Crop Management
The Department of Crop Management deals with managing the various crop production factors like soil, climate, physiological parameters and soil biology, which influence crop growth and productivity. The department’s mandate is teaching the concepts and approaches for sustainable crop production. It also aims at teaching cost-effective and appropriate production technologies for efficient and optimal use of resources in a judicious manner. It also deals with mechanization in agriculture using implements, machinery and equipment. By learning these courses, students gain knowledge about machinery maintenance, conventional machinery and recent agricultural technologies. The various disciplines under the Crop Management Department are:
Agronomy
Agronomy is a basic course in the agricultural programme in which students become familiar with agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, organic manures, chemicals, tools and implements. Agronomy courses include fieldwork in practical classes. Students actively participate in fieldwork, which builds their confidence in agriculture. Field visits are arranged to various cropping system locations to understand real-world agricultural situations. In practical crop production technology courses, students learn the package of practices and special operations for different crops. Students are also exposed to weeds and their management practices, as well as modern irrigation techniques.
During the crop production course, students are required to cultivate two field crops, such as rice, maize, cotton and black gram, depending on agro-climatic conditions. Each student is allotted an area of land and is expected to follow different crop production practices, including seedbed preparation, seed treatment, nursery raising, transplanting, nutrient management, water management, weed management, pest and disease management, harvesting, threshing, drying, winnowing, storage and marketing. Students also work out the economics of crop production, including the cost of cultivation, gross returns and net returns.
Batch-wise crops grown, area allotted per student and income generated are given in the following table.
Crop Production Course Details
| Batch | Crop | Area (Per Student) | Income Generated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–2023 | Rice (CO 54) | 3 Cents | Rs. 300 |
| Maize (Kaveri 25K55) | 3 Cents | ||
| 2020–2024 | Rice (CO 56) | 5 Cents | Rs. 600 |
| Cotton (Rasi Hybrid) | 5 Cents | ||
| 2021–2025 | Rice (ASD 16) | 3 Cents | Rs. 160 |
| Finger Millet (ATL 1) | 3 Cents | ||
| 2022–2026 | Rice (TPS 5) | 3 Cents | Yet to be distributed |
| Foxtail Millet (ATL 1) | 3 Cents | ||
| 2023–2027 | Rice (ADT 59 & ADT 61) | 3 Cents | Ongoing |
| Black Gram (VBN 8) | 3 Cents |
Crop Physiology
Students will acquire basic knowledge on various functions and processes related to crop production, mineral nutrition, plant growth regulators and environmental stresses. In addition, hands on exposure to preparation of solutions, analysis of pigment composition, estimation of growth analytical parameters, diagnosis and correction of nutrient deficiencies and enzyme assays.
Agricultural Microbiology
The Students are given hands on training in basic and applied microbiological techniques in the Microbiology courses. Firstly, students are trained to handle bright field microscope to observe different microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and action bacteria. They are also given training on measurement of size of microorganisms by using ocular and stage micrometer. Sterilization techniques using Autoclave and Hot air oven are taught to carryout sterilization of media and glass wares respectively. Staining techniques are provided and students by themselves observe the morphology, cell arrangement, cell structure of microorganisms by applying different staining techniques such as simple staining, differential staining.
Practical exposure on isolation of microorganisms from different samples using classical serial dilution and plating technique is provided. Students learn to purify the colonies of bacteria, fungi and action-bacteria and study their colony characteristics. Growth of bacteria is taught and students themselves measure at different time interval of bacteria growth and prepare a growth curve using semi log graph. Biochemical characterization of bacteria and action bacteria are taught to identify their biochemical behaviour. Students are learned to isolate soil beneficial and Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) such as Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Phosphobacteria, Potash Bacteria, Pseudomonas, sulphur oxidizing and Zinc oxidizing bacteria, VAM, Azolla, PPFM etc, The students are provided with hands on training in commercial production of Bio-fertilizers ( Azospirillum, Phosphobacteria, Pseudomonas , Sulphur Oxidizing bacteria and Zinc oxidizing bacteria) and enable them as entrepreneurs.
Environmental Sciences
Biodiversity assessment of various eco systems are taught in the practicals using Simpson and Shannon diversity index. Students are trained in analysing soil, water and wastewater parameters such as pH, EC, TDS, Acidity and Alkalinity, Ca and Mg, water hardness, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Biological Oxygen Demand to analyse the suitability of those waters for irrigation.
Students are given hands on training on production of composting, vermicomposting from farm wastes. Students are also exposed to contaminated sites and learn to observe the flora and fauna that ecosystem. Air pollution control and monitoring mechanisms are taught using High Volume Air Sampler (HVAS).
Animal husbandry
In this course, Students are given hands on training, with topics ranging from animal health and nutrition to regulations and disease management. In poultry aspect, they are taught different breeds and management. Students are taken to different cattle firms like GurunadhaSamyKovil Festival and KonguNattuKalandaiThiruvizha to expose them to different breeds of cattle, buffalo, horse and goat.
Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry
Practical and hands on training are given to students to familiarize themselves with the method of soil sample collection for analysis, estimation of soil physical and chemical properties which are basis to find out the soil fertility status. The training will be given to the students on the taxonomic classification of soils, and soil survey method. Students are exposed to identify the suitability of soil for crop growth and it will help to frame the policy decision for land utilization. The students are also exposed to the Soil fertility aspects. It helps to estimate the soil available nutrients, plant total nutrients and nutrients present in Manures. The practical and hands on training offered through the various courses on Soil Science will not only provide the students with the identification of soil fertility status but also train them to give soil nutrient management technique.
Agricultural Engineering
The department of Agricultural Engineering trains students in operating the different agricultural tools, types of machinery/implements. It also gives training in handling the various surveying and leveling instruments for measuring the field. Learning these courses equips students with knowledge about the maintenance of different types of equipment, working of conventional machinery, and recent technologies involved in agriculture. The design of course structure and syllabus for the UG programme creates skilled and technically sound human resources to cater to the engineering needs of farm mechanization, irrigation and drainage, soil and water conservation, post-harvest processing of crops, value addition, renewable energy, and appropriate design and utilization of agriculture resources.
- 1. To enable students to understand the practice of biogas applications and solar energy systems
- 2. To develop practical skills for the designing of drip and sprinkler irrigation system
- 3. To qualify students to understand the post-harvest handling of different crops
