Agricultural science can best be described or understood as the application of science ways and methodologies to improve agricultural practices, which includes the harvesting, processing and distribution of food, fiber, and pharmaceutical products. This aforementioned definition is according to (Olmsted and Rhode in 2008) which has gone down into historical focus on a broad research and topics such as. Improving production techniques, controlling pest, minimizing the effect of drought, the selective breeding of plants and animal and other research on socioeconomic topics. It is also a diverse area of disciplinary research that involves work on both the natural and social sciences. Which generates methods originally developed in distinct fields. Further more the process of improving agricultural practice continually involve the combined efforts of researchers working together on a diverse discipline, such as agronomy;
*Branches of agriculture*
There are seven basic branches of agriculture which are.
1. Agronomy
2. Horticulture
3. Forestry
4. Animal husbandry
5. Fishery science
6. Agricultural Engineering and
7. Home science
Agronomy; it deals with the production of various crops which includes food crops, fodder crops, fibre crops, sugar, oilseeds, etc. The aim is to control diseases and have good food production.
2) Horticulture – Deals with the production of fruits, vegetables, flowers, ornamental plants, spices, condiments and beverages.
3) Forestry – Deals with production of large quantity and cultivation of perennial trees for supplying wood, timber, rubber, etc. and also raw materials for industries.
3) Animal husbandry – Deals with agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock in order to provide food for humans and to provide power (draught) and manure for crops.
5) Fishery science – Deals with practice of breeding and rearing fishes including marine and inland fishes, shrimps, prawns etc. in order to provide food, feed and manure.
6) Agricultural Engineering – Deals with farm machinery for filed preparation, inter-cultivation, harvesting and post harvest processing including soil and water conservation engineering and bio-energy.
7) Home Science – Deals with application and utilization of agricultural produces in a better manner in order to provide nutritional security, including value addition and food preparation. On integration, all the seven branches, first three is grouped as for crop production group and next two animal management and last two allied agriculture branches.
*Difference between agriculture and agricultural science.*
Agriculture is the profession. While agricultural science is the intellectual practice and activity which encompasses the process of study and structure of the behaviour of physical and natural world through observation and experiment. Just as doctors and nurses do medicine which is the doing so as medical science is the intellectual and practical activity in the same way as the above definition.
*Conclusion*
In conclusion I agree that agricultural science is a broad multidisciplinary field of biology that deals with the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. (Veterinary science, but not animal science, is often excluded from the definition.)
