Notes on Agriculture, Crop Science, Agronomy, and Horticulture

Definition of Agriculture

  • Agriculture is an art, science and business of growing crops and raising livestock for economic purposes.
  • Agriculture is the systematic raising of useful plants and livestock under the management of man.
  • The broad industry engaged in the production of plants and animals for food and fiber, the provision for agricultural supplies and services, and the processing, marketing and distribution of agricultural products (Herren and Donahue, 1991).
  • Agriculture refers to the science, art, ethics, management, and entrepreneurship in the production, establishment, processing, distribution, and marketing of crop, livestock, and poultry commodities, along with soil/land, water, and biodiversity management, and the provision of extension and advisory services though communication and training to ensure food and nutrition security, foster economic development, drive global trade and adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change; and safeguard the equitable use of resources for current and future generations (RA 12215).

Definition of Crop Science

  • Crop science is a multidisciplinary scientific field that investigates the cultivation, improvement, management, and sustainable production of crops for purposes such as food, feed, fiber, fuel, and more.
  • It incorporates principles from genetics, physiology, agronomy, pathology, entomology, soil science, biotechnology, and environmental sciences to achieve its goals (Nafzger 2025).
  • It encompasses the production, processing, marketing of high-quality products, and the research, development, and implementation of innovative, efficient production systems.

Art, Science, and Business Dimensions of Crop Science

  • Science: Applies systematic, tested knowledge from fields like biology, chemistry, physics, physiology, and meteorology.
  • Art: Involves practical skill and innovation, especially in intensive cultivation such as horticulture and ornamental plant production.
  • Business: Aims for profitability—maximizing outputs relative to inputs and aligning production with market demand.
  • Functional Scope: Crop science covers all stages from selection, breeding, planting, maintenance, protection, harvesting, storage, to post-harvest handling of crops useful to humans.

Definition of Agronomy

  • From two Greek words: agros (field) and nomos (law, management, regulation).
  • Agronomy is a branch of agricultural science that deals with the principles and practices of “field-crop production and soil management”. It integrates plant physiology, genetics, soil science, ecology, and economics to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of crop production systems.
  • It is considered both a science (application of biological, chemical, and physical principles to crop production) and an art (practical skill in managing soil, water, and crops).

Agronomic/Field Crops

  • Cereals: rice, corn, sorghum, wheat, rye, barley, oat.
  • Seed legumes/pulses: soybeans, peas, mungbean.
  • Forage: feed for animals in the form of hay, silage or pasture.
  • Fiber crops: abaca, cotton, pineapple.
  • Drug and beverages: coffee, tea, tobacco.
  • Sugar crops: sugarcane, sugar beet, sweet sorghum.
  • Oil crops: sunflower, sesame, canola.

Definition of Horticulture

  • Horticulture is the branch of agricultural science that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of cultivating plants for human use.
  • (Unlike agronomy, which focuses on large-scale field crops, horticulture usually involves intensive cultivation of high-value crops, often requiring greater care, specialized techniques, and closer management).
  • Horticulture is the art, science, technology and business of growing and utilizing garden and plantation crops (O.K. Bautista).
  • From Latin: Hortus (garden) and colere/cultura (to cultivate).

Branches of Horticulture

  • Olericulture (Vegetable Science): From Latin oleris = vegetables. Focuses on the production, storage, processing, and marketing of vegetable crops.
  • Pomology (Fruit Science): From pome (Latin pomum = fruit). The branch of horticulture concerned with the cultivation, improvement, harvesting, and processing of fruit crops.
  • Floriculture (Flower and Ornamental Science): From Latin flos = flower. Deals with the cultivation of flowers, ornamental plants, and foliage plants, often for decorative, landscaping, or commercial purposes.
  • Landscape Horticulture: Design, installation, and maintenance of landscapes, parks, and recreational gardens; integrates aesthetics, ecology, and sustainable land use.
  • Arboriculture (Tree Care and Management): From Latin arbor = tree. Focused on the care, management, and cultivation of individual trees and woody plants, often in urban or landscaped settings rather than forests.

Plantation Crops in Horticulture

  • Plantation crops are commercially grown, perennial crops cultivated on a large scale, usually in tropical and subtropical regions, primarily for export and industrial use rather than direct household consumption.
  • Why plantation crops are considered a subsector of horticulture:
    • Horticulture covers high-value crops beyond the staple field crops of agronomy.
    • Many plantation crops are perennial, high-value, intensively managed, and require specialized care—similar to fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals in horticulture.
    • In academic classifications, tropical plantation crops like coffee, cacao, coconut, banana, pineapple, abaca, and rubber are frequently taught under horticultural sciences in the Philippines, India, and other tropical countries.

Plantation Crops Characteristics

  • Typically perennial in nature (live and produce for many years).
  • High-value and market-oriented.
  • Labor- and management-intensive.
  • Grown in large estates or plantations, though smallholder farmers also cultivate them.
  • Often processed into industrial or consumer products (e.g., coffee, chocolate, fiber, oils, rubber).
  • Plantation crops examples include:
    • Oil Crops: Coconut, African oil palm
    • Fiber Crops: Abaca, cotton, kapok
    • Beverage Crops: Coffee, Cacao, Tea
    • Spices: Black pepper, vanilla
    • Latexes and Resins: Rubber, Pili, Chico, Papaya
    • Medicinal Crops: Lagundi, sambung

Comparison between Agronomic and Horticultural Crops

  • Commodities:
    • Agronomic Crops: Cereals, grain legumes, forages, oil crops, fiber crops, etc.
    • Horticultural Crops: Vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, plantation crops
  • Diversity/Unit:
    • Agronomic Crops: less
    • Horticultural Crops: more
  • Management:
    • Agronomic Crops: extensive
    • Horticultural Crops: intensive
  • Income/Unit Area:
    • Agronomic Crops: lower
    • Horticultural Crops: higher
  • Adaptation:
    • Agronomic Crops: limited
    • Horticultural Crops: wide
  • Utilization:
    • Agronomic Crops: eaten as staple
    • Horticultural Crops: consumed with staples
  • Consumption:
    • Agronomic Crops: usually processed and eaten in the mature stage
    • Horticultural Crops: usually consumed in fresh form and can be eaten at any stage depending on purpose
  • Aesthetic value:
    • Agronomic Crops: lower
    • Horticultural Crops: higher
  • Nutritive value:
    • Agronomic Crops: Carbohydrates, proteins and lipids plus vitamins and minerals
    • Horticultural Crops: Provides important vitamins and minerals, some carbohydrates, proteins and lipids
  • Life cycle:
    • Agronomic Crops: Semi-annual, annual, few perennials
    • Horticultural Crops: Semi-annual, annual, biennial, and perennials
  • Compatibility to farming systems:
    • Agronomic Crops: less
    • Horticultural Crops: Highly compatible
  • Moisture content of harvested products:
    • Agronomic Crops: low
    • Horticultural Crops: high
  • Note: The difference between horticultural and agronomic crops depends on the purpose for which the crop is grown, type of culture, traditions and customs of the country (Rimando, UPLB).

Scope and Disciplines within Crop Science

  • Agronomy: Field crop management, soil-crop systems, sustainable farming practices
  • Horticulture: Intensive cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals, often in controlled environments
  • Plant Breeding & Genetics: Developing new varieties with enhanced yield, stress resistance, nutritional value—or other desirable traits
  • Plant Physiology & Metabolism: Understanding growth processes and optimizing biological functions for improved productivity
  • Crop Protection: Managing pests, diseases, and weeds to safeguard crop health
  • Soil, Water, and Nutrient Management: Enhancing fertility, efficient resource use, irrigation, and agro-ecological balance
  • Seed Science and Germplasm: Focusing on seed quality, storage, breeding material, and conservation
  • Biotechnology & Molecular Tools: Gene editing, molecular genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, and molecular breeding
  • Food Quality & Nutrition: Developing nutritionally enhanced crops, analyzing food composition
  • Sustainable Agriculture: Precision farming, climate-resilient systems, sustainable production strategies
  • Emerging Subfields: Nanotechnology, phytochemistry, environmental stewardship, and data science applications

Quiz (from Page 23)

  • Definition of Agriculture & the Meaning and Scope of Crop Science

References (as listed in the slides)

  • Nafzger, Alan (2025). Crop Science, Dictionary of Agriculture. Retrieved on August 5, 2025 from https://agriculturedictionary.com/crop-science/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
  • Encyclopædia Britannica. (2023). Agronomy. In Britannica Online. URL: https://www.britannica.com/science/agronomy
  • Oxford English Dictionary. (2023). Agronomy. URL: https://www.oed.com/
  • Dictionary definition of Crop Science. Crop Science. Definition: multidisciplinary field focused on cultivation, management, and improvement of crops for food, feed, fiber, fuel, etc. URL: https://agriculturedictionary.com/crop-science/
  • Van Es, H.M. (2014). “Agronomy.” In Encyclopedia of Agriculture and Food Systems (Vol. 1, pp. 109–125). Elsevier.
  • Janick, J. (2011). Horticultural Science (4th ed.). W.H. Freeman and Company.
  • Department of Agriculture – Philippines. (2023). Crops Program Overview. URL: https://www.da.gov.ph/programs-projects/crops/
  • Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). (2023). Major Crops Statistics of the Philippines. URL: https://psa.gov.ph/content/major-crops-statistics-philippines
  • Encyclopædia Britannica. (2023). Crop – agriculture. URL: https://www.britannica.com/topic/crop-agriculture
  • Poehlman, J.M. & Sleper, D.A. (1995). Breeding Field Crops. Iowa State University Press.
  • UPLB Institute of Crop Science (ICropS). (2023). About Crop Science in the Philippines. URL: https://cafs.uplb.edu.ph/icrops/
  • Hartmann, H.T., Kester, D.E., Davies, F.T., & Geneve, R.L. (2010). Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices (8th ed.). Prentice Hall.
  • Department of Agriculture – Philippines. (2023). Crops Programs. URL: https://www.da.gov.ph/programs-projects/crops/
  • Encyclopædia Britannica. (2023). Plantation agriculture. URL: https://www.britannica.com/topic/plantation-agriculture
  • Janick, J. (2011). Horticultural Science (4th ed.). W.H. Freeman and Company.
  • Department of Agriculture – Philippines. (2023). Crops Programs. URL: https://www.da.gov.ph/programs-projects/crops/
  • FAO. (2023). Major Tropical Plantation Crops. URL: https://www.fao.org/
  • Rimando, Tito J. (n.d). Lecture Syllabus on Crop Science. UPLB
  • Bautista, O.K, 1994. Introduction to Tropical Horticulture, 2nd Edition. SEAMEO-SEARCA-UPLB, Philippines