What is Agronomy?
Agronomy looks at agriculture from an integrated, holistic perspective. Agronomists are specialists in crop and soil science, as well as ecology. Some things they look at are:
- The properties of the soil;
- How the soil interacts with the growing crop;
- What nutrients (fertilizers) the crop needs;
- When and how to apply these nutrients;
- The ways that crops grow and develop;
- How climate and other environmental factors affect the crop at all stages;
- How best to control weeds, insects, fungi, and other crop pests; and,
- How to grow crops effectively and profitably while conserving and protecting the environment.
Agronomic crops can also be grouped by the type of crop grown. Many agronomists specialize in one or more types of crops. The major crops grown in the US are, based on USDA statistics.
- Soybeans
- Corn
- Wheat
- Hay
- Cotton
- Grain sorghum
- Rice
- Oats
- Barley
