Crop Production Principles PLNT 2500 Personnel: Lecturer - Gary Martens Room 109 Plant Science, 474-6097, gary_martens@umanitoba.ca Office Hours: I have classes on MWF 11:30-2:30, Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30-1:00, Lab Teaching Assistants: Harun Cicek, Laura Wiebe, Tyler Guerrieri |
Course Objectives: This course is intended to provide a broad understanding of farming systems. You will gain knowledge of plants and their interactions with their environment, working on a plant, crop and cropping systems level. Application will be made to farming practices in Manitoba and Western Canada. Course Outline: Introduction 1.1 Course outline, expectations, requirements, grading and evaluation 1.2 Human and animal needs for food and non-food plants 1.3 Crop origins
2. Global and Local Crop Production 2.1 World Production 2.2 USA and Canada Production 2.3 Manitoba Production http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture 2.3.1 Yield History 2.3.2 Yield Increase Factors 2.3.3 Yield Limiting Factors 2.3.4 Distribution of Crop Production in Manitoba
3. How to Find Yourself 3.1 Legal land descriptions 3.2 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) 3.3 Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Lab computers: Departmental Applications, Ucount http://geoapp2.gov.mb.ca/website/mafri/index3.html
4. Plant Nutrition http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/ http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/smallgrain.html 4.1 Primary Nutrients 4.2 Secondary Nutrients and Micronutrients 4.3 Manure as a source of Crop Nutrients http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/marc/index.html 5. Crop Rotations and Farming Systems 5.1 Reasons, Advantages and Disadvantages http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/naturalagriculture/ http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/crops/eb48-1.htm 5.2 Methods and Examples 5.3 Environmental Farm Plans http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/soilwater/farmplan/index.html
6. Crop Production Techniques and Practices http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/ 6.1 Land Preparation 6.2 Seeding Practices 6.2.1 Seeding Equipment 6.2.2 Seed Bed Utilization, Fertilization 6.2.3 Seeding Rate, Date, Depth; Seed Variety, Quality and Treatment
6.3 Crop Protection 6.3.1 Crop Scouting Techniques and Tools 6.3.2 Integrated Pest Management, Weeds, Insects and Diseases
6.4 Harvest Management 6.4.1 Pre-Harvest Decisions and Opportunities 6.4.2 Swathing Decisions and Timing 6.4.3 Harvest Decisions and Timing 6.4.4 Residue Management
7. Crop Development and Seed Production 7.1 Crop Breeding 7.2 Seed Production Practices 8. Risk Management 8.1 Crop diversity 8.2 Crop Insurance 8.3 Pricing strategies
Resources: The Lab Manual PLNT 2500 (required) is available in the bookstore. A number of textbooks are available in the library, including: Walton, Principles and Practices of Plant Science. The Internet is a valuable source of reference materials. You may want to start at Manitoba Agriculture’s site at Saskatchewan at Alberta
Grading: Lab 40% Quizzes 20% Assignment (due March 19, 2010) 15% Final Lecture exam 25%
Evaluation procedures and other relevant information A number of quizzes and problems (a total of approximately 35 marks) will be marked and returned to you before the voluntary withdrawal date of March 11, 2010. A written assignment worth 15 marks will be due near the end of the term (Friday, March 19), however it may be handed in before that date. In this assignment you are asked to write a referenced paper. “Referenced “ paper means that you include a list of all your sources, written, oral and internet sources at the end of your paper. Citations (Martens, 2009) must be included in the text. Late assignments will be deducted 10% for each day late unless previous arrangements are made with the instructor. Refer to the University of Manitoba statements on academic dishonesty including plagiarism and cheating and examination impersonation found on line at http://umanitoba.ca/student/student_guide.html
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