How chemistry plays an important role in the agricultural field and also in the others areas related to agriculture like irrigation etc.

1. ROLE OF CHEMISTRY IN
AGRICULTURE
V. Madhuri Reddy
B.Sc. Forensic Science
Raja Bahadur Venkata Rama Reddy Women’s
College

2. INTRODUCTION
• Around 7000BC – cultivation transformed Nomadic to settled Neolithic lifestyle
• Basic need of living being – FOOD
• Plants are Producers – Photosynthesis
• Agriculture – practice of producing crops and livestock from natural resources
• Modern agriculture – use advanced scientific techniques which rely on
chemistry(ORGANIC)

3. ROLE OF CHEMISTRY
 PHOTOSYNTHESIS:
• 6𝐶𝑂2 + 6𝐻2𝑂  𝐶6𝐻12𝑂6 + 6𝑂2
• Chlorophyll = Porphyrin ring coordinated to central atom
‘Mg’, acts as powerhouse
• Others –
 Light reaction – electron transport chain(PS – I & PS – II)
 Dark reaction – Calvin cycle
 Krebs cycle

4.  Fertilizers:
• Supply nutrients to plants for their growth
• 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable
• Categories:
 Organic – from living systems
 Inorganic – synthesized by Haber-Bosch process
• Counter balanced loss of land
• Example: UREA(carbamide) – Nitrogen-release
fertilizer

5.  Pesticides:
• Minimize the damage of crops by pests
• Sub-classes:
 Herbicides – weedkillers – Example: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
 Insecticides – controls insects
 Fungicides – inhibits fungi or fungal spores
 Rodenticides – controls mice
 Pediculicides and Biocides
• Without pesticides – crop yield is reduced by 10%

6. CHEMISTRY IN OTHER AREAS OF
AGRICULTURE
• Plastic pipes for improved irrigation – plastic is a polymer
• Storage and preservation of agricultural produce –
 sulfur dioxide – fresh appearance
 sodium benzoate, salicylic acid – preservatives
 ethylene, calcium carbide – ripening of fruits or vegetables
 NaCl2, KH2PO4, ZnSO4, MgSO4 and MnSO4 - germination of seeds
• Food processing – saccharin, sweeteners, vitamins, minerals etc.
• Chemicals from agricultural waste – alcohol from bagasse

7. RECENT TRENDS IN ADVANCED POLYMER
MATERIALS IN AGRICULTURE RELATED
APPLICATIONS
• Smart polymeric systems have extensively contributed to
the agricultural industry by increasing the efficiency of
pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers by facilitating
controlled release systems and, therefore, enabling lower
doses to be used.
• Superabsorbent polymeric materials have been used as soil
conditioners to control the impact of drought, whereas
polycationic polymers have been utilized for plant
bioengineering.