CSA-10306 Cropping Systems and Knowledge of Crops

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English.

Contents:

World-wide, a huge diversity of crops is grown in different environments to provide man with food and other agricultural products. Different cultivation and management techniques applied by farmers lead to an even wider variety in cropping systems and resulting agro-ecosystems. This introductory course covers the morphology of the most important crops and their products, the basic processes determining growth and development of these crops, the most important ecological relations in agro-ecosystems and effects of crop type and external factors on these relations, and how these are managed in diverse cropping systems.
Students learn to use this knowledge for recognising the most important crop species and raw crop products world-wide; for understanding and quantifying how external factors and different cropping systems affect crop growth, yield formation and other processes in agro-ecosystems; and for analysing and understanding how very diverse factors affect the development and status-quo of important cropping systems. The course is suitable for students with only limited biological knowledge.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:
- name common crop and grassland plants and/or their harvested parts by their common name and genus, and describe their use, crop type and the climate zone they grow in;
- identify a selection of the most important crop and grassland species and their products by using vegetative, generative and other characteristics and by applying biological knowledge, and describe their value for use, quality characteristics, product type, reproduction characteristics and common practices in crop cultivation;
- describe and correctly use important terms and parameters in the field of study and list the approximate values of the parameters;
- describe which ecological processes play an important role in the functioning of agro-ecosystems, and which factors determine the diversity in cropping systems in different climate zones;
- explain how radiation, water, temperature, soil and crop affect different ecological processes in agro-ecosystems at different integration levels ;
- apply the obtained knowledge to quantify the functional relationships in agro-ecosystems, especially with regard to external factors and nutrient cycles;
- apply the knowledge and skills to analyse a cropping system.

Activities:

- a practical treats applied taxonomy, spread of crops, biodiversity, generative and vegetative recognition of crops, and the most important crops according to a taxonomical classification and a classification according to designated use of the crop. Students practice recognition of these crops with living plant material, crop products and computer exercises. In addition, some small experiments are carried out to demonstrate effects of environmental factors on crop perfomance;
- lectures treat food production and agriculture world-wide, principles of growth and development of different crop types, ecological relations in agro-ecosystems in different climates - especially interactions between soil, plant and atmosphere -, and factors determining the diversity in cropping systems. Students listen, watch, make notes, ask questions, answer questions raised by the teacher and do short assignments
- work sessions and computer practicals train students in quantifying effects of external factors on crop production and on changes in processes within different cropping systems through short questions and calculations, individually or in small groups;
- an excursion helps in gaining the required knowledge on cropping systems; Students read information, prepare questions, observe, listen, ask questions and write a brief report in small groups;
- students analyse a cropping system of their choice, present their work to fellow students, and provide feedback and corrections to fellow students.

Examination:

- written exam with open and multiple choice questions (40%);
- written and BlackBoard plant recognition test (40%);
- group report and presentation on cropping system (20%);
- adequate group report on one of the excursion topics;
- adequate individual assignment on nutrient balance calculation.
The written exam and the plant recognition test each need a mark of 5.00 minimum; their average should be 5.50 minimum.

Literature:

A set containing: lecture syllabus, practical handbook, two workbooks and an excursion guide can be obained from the WURshop.
Study guide and other course material are available on BlackBoard.