| Responsible Department | Forest & Landscape | ||||||||||||||
| Earliest Possible Year | MSc. 2 year | ||||||||||||||
| Duration | One block | ||||||||||||||
| Credits | 7.5 (ECTS) | ||||||||||||||
| Level of Course | MSc This course will be launched in cooperation with Millennium Seed Bank, Kew Botanical Garden | ||||||||||||||
| Examination | Continuous Assessment written examination Portfolio Examination All aids allowed Description of Examination: Written project and continuous assessment: I. Students must take active part in discussions and provide answers to questions in connection with the weekly course modules via e-learning forum. II. Students will carry out a short experimental project within the area of competence during the course. The students will design and carry out the project within this area, and deliver a structured report with a theoretical discussion of the result. Project title and design must be approved by the course teachers. The project report will be delivered electronically to the course responsible before the end of the course. Assessment: 7 point scale, internal examiner. Weight: Project counts for 50% and e-tivities 50% of the final course assessment. 7-point scale, internal examiner | ||||||||||||||
| Requirement for Attending Exam | Students must successfully complete at least 75% of the module activities in order to have their project evaluated and graded. | ||||||||||||||
| Block Placement | Block 4 Week Structure: C | ||||||||||||||
| Language of Instruction | English | ||||||||||||||
| Course Content | |||||||||||||||
| Course content The course will consist of 7 theoretical modules: I. Physiology and ecology of tree seed (categories and classification of seed, seed size in relation to regeneration strategies, desiccation tolerance and storability, dormancy and germination). II. Forest seed production (pollination and fertilisation biology, seed production units (natural stands to seed orchards)), establishment and management of seed production systems and use of minor seed sources, documentation systems) III. Seed sources and genetic quality (parameters of genetic quality, seed source classification and management, seed source documentation, practical use of seed sources for different species and different end users) IV. Forest seed procurement (collection and processing of seed and fruits, methods to optimize physiological and genetic quality) V. Storage, viability and germination (physiological activities of stored seed, natural ageing and methods to prolong viability, storage models, physiology of germination and methods to optimise germination) VI. Physiological seed testing (theory and practice of sampling, test parameters, practical carrying out ISTA standard test, specific test problems, health, vigour and other special tests) VII. Seed supply and distribution (bottlenecks in efficient seed distribution systems, seed supply systems for different target / end user groups) Project: The experimental project will enable students to carry out an individual experiment in connection with practical tree seed production, procurement and testing. The total duration of the experiment will be 3-5 days, which may be during a short concentrated period or dispersed during a longer period during the course. | |||||||||||||||
| Teaching and learning Methods | |||||||||||||||
| The teaching is web-based and students may thus follow and complete this course from anywhere in the world. It is recommended that the experimental work be done from a tropical base (subsidiary with access to seed lab). Lecture notes and exercises will be distributed electronically to students, and discussion takes place via e-tivities. A project area and experimental design must be delivered before the end of the third course week. Students are responsible for being able to carry out the experiments themselves. Teachers will be available for guidance and discussion of the project via e-tivities during the course. | |||||||||||||||
| Learning Outcome | |||||||||||||||
| Learning outcome The objective of the course is to give students a thorough knowledge on seeds as living systems and carrier of genes, and how management of seed from production to germination can be manipulated to optimise the supply of good quality tree seed for seed users. The course will show how seed physiology and production is interlinked with regeneration strategies in the natural environment and how to deal with recalcitrant issues such as pollination, dormancy, storage and germination constraints. By the end of the course the students are expected to be able to: Knowledge - Describe general and species specific aspects of seed ontogenesis from pollination to maturation - List major classes of forest seed based on taxonomic relation and regenerational strategies - Describe physiological and morphological adaptations to different regenerational strategies including dispersal, dormancy and germination behaviour - Describe the components of seed quality as related to classification of seed sources, outbreeding, seed processing and storage - List major seed pest and diseases during seed ontogenesis, storage and germination, and describe preventive methods and measures to prevent or cope with pest and disease attack Skills - Identify morphological and anatomical structures of tree seeds - Explain evolutionary aspects of seed development and how seed structures and physiology have adapted to different environments and regenerational strategies - Apply methods of pre-treatments to overcome different types of dormancy and accelerate germination - Analyse critical points in seed supply chain and suggest methods to overcome such obstacles - Analyse positive and negative aspects of the use of different types of seed sources - Carry out standard and specific seed testing and interpret results as measurement for seed quality Competences - Design a seed supply strategy including production, harvest, distribution and marketing of tree seed - Design and carry out experimental work to document seed quality and address constraints in seed procurement - Recommend measures to overcome particular seed problems in seed supply chains - Predict changes in seed supply programmes in relation to alternative propagation methods (cuttings, tissue culture), user groups (farmers, plantation owners, forest rehabilitation), seed use (planting, direct sowing), and technological development (e.g. harvesting and processing methods, distribution efficiency, and nursery technique) - Recommend when, and when not, to use seed as propagation material | |||||||||||||||
| Course Literature | |||||||||||||||
| A compendium of relevant literature will be compiled and distributed prior to the course. Supplementary material such as lecture notes, exercises and cases will be distributed electronically. | |||||||||||||||
| Course Coordinator | |||||||||||||||
| Lars Holger Schmidt, lsc@life.ku.dk, Forest & Landscape Denmark/Arboretum, Phone: 353-31838 | |||||||||||||||
| Study Board | |||||||||||||||
| Study Committee NSN | |||||||||||||||
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