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Basics of Agriculture

Course developers

Prior knowledge

Biol1001, Botany

LauZ2046, Agricultural Resources

Course abstract

Knowledge about the diversity of crops and vascular plants, weed survey methods, crop growth stages and yield formation, fruit crop cultivation, fodder preparation technologies, animal welfare, and agricultural machinery used in crop and livestock production.
The skills to identify weeds and plants in the field, determine crop growth stages and predict yields, assess fruit orchards and animal housing, and analyze agricultural production processes.
The ability to independently apply theoretical knowledge in practice, conduct evaluations, and justify conclusions in agricultural activities.

The student is competent in applying the knowledge and skills gained during practice in professional activities according to their level of study, independently performing assigned tasks, making informed decisions in various agricultural situations, and taking responsibility for the quality of work.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge and understanding of the applied knowledge of the acquired study courses in practice.
Skills and their assessment.
1. Is able to recognize the most common weeds. Able to determine soil granulometric composition (Protocol 1).
2. Is able to determine the stages of crop development and possible yields (Protocol 1).
3. Is able to evaluate fruit planting, knows the rationing of fruit yield (Protocol 1).
4. Knows fodder preparation technologies for dairy cows. Able to assess the welfare of animal housing and dairy cows (Protocol 1).
5. Is able to evaluate the equipment and latest technologies used in cattle and pig farms. Knows the equipment used in crop production and its offer in the Latvian market (2 tests – 1. mechanization of crop production; 2. mechanization of animal husbandry).

6. Knows the life forms of vascular plants and their diversity, knows the vascular plants of natural grasslands and man-made ecosystems (individual plant herbarium preparation).

Course Content(Calendar)

. Field Cultivation (1 day). Recognition of weeds in field conditions, determination of their developmental stages and forms, and classification according to control measures. Methods for surveying weeds in crops. Influence of tillage quality on crop germination and development.
2. Crop Production (1 day). Study of the seedling structure of summer (wheat, barley, oats) and winter (wheat, rye, triticale) cereals, including determination of development stages and evaluation of the root system. Determination of growth stages for summer crops. Identification of distinguishing features of cereals. Assessment of development stages and possible yields for winter cereals. Determination of potato development stages.
3. Horticulture (1 day). Introduction to fruit and berry growing methods. Justification for the selection of the most suitable orchard and production system. Evaluation and analysis of plant conditions. Methods for caring for fruit plantations. Yield management and crown care for different species and ages of fruit and berry plants.
4. Animal Husbandry (1 day). Introduction to fodder preparation technologies (hay, silage, concentrates, etc.) and the ingredients used in compound feed and rations for dairy cows. Methods of keeping dairy cows and assessment of animal welfare.
5. Mechanization of Agriculture (2 days).
Day 1. Animal Farming Mechanization. Visit to dairy farms. Introduction to technologies and equipment for milking, milk pre-processing, fodder preparation and distribution, and farm management. Manure management solutions and equipment used.
Day 2. Crop Mechanization. Visit to agricultural machinery distributors. Overview of machinery used in crop production, including maintenance and repair services. Familiarization with tillage technologies, precision sowing, potato and plant planting machines, cereal harvesting machines, and equipment for hay, haylage, and silage preparation. Study of grain production technologies, including harvesting, primary processing, drying, and cleaning.
6. Botany (3 days).
Day 1. Life forms and diversity of vascular plants (visit to the University of Latvia Botanical Garden).
Day 2. Vascular plants of grasslands and man-made ecosystems.

Day 3. Practical defense – submission of individual herbarium and internship protocols.

Requirements for awarding credit points

The study course consists of 6 parts, each of which must meet the described requirements and all the work to be performed must be credited with the assessment 'passed'.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

During the internship, at the end of each day, students prepare reports on the completion of internship tasks. At the end of the internship week, during the discussion, students provide an assessment and substantiate their opinion about what they have seen in the internship companies.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Type of examination - test. All internship topics must be worked on and credited.
The test consists of an internship report, which consists of a protocol of each internship day and a presentation. The coordinating teacher faculty shall issue a final assessment.

Compulsory reading

1. Augkopība (2004). A. Ružas red. Jelgava: LLU. 374 lpp.
2. Augļkopība (2015). L. Ikases red. Dobeles novads: LV Augļkopības institūts. 544 lpp.
3. Augsnes diagnostika un apraksts: Lauku darbu metodika (2007). Sast. A. Kārkliņš. Jelgava: LLU. 120 lpp.
4. Degola L., Trūpa A., Aplociņa E. (2016). Lopbarības ķīmiskās analīzes un sagremojamība. SIA Dardedze hologrāfija. 52 lpp.
5. Dembovskis A., Drudze I., Gailīte M., Lepse L. u.c. (2007) Dārzeņkopība. Lauka dārzeņu audzēšana. Rokasgrāmata Pūres Dārzkopības izmēģinājumu stacija. 284 lpp.
6. Kārkliņš A., Kreišmane Dz. (2020). Studiju darba izpilde un noformējums: metodiskie norādījumi Lauksaimniecības fakultātes studentiem. 6. papild. un pārstr. izdevums. Jelgava: LLU. 69 lpp.
7. Kroģere R. (2021). Laukkopības praktikums. II daļa Tīruma nezāles. Jelgava LLU. 37 lpp.
8. Lapiņš D., Kažotnieks J. (2001). Laukkopība. Ozolnieki: LLKC. 247 lpp.

9. Moderna piena ražošanas ferma: tehnoloģija, tehnika, apsaimniekošana (2012). J. Priekuļa red. Jelgava: LLU. 240 lpp.

Further reading

1. Grīslis Z., Garkāvijs F., Sprūžs J. (1991). Lopkopība. Rīga: Zvaigzne. 366 lpp.

2. Kviklys D., Gelvonauskiene D., Karkleliene R., Juškevičiene D., Dambrauskiene E., Uselis N., Lanauskas J., Ikase L., Lepse L., Kaufmane E., Feldmane D., Dēķena Dz., Zeipiņa S. (2019). Vēsturiskie dārzi. Šķirņu katalogs. Babtai: Lietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centras filialas Sodininkystės ir daržininkystės institutas. 175 p.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Agro Tops. Rīga: Aģentūra Agro apgāds. ISSN 1407-5164
2. Interneta resursi: www.vaad.gov.lv; www.lad.gov.lv; www.zm.gov.lv; www.pvd.gov.lv
3. Latvijas Lopkopis. LLKC.
4. Saimnieks LV. Rīga: TEE BIO, 2004. ISSN 1691-1598

5. Profesionālā dārzkopība. APP “Dārzkopības institūts”, pieejams tiešsaistē: http://fruittechcentre.eu/lv/profesionala-darzkopiba

Notes

The course is compulsory for students of all specialties of the professional bachelor study program "Agriculture" of the Faculty of Agriculture.