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Agricultural Cropping Systems

Course developer

Prior knowledge

Biol3014, Plant Physiology I

Course abstract

Students familiarize themselves with the agriculture and field cultivation systems division and planning, crop sequence, crop rotation and weeds as the main agrotechnical elements of the field cultivation. In laboratory works students get practical skills of different crop rotation designing and humus balance calculation.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

1. Students are able to projecting different crop rotation systems: laboratory works.
2. Students are able to calculation humus balance: laboratory works.
3. Knows the division between agricultural and field cultivation systems: Test No 1.
4. Knows the basic principles of crop rotation and weeds, one of the most important agrotechnical elements of the field cultivation system: Test No 2.

5. Knows basic principles of crop sequence implementation and planning of agricultural systems: Test No 3.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Introduction to the study course. History of crop production system development.
2. Division of agriculture systems. Sustainable agriculture systems. Conventional agriculture systems. Biological agriculture systems. 2 hours
3. Precision agriculture as a subsystem above mentioned system. 2 hours
4. Division of field cultivation systems. Primitive crop cultivation systems. Extensive cultivation systems. Intensive cultivation systems. 2 hours
Test No 1. Division of agriculture and field cultivation systems.
5. Crop rotation and weeds as one of the main agrotechnical elements of the field cultivation systems. 3 hours
6. Crop sequence. Biological, physical, chemical and economic necessities causes of crop rotation.
Test No 2. Crop rotation and weeds.
7. Justification of crop rotation. Suitable precrops and aftercrops for crops. 2 hours
8. Agro-technical scheme for crop sequence system.
9. Planning of agricultural systems.
10. Codex of agricultural good practice.
Test No 3. Principles of implementation of crop sequence and planning agricultural systems.

List of laboratory works. 16 hours
1. Place of crop in crop rotation.
2. Technological conditions of the territory.
3. Crop rotation plan, rotation table.
4. Land breakdown in utility groups.
5. Design of crop rotation systems. 2 hours
6. Explication of farmland (working with maps). 2 hours
7. Soil fertility reproduction plan in crop rotation - humus balance.
8. Compilation of crop rotation schemes, if the number of fields is known.
9. Compilation of crop rotation schemes, if the structure of the crop is known.
10. Establishment of crop rotation schemes where crop areas are known.

11. Development of an individual crop rotation example. 4 hours

Requirements for awarding credit points

Test type: written exam.
Credits are counted if the 3 tests papers are written successfully and individual home work is presented about an individual crop rotation sample.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Literature studies.
Home work - developing individual crop rotation plan and calculation of humus balance. Home work presentation till 10 sliders.
Processing and presentation of results of laboratory works.
Group work during practical classes.
Preparation for tests.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Students who have successfully written 3 tests are admitted to the exam. Rating of each control test is 4 balls and executed and presented home work too.
Laboratory works must be carried out in accordance with the instructions; assessment - credited/uncredited.
All tests and laboratory works must be successfully completed.

Compulsory reading

1. Benckiser G., Schnell S. Biodiversity in Agricultural Production Systems. USA: Taylor  Francis Group, 2007. 429 p. ISBN 10: 1-57444-589-8 ISBN 13: 978-1-57444-589-3
2. Francis C. Organic Farming: The Ecological System. USA: Madison, 2009. 353 p. ISBN 978-0-89118-173-6
3. Sustainable Agriculture. Ecosystem Health and Sustainable Agriculture. Ed. C. Jakobsson. Uppsala, 2012. 505 p. ISBN 978-91-86189-10-5
4. Perspectives for Agroecosystem Management. Balancing Environmental and Socio-Economic Demands. Ed. P. Schröder, J. Pfadenhauer, J. C. Munch. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2008. 440 p. ISBN 978-0-444-51905-4
5. Shrestha A. Cropping Systems Trends and Advances. USA, 2004. 702 p. ISBN1-56022-106-2 ISBN 1-56022-107-0 P 6. Srinivasan A. Handbook of Precision Agriculture Principles and Applications. Bringhamton, NY: Food Products Press, 2006. 683 p. ISBN-13: 978-1-56022-954-4

Further reading

1. Agricultural Systems. ISSN: 0308-521X http://www.journals.elsevier.com/agriculturla-systems
2. Latvian Journal of Agronomy. ISSN 1691-3485
3. Proceedings of the Latvia University of Agriculture. ISSN 1407-4427
4. Research for Rural Development. Online ISSN 2255-923X ISSN 1691-4031 http://www2.llu.lv/research_conf/proceedings.htm

Notes

In academic bachelor's program Sustainable Agriculture with specialization direction Sustainable Plant Sciences.