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Difference Between Agriculture and Horticulture

Agriculture and horticulture are both concerned with growing plants and producing food, but they differ in scale, method and the types of plants grown. Agriculture is the broad practice of cultivating crops and rearing animals on a large scale, mainly to produce food grains and raw materials. Horticulture is a branch of agriculture that deals with the intensive cultivation of garden crops such as fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants, usually on a smaller scale and with more care. In short, all horticulture is a part of agriculture, but not all agriculture is horticulture.

Question (Click to Flip)

What is the difference between agriculture and horticulture?

Answer

Agriculture is the broad, large-scale practice of cultivating crops (like wheat, rice and pulses) and rearing animals to produce food and raw materials. Horticulture is a branch of agriculture that deals with the intensive cultivation of garden crops — fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants — usually on a smaller scale and with more care. So all horticulture is part of agriculture, but not all agriculture is horticulture.

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Key Facts

Agriculture is the large-scale cultivation of crops and rearing of animals.

Horticulture is the intensive cultivation of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

Horticulture is a branch of agriculture.

Agriculture mainly grows field crops like wheat, rice and pulses.

Horticulture uses intensive methods like grafting, pruning and budding.

Branches of horticulture: pomology (fruits), olericulture (vegetables), floriculture (flowers).

Agriculture is done on a large scale; horticulture usually on a smaller scale.

What is Agriculture?

Agriculture is the science and practice of cultivating the soil to grow crops and of rearing animals for food, fibre and other products.

Features: • It is carried out on a large scale, often over big fields. • It mainly grows field crops such as wheat, rice, maize, pulses and cotton. • It also includes animal husbandry (rearing cattle, poultry, etc.). • It uses ploughing, sowing, irrigation and harvesting on a large area. • Its main aim is to produce food grains and raw materials in large quantity.

Agriculture is the broader term, and horticulture, forestry and animal husbandry are some of its branches.

What is Horticulture?

Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the intensive cultivation of garden crops — fruits, vegetables, flowers, and ornamental and medicinal plants.

Features: • It is usually carried out on a smaller scale, in gardens, orchards and nurseries. • It involves more intensive care, such as grafting, pruning and budding. • It grows fruits, vegetables, flowers and decorative plants. • It often has higher value per unit area than ordinary field crops.

Main branches of horticulture:

  1. Pomology — growing fruits.
  2. Olericulture — growing vegetables.
  3. Floriculture — growing flowers.
  4. Landscape/ornamental horticulture — growing decorative plants for gardens.

Difference Between Agriculture and Horticulture

Agriculture: • Broad cultivation of crops and rearing of animals • Carried out on a large scale • Mainly field crops (wheat, rice, pulses) and livestock • Uses extensive farming methods • Aim: produce food grains and raw materials in bulk • A wide field that includes horticulture as a branch

Horticulture: • Intensive cultivation of garden crops • Carried out on a smaller scale • Fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants • Uses intensive methods (grafting, pruning, budding) • Aim: produce high-value garden crops • A branch of agriculture

In short, agriculture is the broad practice of farming, while horticulture is the specialised, intensive growing of garden crops.

Questions and Answers

What is the difference between agriculture and horticulture?+

Agriculture is the broad, large-scale practice of cultivating crops (like wheat, rice and pulses) and rearing animals to produce food and raw materials. Horticulture is a branch of agriculture that deals with the intensive cultivation of garden crops — fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants — usually on a smaller scale and with more care. So all horticulture is part of agriculture, but not all agriculture is horticulture.

What is horticulture?+

Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the intensive cultivation of garden crops such as fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants. It involves careful methods like grafting, pruning and budding, and is usually carried out in gardens, orchards and nurseries. Its main branches are pomology (fruits), olericulture (vegetables) and floriculture (flowers).

Is horticulture a part of agriculture?+

Yes. Horticulture is a branch of agriculture. While agriculture is the broad practice of growing crops and rearing animals on a large scale, horticulture is the specialised, intensive cultivation of garden crops like fruits, vegetables and flowers.

What are the main branches of horticulture?+

The main branches of horticulture are: pomology (the growing of fruits), olericulture (the growing of vegetables), floriculture (the growing of flowers), and landscape or ornamental horticulture (growing decorative plants for gardens and landscapes).

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