Basics in Agronomy I

Total Hours in Course120

Number of hours for lectures16

Number of hours for seminars and practical classes0

Number of hours for laboratory classes28

Independent study hours64

Date of course confirmation30.01.2024

Responsible UnitInstitute of Soil and Plant Science

Course developers

Augsnes un augu zinātņu institūts

Ingrīda Augšpole

Dr. sc. ing.

Andris Bērziņš

Dr. agr.

Replaced course

LauZ2038 [GLAU2038] Basics in Agronomy I

Course abstract

The aim of the study course is to students understand soil properties, plant nutrition, the basics of using organic fertilizers and mineral fertilizers. Students are introduced with crop cultivation as the main branch of agriculture, its sub-branches and agricultural management systems. Students will obtain knowledge about the factors of plant life and the basic laws of agriculture, soil cultivation tasks and soil cultivation systems.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Skills and assessment.
1. Students know soil formation processes, soil properties and their classification, as well as general principles of process and use of organic fertilizers and mineral fertilizers. Knows the basic laws of agriculture, plant life factors, weeds, their harmfulness; soil cultivation tasks, the most important species of field crops – exam.
2. Students are able to recognize the most common crops grown in Latvia and field weeds - test (unmarked).
3. Students are able to recognize the seeds of the most common crops and field weeds grown in Latvia – test.
4. Can prepare presentations and informative materials about the agriculture sector, as well as justify own opinions – homework.

Course Content(Calendar)

Course Content (Calendar)
Planned lectures: 16 h
1. Soil and its properties. Soil genetic material. Relief – a factor of agricultural production. Soil as the main part of the ecosystem, its functions. Factors of soil formation. Physical and chemical properties of soil – the basics of a productive agricultural system. Characterization of main soil types. Soil cultivation and its formation process. Soil degradation – causes and prevention techniques – 4 h.
2. Basics of agrochemistry. Ways and importance of using organic fertilizers. Nitrogen losses from manure storages. Compost and composting. Classification of mineral fertilizers, storage. The effect of fertilizers on crop yield quality and the environment – 4 h.
3. Crop production. Cultivation tasks for providing the population with food, the harvest of the most important crops in the world and in Latvia. Use of solar energy in crop formation. Classification of field crops. Seed material, its preparation for sowing, varieties, its importance. Winter and summer crops – 4 h.
4. Field crop production. The concept of field crop production. Basic laws of field crop production. Soil cultivation methods in crop production. The concept of weeds and their harmfulness. Characteristics of the most common weeds in Latvia. Soil tillage tasks. Ploughing is one of the types of basic soil tillage. Principles for the assessment of the quality of the crop – 4 h.

List of planned laboratory works: 28 h
1. Granulometric composition and properties of the soil. Classification of soils – 3 h.
2. Determination of the agrophysical properties of the soil – 3 h.
3. Harmful organisms of crops (weeds) collections – 4 h.
4. Harmful organisms of crops (diseases) – 2 h
5. Harmful organisms of crops (insects) – 2 h.
6. Weed seed collections – 3 h.
7. Cereal, meadow-pasture plant species – 3 h.
8. Crop and cereal seeds – 3 h.
9. Peas, vetches, beans. The role of pulses and legumes in rural farming – 3 h.

10. Plant change and crop rotation – 2 h.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Written exam. The exam consists of:

• Successfully passed written exam on the theoretical and practical parts of the course; must receive a grade: passed (with a mark).

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Prepare a presentation (7-10 min) about agronomy and its relations.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

To receive a grade for the exam, absolutely all above-mentioned tasks have to be passed with a positive mark: if the work is not graded with a mark, then it has to be “credited”; if the work is graded with a mark (10 point scale), then the mark has to be at least 4.

Compulsory reading

1. Kārkliņš, A. Zeme, augsne, mēslojums: Terminus skaidrojošā vārdnīca. Jelgava: LLU, 2012. 477 lpp.
2. Nikodemus, O. Kārkliņš, A. Kļaviņš, M. Melecis, V. Augsnes, ilgtspējīga izmantošana un aizsardzība. Rīga: LU akadēmiskais apgāds, 2008. 256 lpp.
3. Augkopība. A.Ružas red. Jelgava: LLU, 2004. 374 lpp.
4. Augkopība. Rokasgrāmata. A.Ružas red. Jelgava: LLKC, 2001. 324 lpp.
Lapiņš D., Kažotnieks J. Laukkopība. Ozolnieki: LLKC, 2001. 247 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. AgroTops. Rīga: Aģentūra Agro apgāds. ISSN 1407-5164
2. Saimnieks LV. Rīga: TEE BIO, 2004- ISSN 1691-1598.

3. Agro Pols: informatīvs lauku politikas biļetens - aktīvam lauku saimniekam. Rīga: Latvijas Valsts agrārās ekonomikas institūts. ISSN 1407-8996.

Notes

Obligatory course for IITF academic bachelor study programme Agricultural Engineering, subprogramme – Agricultural Machinery.

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