HPC-23303 Quantitative Aspects of Crop Production

Course

Credits 3.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

PPH-10806 Structure and Funcion of Plants

Continuation courses:

CWE-32806 Designing Sustainable Cropping Systems;
FTE-30306 greenhouse Technology;
HPC-20306 Physiology and Development of Plants in Horticulture;
HPC-30306 Hortonomy.

Contents:

The central goal of this selfstudy course is to obtain and deepen knowledge and insight in physical and crop physiological aspects of crop growth, and to get acquainted with abiotic interactions between crop and environment. Students will learn to systematically apply crop physiological and crop ecological principles in both open field and greenhouse cropping systems.
The following subjects will be dealt with:
- biomass production: light use efficiency, water use efficiency, leaf area index;
- biomass partitioning ((functional equillibrium allometry,, fruit set and abortion, partitioning based on sink strength);
- plant growth analysis (RGR, NAR, LAR, SLA, LWR, exponential growth);
- yield component analysis;
- interactions between partitioning and biomass production.
Special attention will be paid to training a quantitative approach towards these topics.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of the course students are expected to be able to:
- understand the meaning and importance of parameters and concepts in plant and crop growth: e.g. RGR, NAR, LAR, light interception, light use efficiency, biomass partitioning [sink strength, functional equilibrium], water use efficiency in both open field and greenhouse cropping systems;
- argue and make calculations for crop growth and yield, based on the above mentioned parameters and concepts.

Activities:

- ICT-based self study;
- Interactive lectures.

Examination:

Written or ICT-based exam.

Literature:

Syllabus, and ICT based modules.