Module Identifier RS10310  
Module Title CROP GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT  
Academic Year 2001/2002  
Co-ordinator Dr Peter Jenkins  
Semester Semester 2  
Pre-Requisite A or AS level science subjects  
Course delivery Lecture    
Assessment Practical exercise   3 Hours Examination   20%  
  Essay     20%  
  Exam   1.5 Hours   60%  

Syllabus / Curriculum design


The lecture course is principally concerned with crop growth and provides an introduction to the origin and growth of the shoot and root systems; leaf growth and functioning; photosynthesis and factors determining rates of photosynthesis; crop growth analysis, in particular in terms of radiation interception and radiation use efficiency; seed quality and germination; plant population density effects; crop water relations and nutrient requirements; introduction to plant-microbe interactions. The practicals investigate the vegetative and reproductive structure of grasses and keys are used to identify species; the internal anatomy of leaves, stems and roots; developmental changes in wheat and oilseed rape; structure and development of a range of fodder and root crops; inflorescence structure in cereals.

Learning outcomes


On completion of this module students will be able to:

Aims of the module


To provide a comprehensive series of lectures and practicals that demonstrate the main processes in crop growth and development and to use integrated approaches to analysing the principal environmental factors that affect the rate of crop growth.

Reading Lists

Books
Forbes J C & Watson R D. Plants in Agriculture. Cambridge University Press
Langer R H M & Hill G D. Agricultural Plants. 2nd. CUP
Gardner FP, Pearce RB & Mitchell RL. Physiology of Crop Plants. Iowa State University Press
Weston G D (ed). Crop Productivity. Open Learning Series
Weston G D. Crop Physiology Biotechnology. Open Learning Series