AG-110 Crop Production w/ Lab

Course Description: 

Fosters a greater understanding of the current theories and practices in tropical horticulture, agronomic and agroforestry cropping systems. Emphasizes sustainable/low impact production techniques and hands-on field experience, and individual research, experimentation and reporting.

A.  PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES (PLOs): 

 The student will be able to:

1. Acquire fundamental concepts and principles of land resources focusing towards development and production in a sustainable manner appropriate to Micronesia.
2. Demonstrate basic competencies in the management of land resources and food production.
3. Acquire basic skills, knowledge and attitude to manage a sustainable food production enterprise or qualify for entry-level employment in an agriculture or natural resource management-related agency.
4. Acquire a sound scientific background that will allow transfer to a higher degree program related to land resources and food systems.

 

B.  STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLOs) - GENERAL: 

The student will be able to:

1.      Describe the principles of crop establishment.

2.      Explain plant growth and environmental conditions.

3.      Demonstrate the knowledge of plant breeding.

4.      Propagate and plant tropical plantation crops (coconuts, cassava, Kava, Fruit trees,, papaya, limes, and bananas).

 

SLO	PLO1	PLO2	PLO3	PLO4
1	I	ID	D	DM
2	I	ID	DM	DM
3	ID	DM	DM	DM
4	ID	IM	DM	DM

 

I = Introduced

D = Demonstrated

M = Mastered

 

C.  STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLOs) - SPECIFIC:

The student will be able to: 

General SLO 1.  Describe the principles of crop establishment.

Student Learning Outcomes	Assessment Strategies
1.1. Select the best land for cropping.	Survey of land evaluation
1.2. Demonstrate the best land clearing methods to be used.	Field work evaluation
1.3. Demonstrate the best cultivation and land preparation methods.	Test questions
1.4. Explain the uses of tillage.	Survey of land evaluation

 

 

General SLO 2.  Explain plant growth and environmental conditions.

Student Learning Outcomes	Assessment Strategies
2.1. Describe the difference between clay, sandy and loamy soils and identify sample of each.	Test questions, project on soil classification
2.2. Explain three ways to improve soil drainage and two ways to increase moisture retention of the soil.	Test question, lab report
2.3. Explain what is meant by the pH value of soil, and the cation and anion exchange capacity of the soil.	Test questions, soil testing survey
2.4. Explain the effects of rainfall and temperature on plant growth.	Test question, lab report
2.5. Explain the importance of plant nutrition to plant growth.	Test questions, field fertilizer trail report

 

General SLO 3.  Demonstrate the knowledge of plant breeding.

Student Learning Outcomes	Assessment Strategies
3.1. Explain the two main types of plant propagations.	Test questions, lab quizzes
3.2. Prepared a medium for seeds, seed sows and proper conditions for germination.	Test question, lab report
3.3. Perform grafting of hardwood.	Field work
3.4. Perform cutting, air layering.	Field work
3.5. Perform budding, and division and separation.	Field work

 

General SLO 4.  Propagate and plant tropical plantation crops (coconuts, cassava, kava, fruit trees, papaya, limes, and bananas).

Student Learning Outcomes	Assessment Strategies
4.1. Explain the botanical classification of each crop.	Test questions
4.2. Explain the detail production techniques and problems of producing selected crops.	Field and test questions
4.3. Describe the harvesting and handling of the crops for market, including storage .and processing.	Test questions

 

D.  COURSE CONTENT   

a)      Horticulture: An Introduction

b)      Exploring the Horticulture field

c)      Plant Taxonomy

d)     Plant Parts and Functions

e)      Environmental Requirements for Good Plant Growth

f)       Growth Stimulants, Retardants, and Rooting Hormones

g)      Seeds

h)      Grafting

i)        Budding

j)        Layering

k)      Pest Management

l)        Biological Control

m)    Chemical Control

n)      Cultural Control

o)      Mechanical Control

p)      Planning and Preparing the Garden Site

q)      Planting and caring for the Vegetable garden.

r)       Marketing

s)       The banana

E.  METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

Lecture

Group Discussions

Group Presentation

Lab Exercises

Farm Visits

 

F.  REQURIED TEXT(S) AND COURSE MATERIALS

Shry, C and Reily, E (2011). Introductory Horticulture, 8th Edition. Delmar, NY. College Learning Inc. (or most recent edition).

 

G.  REFERENCE MATERIALS

Crop Production for Pacific Islands, by Agriculture Development in the American Pacific (ADAP), University of Hawaii: http://www.prel.org/media/52520/adap.pps

 

H.  INSTRUCTIONAL COSTS

None

 

I.   EVALUATION

The student must exhibit proficiency of at least 70% to receive a passing grade of “C”.

 

J.   CREDIT BY EXAMINATION

None