Course code LauZ4237
Credit points 6
Total Hours in Course162
Number of hours for lectures32
Number of hours for seminars and practical classes6
Number of hours for laboratory classes26
Independent study hours98
Date of course confirmation21.03.2023
Responsible UnitInstitute of Soil and Plant Science
Ph.D.
LauZ2044, Basics in Field Cultivation
LauZ3168, Crop Protection I
LauZ3169, Crop Protection II
LauZ4253, Production of Plant Field Crops I
Students acquire knowledge on economic importance and potential uses. distribution, morphological and biological characteristics, agro-ecological demands, and peculiarities of growing and development of crops included into several field crops’ groups: tuberous, leguminous and fibre plants, root, oil and essential oil crops; their agricultural practices and evaluation of yield quality. Students study also seed quality and seed production of crops included into mentioned groups. Crop growing plan compilation, production costs and gross margin calculation.
Examination (the type of examination (oral / written) is agreed upon at the beginning of the semester). The exam is awarded if all the tests and independent work have been successfully passed in the study course, as well as laboratory works have been passed.
After completing the course student will have:
• knowledge – on plants’ morphology, agro-ecological demands, crop management, yield quality and seed production of crops included into following crop groups: tuberous, leguminous and fibre plants, root, oil and essential oil crops;
• skills – to evaluate role of agro-ecological factors on yield formation of crops included into study course; to identify crops, their cultivars and seeds, to detect seed and crop yield quality parameters and to use them; to choose crop management operations and to draw up crop management plan and calculate production costs for all the plants included into mentioned crop groups; to calculate production costs;
• competence – to organize crop production, harvesting, first stage processing, storage and sale, to choose suitable cultivars, to manage seed production of plants included into mentioned crop groups; to study scientific literature and to carry out further self-education on topics included into the study course.
Knowledge, skills and competences during the study course are assessed three written tests and two independent works with oral presentation, as well as completing all laboratory work.
Lectures (32 h)
1.Legumes for seeds (10 h), plant species (peas, beans, vetches, lupine, soy), growing areas in the world, Europe and Latvia, botanical and morphological characteristics of plants. Directions of use, types of products. Edible pulses and green plants. Chemical composition of seeds and green mass, morphological characteristics of plants, agroecological requirements, growth and development. Yield formation and its components. Legume seeds, their morphological features and anatomical structure. Economic and agro-technical importance of species, sown areas and productivity, botanical characteristics. Production costs.
2.Fibers and oil plants (12 h), breakdown, botanical species, genera and species. Economic and agro-technical importance, directions of use, types of products to be obtained. Sown areas, productivity and production in the world, Europe and Latvia. Agricultural machinery for cultivation. Species to be learned - flax, rape and turnip rape, hemp, essential oil plants. Production costs.
3.Tuberous plants (6 h). Characteristics of tubers. Potatoes as one of the most important field crops in temperate climates. Volumes, area, yields of potato cultivation. Chemical composition of tubers, uses and quality. Botanical characteristics, growth and development of potatoes. Ecological requirements, cultivation and agricultural technologies, tuber storage. Jerusalem artichoke – economic importance, use and cultivation. Morphological and biological characteristics. Basic principles of growing technology. Production costs.
4.Root crops – sugar beets (2 h). The role of sugar beet in world sugar production. Usefulness of beet in the economy and possibilities of its use. Botanical characteristics, growth and development. Ecological characteristics, cultivation techniques and harvesting, roots storage. Quality characteristics of sugar beet roots, sugar yield and marketing rules. The nutritional value of beet leaves. By-products of the sugar industry and its uses.
5.Brassicaceae species plants for green biomass (2 h).
Practical works (6 h)
Preparation of the technological plan of field crop cultivation (6 h) - selection of suitable agrotechnology for a certain crop level for a particular crop and place of cultivation - soil characterization, soil tillage type, basic fertilizers, sowing, plant protection plan during the vegetation period. Management of field crop data using the programs available on the market. Production costs calculation
Laboratory works (26 h)
1. Morphological characteristics of potatoes. Anatomical structure of tubers, morphological characteristics of Jerusalem artichoke. Evaluation of potato yield (fraction content, starch and dry matter determination) - 2 h.
2. Characteristics of potato varieties, determination of taste properties - 2 h.
3. Determination of quality of seed potato, calculation of planting norms - 2 h.
4. Morphological differences of root crops (seeds, seedlings, roots) - 2 h.
5. Determination of beet seed germination - 2 h.
6. Characterization and determination of annual legumes (peas, beans, lupins, etc.) seeds, fruits, stems, leaves and inflorescences - 2 h.
7. Identification of annual legume varieties and characteristics of the varieties - 3 h.
8. Determination of quality of annual legume seeds - 2 h.
9. Morphological characteristics of oil plants; plant and seed recognition and determination - 2 h.
10. Determination of Brassica napus subsp. oleifera and Brassica rapa subsp. oleifera seed quality indicators - 2 h.
11. Morphological characteristics of flax, main features of varieties - 2 h.
12. Morphological and anatomical analysis of flax stems; structure of flax seed, determination of seed quality - 3 h.
13. Morphological characteristics of plants grown for fiber production - ctton, jute, hemp, etc. – 2 h.
Examination (the type of examination (oral / written) is agreed upon at the beginning of the semester). The exam is awarded if all the tests and independent work have been successfully passed in the study course, as well as laboratory works have been passed. The marks obtained during the semester can be accumulated in the final mark if it is at least 7 balls or higher.
Test / individual work topics:
1. Legumes for seeds
2. Tuberous plants an root crops
3. Fibers and oil plants
4. Crop growth and development (oral presentation)
5. Technological plan for field crop production (individual or group work with presentation)
Independent work includes literature studies, preparation for tests and seminars, independent problem solving; preparation of a technological plan for a definite harvest. Independent processing and formation of laboratory results.
Tests done during the study course are graded on a 10-ball scale, which is equal to the point at which the cumulative grade is calculated. The final mark is accumulating according to the points gain in the semester: 35 - 39 = 7, 40 - 45 = 8, 46 - 49 = 9, 50 = 10 (excellent). If the total points are lower, the student must take an assessment examination.
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Žurnāli un zinātnisko rakstu krājumi:
Rural Sustainability Research, Research for Rural Development, Agronomy Research, Žemdirbyste=Agriculture, Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Sec. B Soil and Plant Science, Proceedings of The Latvia Academy on Sciences, section B.