Course code LauZ3053

Credit points 4.50

Field Cultivation

Total Hours in Course120

Number of hours for lectures16

Number of hours for laboratory classes32

Independent study hours72

Date of course confirmation16.10.2019

Responsible UnitInstitute of Soil and Plant Science

Course developers

author

Andris Bērziņš

Dr. agr.

author

Maija Ausmane

Dr. agr.

Prior knowledge

LauZ2046, Agricultural Resources

Course abstract

The aim of this corse is to provide students with soil management as a branch of science, objects and methods of research; Regularities in soil management; Plant life-related factors; possibilities of practical regulatio. Biological peculiarities and classification of weed; Estimation of weed pressure under field conditions and in the yield of crop. Weed control; Systems of crop rotation, soil management and field cultivation systems; Crop plants in crop rotation; Substation of proper soil tillage. Methods and ways of soil tillage; Soil tillage systems; Co-ordination of measures relating to soil tillage and weed control measures.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

1. Students obtain knowledge about crop rotation, weed’s species, their biological individualities and control, soil tillage systems. Tests 1 – 3.
2. To knew put into practice the knowledge about different weed species. Students acquire skills to estimate weediness of sowings, to choose optimal weed control methods. Laboratory works. Tutorial.

3. Know how estimate the necessary of crop rotations, and planning soil tillage Technologies.Be able self-dependency to carry the decisions and to find creative development in different conditions. In the result students will be competent to direct soil management or advisory the peasants for different questions in field cultivation.Laboratory works. Tutorials.

Course Content(Calendar)

Kursa plāns/saturs / Course plan
1. Introduction: Cours Structure, Expection, Assignments.
Scient Scientific Basics of Field Cultivation:
2. ‘Basic law of field cultivation, their relevance at take choice of technologies.
3. Factors of plant growth., their regulation – regime of plant nutrients, regime of water and air; regime of light and temperature.
Weed Weed Control:
4. Weed conception and their noxiousness, the threthold of noxiousness. Biological properties of weeds, classification.
5. Crop weediness, estimatinon methods of crop weediness. Weed control – mechanical, chemical, physical, biological, preventional, organized.
6. Weed control methods. Integrated weed control.

The Test 1: Weed control

Soil Tillage
7. Historical view in soil tillage. Soil tillage objective.
8. Soil tillage actions. Soil tillage operations. Way of tillage.
9. Soil basic tillage. Soil shallow tillage.
10. Soil tillage systems. Conventional soil tillage, reduced soil tillage.

The Test 2:
Crop Rotation
11. Crop rotation, terms, historical view....
12. Crop sequence, organization.
13. Projects of crop rotation systems.
14. Soil tillage and weed control in crop rotation.

The Test 3: The agronomical importance of crop sequence
Agricultural Systems
15. Sustainable, conventional, biological agricultural systems
16. Field cultivation as part of agricultural systems.

Laboratory works:
1. Biological classification of weeds – 1 h.
2. Identification of weeds used weed herbarium (79 species) in Latvian and Latin (tutorial) - 4 h
3. Identification of weed seed ( 39 species), root systems of weed biologica groups (tutorial) 4 h
4. Identification of weed seedlings (tutorial) – 3 h
5. Agrophysical properties of soils, soil structure, soil structural stability – 2 h
6. Soil packing density and bulk density determination – 4 h
7. Crop rotation. Crop sequence in crop rotation – 2 h
8. Plan of crop rotation disain – 2 h
9. Plan of crop rotation tabeles – 1 h
10. Organization of crop rotations. Technological conditions of fields.- 1 h
11. Projects of crop rotation systems – 3 h
12. The introducing plan of crop rotation. – 2 h
13. Soil fertility management in crop rotation – 1 h

14. The plan of soil tillage and weed control in crop rotation – 2 h

Requirements for awarding credit points

The writen examination.
The assignment for the test include theoretical questions covered during the semester.
All tests and tutorials of laboratory works should have a positive evaluation.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The assessment of thre study course examination is comulative. It is made up of the grades of the examinationtests during the semester and tutorials of laboratory works.
The grade is successful if at least 50% of the question of tests or the examination are correct.
Students who have at least „7”are not required to write a theoretical part of the examination; their grade for this part is made up of an arithmetic mean of grades in tests during the semester and grade of tutorials of laboratory works.

Compulsory reading

1. Lapiņš D., Kažotnieks J. (2000) Laukkopība.- Ozolnieki, LLKC, 247 lpp.
2. Klovāns J.,Kroģere R., Pogodins S., Rubenis J. (1983.) Zemkopība / S Pogodina red. - Rīga, Zvaigzne, 290 lpp.

3. Kroģere R. (1984.) Zemkopības praktikums. - Rīga, Zvaigzne, 120 lpp.

Further reading

1. Riekstiņš A. Laukkopība. Talsi. Valsts Graudaugu selekcijas institūts, 2008., 416 lpp.
2. Labas lauksaimniecības prakses nosacījumi Latvijā. (1999) - Jelgava, LLU.- 103 lpp.

3. Rubenis J., Lapiņš D. (1992.) Bioloģiskā zemkopība. - Rīga, LZB, 44 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Agro Tops
2. Saimnieks LV
3. LLKIC materiāli par bruto peļņas aprēķinu zemnieku saimniecībās, tehnoloģiju pilnveidošanu laukkopībā.

4. Zinātnisko žurnālu un konferenču krājumu raksti