Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel and land reclamation. Also put, it is the management, utilisation, production and marketing of crop plants in a large area of land. Agronomy has come to encompass the areas of science. i.e it brings the area of plant genetics, physiology, meteorology and soil science. It is the application of a combination of science in biology, science in chemistry, in ecology, in genetics, and in economics.

There are two ways to classify crop plants.

  1. Botanical Classification
  2. Utilisation/ Economic Classification

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

We have the general name and the specific name. The major rule is that when the name is given, it is either underlined or italicised. It is not an English name.

UTILISATION/ ECONOMIC CLASSIFICATION

This is based on the use; since some crops are used for several purposes. Such crops may belong to more than one category/ classification. E.g Groundnut is an oil crop and also sorghum Soya beans is classified as oil crop and legumes There are different classes of crops, these are:

  • Cereals/Grains E.g Rice
  • Roots and Tuber Crops E.g Yam
  • Fibre crops E.g Cotton
  • Sugar Crops E.g Sugar cane
  • Forage Crops E.g Grasses.

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