PRINCIPLES OF CROP SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT AE 552
Lectures      :   4                                                                                              Year   :   II
Tutorial        :   0                                                                                              Part    :   II
Practical      :   3/2
                   
Course Objective:
To develop basic understanding about efficient crop management and skills about crop cultivation practices with diseases and pest management 

Part-I Agronomy
1.             Definition, Scope and Importance                                                         (2 hours)
1.1          Definition and relationship with other sciences
1.2          Scope and importance
1.3          Classification of agronomical crops

2.             Review of Crop Physiological Processes                                                (4 hours)
2.1          Germination
2.2          Uptake of water and nutrients
2.3          Photosynthesis
2.4          Respiration
2.5          Transpiration
2.6          Growth
2.7          Development
2.8          Flowering
2.9          Fruiting
2.10      Senescence

3.             Effect of Weather Elements on Crop Production                               (3 hours)
3.1          Solar radiation
3.2          Temperature
3.3          Humidity
3.4          Wind
3.5          Rainfall
3.6          Agro-climatic requirements of major food crops
3.7          Climatic hazards and their management

4.             Seeds and Seed Quality                                                                           (3 hours)
4.1          Definition of seed
4.2          Seed quality
4.3          Seed viability
4.4          Seed germination
4.5          Seed dormancy
4.6          Production of quality seed
4.7          Seed processing
4.8          Seed testing and certification

5.             Maintenance of Soil Productivity                                                           (4 hours)
5.1          Importance of soil fertility
5.2          Improvement and conservation of soil fertility
5.3          Manures and fertilizers:
5.3.1                       Nutrient content
5.3.2                       Selection
5.3.3                       Rates and methods of application in major food crops
5.4          Green manures and bio-fertilizers
5.5          Management of saline, alkaline and acidic soils

6.             Cropping System                                                                                       (6 hours)
6.1          Crop rotation
6.1.1     Selection of crops in crop rotation
6.1.2     Advantages/disadvantages in selected crop rotations
6.2          Mixed cropping
6.3          Intercropping
6.4          Relay cropping
6.5          Multiple cropping
6.6          Cropping intensity
6.7          Cropping index
6.8          Harvest index
6.9          Economic and biological yield
6.10      Farming systems



7.             Weed Management                                                                                 (3 hours)
7.1          Definition
7.2          Losses caused by weeds
7.3          Classification
7.4          Weed Management
7.4.1     Prevention
7.4.2     Control
7.4.3     Eradication

8.             Rainfed Farming                                                                                        (1 hours)
9.             Cultivation Practices of Major Crops                                                     (6 hours)
9.1          Cereal Crops (Rice, Wheat, Maize)
9.2          Grain Legumes (Lentil, greengram)
9.3          Oil Seeds (Mustard, Sunflower)
9.4          Industrial Crops (Sugarcane, Jute)
9.5          Tuber Crops (Potato)

Part-II Horticulture

1.            Introduction:                                                                                             (3 hours)
1.1          Meaning, branches and scope of horticulture
1.2          Importance of horticulture
1.3          Feasibility of horticultural development in Nepal
1.4          Classification of horticultural crops

2.          Physiology of Horticultural Crops                                                                                                           (3 hours)
2.1                        Seed and bud dormancy
2.2                        Germination- factors and processes
2.3                        Juvenility- characteristics and modifications
2.4                        Maturity- flowering, fruit-setting , fruit growth, fruit drop and fruit ripening
2.5                        Tuber and bulb formation

3.          Production of Vegetables and Spice Crops                                            (6 hours)
3.1             Classification of vegetable and spice crops
3.2             Soil and climatic factors in the production of vegetable and spice crops
3.3             Cultural practices to improve and maintain soil fertility (mulching, liming, composting, green manuring, intercropping, crop rotations, contour cropping, alley cropping, terrace farming, agro-forestry)
3.4                        Principle of off-season vegetable production
3.5                        Cultivation practices of following vegetable crops:
3.5.1      Cole crops (Cauliflower, cabbage)
3.5.2      Bulb crops (Onion)
3.5.3      Solanaceous vegetables (tomato, chilly)
3.5.4      Cucurbits (Cucumber)
3.6                        Cultivation practices of following spice crops:
3.6.1      Zinger
3.6.2      Cardamom

4.          Production of Fruits and Plantation Crops                                             (6 hours)
4.1          Importance and scope of fruits and plantation crops
4.2          Orchard establishment- site selection, layout, selection of crops and spices
4.3          Nursery management
4.4          Principles of sexual, asexual and micro-propagation
4.5          Orchard management- green manuring, intercropping, cover cropping, mulching, sod culture, liming, weeding, manuring, fertilization, training and pruning
4.6          Cultivation practices of following fruit crops:
4.6.1        Tropical fruits: mango, banana, litchi
4.6.2        Sub-tropical fruits: citrus, grapes, guava
4.6.3        Temperate fruits: apple, pear
4.6.4        Plantation crops: tea, coffee, cardamom

Part-III: Insect/Pest and Disease Management:          
1.             Insect/Pest Management                                                                       (5 hours)             
1.1          Introduction to agricultural insects and pests
1.2          Principles and methods of pest control
1.3          Management of important insects/pests of field,
1.4          Vegetable and plantation crops
1.5          Pesticides and their formulations
1.6          Methods of application of insecticides and pesticides

2.             Disease Management                                                                               (5 hours)
1.7       Concept and losses caused by plant diseases
1.8       Causes of plant diseases
1.9       Important diseases of field, vegetable and plantation crops
1.10   Control measures of plant diseases

Practical:
1.             Identification of crops and their seeds.
2.             Identification of mineral fertilizers.
3.             Calculation of rates of fertilizer and manures and their methods of application.
4.             Preparation of calendar of operation for sequential cropping, triple cropping, inter-cropping and relay cropping.
5.             Calculation of seed rate of different crops and planting materials.
6.             Germination, viability and purity test of seeds.
7.             Collection, identification and control measures of weeds
8.             Calculation of rates of application of insecticides, pesticides and fungicides
9.             Identification of fruits and plantation crops.
10.          Identification of plants and seeds of vegetables and spices
11.          Practice on crop cultural operation in field, vegetable, fruits and plantation crops.

References:
1.              Sharma, K.P., K.R. Dahal and K.R. Neupane. 1991. An Introduction to Agronomy. Tribhuvan University, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Rampur, Nepal.
2.             Modern Techniques of Raising Field Crops by Chidda Singh. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi
3.             Agronomy: Theory and Digest by Cheema S.S. et al. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi
4.             Crop Management by S.S. Singh, Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi
5.             Horticulture: Principle and Practices by Acquaah, Prentice-Hall of India Ltd.






Evaluation Scheme:
The questions will cover all the chapters of the syllabus. The evaluation scheme will be as indicated in the table below:
Chapters
Hours
Marks distribution*
Part-I Agronomy
1 & 2
6
8
3 & 4
6
8
5
4
5
6
6
8
7 & 8
4
5
9
6
8
Part-II Horticulture
1 & 2
6
8
3
6
8
4
6
8
Part-III: Insect/Pest and Disease Management
1
5
7
2
5
7
Total
60
80

*There may be minor variation in marks distribution
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