| Responsible Department | Department of Agriculture and Ecology
90 % Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology 10 % | ||||||||||||||||
| Earliest Possible Year | MSc. 1 year to MSc. 2 year | ||||||||||||||||
| Duration | One block | ||||||||||||||||
| Credits | 7.5 (ECTS) | ||||||||||||||||
| Level of Course | MSc | ||||||||||||||||
| Examination | Continuous Assessment written examination Portfolio Examination All aids allowed Description of Examination: Description of Examination: The students will be continuously assessed based on outputs from the 3 major themes of the course. This includes a two hours written examination and two individually submitted deliverables. Weight: Weight: Each of the 3 outputs will be marked according to the 7-point scale and contributes equally (33 % each) to the average course grade given. 7-point scale, internal examiner | ||||||||||||||||
| Organisation of Teaching | A mixture of fact based learning in class (lectures, exercises and deliverables), and problem based learning on a case-study (excursions, discussions, student presentations and report writing). OBS: Case-study may be in Danish for Scandinavian students | ||||||||||||||||
| Block Placement | Block 1 Week Structure: A | ||||||||||||||||
| Language of Instruction | English | ||||||||||||||||
| Optional Prerequisites | 250031 Plant Infection and Disease Management 250056 Insects in Agricultural and Horticultural Crops 250001 Crop Science 250048 250004 Applied Plant Nutrition Students are strongly recommended to have least two of the other above prerequisite courses (or similar knowledge), in order to follow the course and achieve course competence goals. | ||||||||||||||||
| Restrictions | 30 | ||||||||||||||||
| Course Content | |||||||||||||||||
| This course aims at qualifying MSc students to work with the complex challenges of real-life crop production in a farming system perspective. Students will be given tools and knowledge to analyse key elements in plant production systems, but will also be required to synthesise their own knowledge from courses in underlying disciplines, in order to suggest solutions to the often open-ended problems within crop production. The course will be divided into three major themes; one is given as fact-based teaching related to key elements in crop production systems, one is given as an introduction to different decisions support systems and individual work with decision support systems, and one is based on a problem-based case with stakeholders. Key elements in crop production systems: The course will start with an overview and discussion of key elements in crop production and contemporary trends in crop production systems such as precision agriculture, organic farming and reduced tillage. Quantitative and qualitative aspects of crop yield for food, feed, fibre and fuel production will be introduced in a farming system perspective. The environmental aspects of crop production will be discussed, as will the potential for using modern technology to increase crop production efficiency and sustainability. This theme will be organised around a number of lectures, colloquia and excursions, where differences between crop production systems will be emphasised, e.g. organic vs. conventional, no-till vs. conventional tillage, precision farming vs. conventional (written examination) Decision Support Systems (DSS) in crop production: IT and Decision Support Systems (DSS) used e.g. for prediction and modelling have become central tools in management and advisory regarding crop production. In the second theme, students will be introduced to and work with various DSS and models in crop production. Students will be required to evaluate and classify various DSS, reflect about farmers' and other stakeholders' decision making, and discuss the barriers for knowledge transfer from science to management and vice-versa (deliverable 1). Case-study: Students will be introduced to some real-life crop production cases (various farms) and the actors involved (e.g., farmers, advisors, suppliers and buyers of the product). With the help of different DSS the students will first analyse the case systematically, with respect to e.g. productivity, profitability and environmental impacts. Then based on interactions with various stakeholders, the students work out adequate and timely advice on particular crop management problems. The case-study is assessed based on a report (deliverable 2). OBS: for Danish speaking students the case-study material and the reporting may be in Danish. | |||||||||||||||||
| Teaching and learning Methods | |||||||||||||||||
| Teaching in the course will be based on a combination of fact based learning, structured by the teachers as a mixture of lectures, colloquia, exercises, and problem based learning, where students will work with a real-life crop production case and the stakeholders involved (e.g., a farmer, a R-and-D group, an agricultural advisory office). The problem based learning part requires students to work independently to solve problems rather than receiving direct instructions on what to do from the teacher or the stakeholders. The course will also include 1-2 full day excursions. | |||||||||||||||||
| Learning Outcome | |||||||||||||||||
| The objective of the course is to enable students to work with, analyse and give recommendation about complex, real-life problems within crop production systems. Knowledge: - Demonstrate overview of components of farming and cropping systems and their interactions. - Describe the complexity of biological, chemical and physical factors affecting crop production. - Critically reflect on the environmental impacts of crop production and their mitigation. - Demonstrate overview of the similarities and differences between various plant production systems (organic, integrated, conventional) and implementation of new technologies (e.g. no-till, precision farming). - Critically reflect about model-based interventions in management of plant production. Skills: - Analyse crop production systematically, with respect to productivity, profitability and environmental impact. - Apply up-to-date DSS tools and for strategic planning and management of crop production, including crop rotation, fertilisation, plant protection and postharvest management. Competences: - Provide adequate and timely advice on applied crop management and environmental impacts, promoting good agricultural practice (GAP). - Reflect about farmers' and other stakeholders decision making, interactions with DSS and the common gap between theory and practice. | |||||||||||||||||
| Course Literature | |||||||||||||||||
| Literature will be made available on course website at least 2 weeks prior to course start. Various DSS software will be made available. | |||||||||||||||||
| Course Coordinator | |||||||||||||||||
| Kristian Thorup-Kristensen, ktk@life.ku.dk, Department of Agriculture and Ecology/Crop Science, Phone: 35332216 Jesper Rasmussen, jer@life.ku.dk, Department of Agriculture and Ecology/Crop Science, Phone: 353-33456 Lars Stoumann Jensen, lsj@life.ku.dk, Department of Agriculture and Ecology/Plant and Soil Science, Phone: 353-33470 Peter Esbjerg, pe@life.ku.dk, Department of Agriculture and Ecology/Section of Zoology, Phone: 353-32686 Hans Jørgen Lyngs Jørgensen, hjo@life.ku.dk, Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology/Section for Plant Glycobiology, Phone: 353-33336 Hans W. Griepentrog, hwg@life.ku.dk, Department of Agriculture and Ecology/Crop Science, Phone: 405-31694 | |||||||||||||||||
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