.
- First DG: Dr. B.P. Pal.
- Current DG: Dr. Himanshu Pathak.
- First President: M. Habibullah.
- Key Achievement: Foodgrain production increased by 6.21 times and horticultural crops by 11.53 times from 1950-51 to 2021-22.
B. IARI (Indian Agricultural Research Institute)
- Established: 1 April 1905 in Pusa, Bihar.
- Relocation: Moved to New Delhi (Pusa Road) on 29 July 1936 following a severe earthquake in 1934.
- Status: Deemed University in 1958.
C. Green Revolution
- Term Coined By: William Gaud (1968).
- Father of Green Revolution (World): Norman E. Borlaug (Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1970).
- Father of Green Revolution (India): Dr. M.S. Swaminathan.
- Started in India: 1966.
- Focus: High Yielding Varieties (HYVs) of Wheat (using Norin-10 gene) and Rice.
- Key Wheat Variety: HD-2329 contributed most to the revolution.
- Evergreen Revolution: Term coined by Dr. M.S. Swaminathan.
6. Important Facts & Statistics
A. General Facts
- Per capita energy requirement: 2110 Kcal/day (sedentary work).
- First commercial bioherbicide: Devine (1981).
- First cotton hybrid: Developed in India (H4),.
- Total Food Grain Production (India): 328.85 million tonnes (2023-24).
- Major Source of Irrigation: Tubewells.
- Highest Pulse Producing State: Madhya Pradesh.
- Highest Food Grain Producing State: Uttar Pradesh.
- Rice Bowl of India: Andhra Pradesh (specifically Krishna-Godavari delta),.
B. Conversion Factors
- 1 hectare: 2.47 acres = 10,000 m2.
- 1 acre: 4046 m2 = 0.4046 hectare.
- 1 tonne: 1000 kg.
- 1 quintal: 100 kg.
- 1 bale of Cotton: 170 kg.
- 1 bale of Jute: 180 kg.
7. Modern Concepts
A. Bio-Fortification
- Definition: Enhancing nutritional content (vitamins/minerals) in crops.
- Agronomic: Through fertilizers (e.g., Zn fertilizers).
- Genetic: Breeding or biotechnology (e.g., Golden Rice for Vitamin A).
B. Remote Sensing
- Definition: Gathering information about an object without physical contact.
- Father of Indian Remote Sensing: Dr. P.R. Pisharoty.
- ISRO: Established in 1969 in Bangalore.
- First Indian Satellite: Aryabhata (1975).
- Agriculture Application: Crop health monitoring, yield prediction, soil moisture monitoring.
- GPS: Global Positioning System; uses at least 24 satellites.
C. Hydroponics & Aeroponics
- Hydroponics: Soilless method of growing plants in nutrient-rich water solutions. Term coined by William Frederick Gericke (1930).
- Aeroponics: Growing plants where roots are suspended in air and misted with nutrient solution.
8. Famous Personalities (Fathers of Fields)
- Agronomy: Pietro de Crescenzi.
- Soil Science: V.V. Dokuchaev.
- Green Revolution: N.E. Borlaug.
- Green Revolution (India): M.S. Swaminathan.
- White Revolution: Verghese Kurien.
- Weed Science: Jethro Tull.
- Golden Rice: Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer.
- Hybrid Rice: Yuan Longping.
9. Important Days in Agriculture
Date | Occasion |
2 Feb | World Wetland Day |
28 Feb | National Science Day |
22 March | World Water Day |
22 April | Earth Day |
1 June | World Milk Day |
5 June | World Environment Day |
16 July | ICAR Day |
16 Oct | World Food Day |
23 Dec | Farmer's Day (Kisan Diwas) |
International Years:
- 2004: Year of Rice.
- 2015: Year of Soils.
- 2023: International Year of Millets.
- 2024: International Year of Camelids.
10. Plant Classification (Ecological)
- Halophytes: Salt-tolerant plants.
- Xerophytes: Plants growing under desert/dry conditions.
- Hydrophytes: Water-loving plants.
- Sciophytes: Shade-loving plants.
- Heliophytes: Light-loving plants.
- Lithophytes: Plants growing on rock surfaces.
