agr1agr agronomy 1
AGRONOMY 1
AGR1AGR
2015
Credit points: 15
Subject outline
This subject will develop students' knowledge in the practice of agronomy as an interdisciplinary study that underpins sustainable agricultural plant production practices. Different crop and pasture establishment and management options will be explored along with conventional, alternative and sustainable plant management systems. Students will develop skills in the measurement of plant growth and yield of crops and/or pastures. Skills in decision-making related to crop varieties, establishment, growth and harvest production plans will be developed. Students will be introduced to the ecology of weeds and be able to identify common weeds, insects and crop and pasture diseases and will engage in field practice, laboratory work and excursions to undertake crop and pasture monitoring assessments and analyses and apply their findings to productive use and sustainability in landscape management planning.
SchoolSchool of Life Sciences
Credit points15
Subject Co-ordinatorPeter Sale
Available to Study Abroad StudentsNo
Subject year levelYear Level 1 - UG
Exchange StudentsNo
Subject particulars
Subject rules
Prerequisites Admission into SBATE
Co-requisitesN/A
Incompatible subjectsN/A
Equivalent subjectsN/A
Special conditionsN/A
Learning resources
Readings
| Resource Type | Title | Resource Requirement | Author and Year | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Readings | Australian soil fertility manual | Recommended | Price, G 2006 | 3RD EDN, CSIRO PUBLISHING, COLLINGWOOD, VICTORIA |
| Readings | Design of experiments for agriculture and the natural sciences | Recommended | Hoshmand, A 2006 | 2ND EDN, CRC PRESS, BOCA RATON, FL |
| Readings | Integrated pest management for crops and pastures | Recommended | Horne, P & Page, J 2006 | LANDMARK PRESS, VICTORIA |
| Readings | Interpreting soil test results: what do all the numbers mean? | Recommended | Hazelton, P & Murphy 2007 | CSIRO PUBLISHING, COLLINGWOOD, VICTORIA |
| Readings | Pests of field crops and pastures | Recommended | Bailey, P 2007 | CSIRO PUBLISHING, COLLINGWOOD, VICTORIA |
| Readings | Productivity growth in Australian agriculture: trends, sources, performance | Recommended | Mullen, J 2007 | AUSTRALIAN FARM INSTITUTE, SURRY HILLS, NSW |
| Readings | The coming famine | Recommended | Cribb, J 2010 | CSIRO PUBLISHING, COLLINGWOOD, VICTORIA |
| Readings | Weeds of the south-east: an identification guide for Australia | Recommended | Richardson, F, Richardson R & Shepard, R 2001 | 2ND EDN, CSIRO PUBLISHING, VICTORIA |
Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes
01. Describe and explain the fundamental aspects of plant biology relevant to agricultural plant production practices
- Activities:
- Practical sessions and lectures will introduce the relationships between the plants, soil and the environment. The farm will be used to demonstrate some of these relationships.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Discipline-specific GCs(Discipline-specific GCs)
02. Describe different crop and pasture establishment and management options
- Activities:
- Lectures, practical sessions and field trips will be used to demonstrate differences in purpose between crops and pastures, their establishment and management. Use of keys and identification characteristics of common crops and pasture species.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Ethical Awareness(Ethical Awareness)
- Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)
03. Research, develop and present a crop and/or pasture establishment program in a format suitable for a professional audience
- Activities:
- Students will research and develop fundamental aspects of a crop or pasture establishment program. This may be put into practice on the farm to test the program.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research)
- Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving)
- Ethical Awareness(Ethical Awareness)
- Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)
04. Measure plant growth and yield of crops and/or pastures
- Activities:
- Practical sessions and lectures will be used to introduce the students to commonly used scientific measures of crops and pasture growth stages and yield. The farm will be used for these exercises.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Discipline-specific GCs(Discipline-specific GCs)
05. Identify common weeds, pests and diseases of crops and pastures and discuss the range of management options to control them
- Activities:
- Practical sessions will be used to identify weeds, pests and diseases of crops and pasture. A range of keys will be used. Methods of assessing for suitable controls measures and their efficacy will be explored.
- Related graduate capabilities and elements:
- Discipline-specific GCs(Discipline-specific GCs)
Subject options
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Epping, 2015, Semester 1, Day
Overview
Online enrolmentYes
Maximum enrolment sizeN/A
Enrolment information
Subject Instance Co-ordinatorPeter Sale
Class requirements
Laboratory ClassWeek: 10 - 22
One 3.0 hours laboratory class per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via face-to-face.
WorkShopWeek: 10 - 22
One 2.0 hours workshop per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via face-to-face.
Assessments
| Assessment element | Comments | % | ILO* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Assessment (on location at farm) | 30 | 02, 04, 05 | |
| Practical Assessment (on location at farm) | 30 | 02, 03 | |
| Tutorial Assessments (2 x case studies 500 words) | 10 | 02, 04 | |
| Written Exam (2 hours) | 30 | 01, 02, 04 |