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Agronomy Experiment Design

Course developers

Prior knowledge

Biol1015, Biometry

Replaced course

LauZB009 [GLAUB009] Agronomy Experiment Design

Course abstract

Students acquire the planning of agronomy experiments, the statistical processing of obtained research data and professional evaluation of obtained results. In addition, students acquire skills, how and where to study scientific literature, and how to draw up course and bachelor papers. Students get acquainted with the formulation of a hypothesis, one- and two-factor experiment schemes, evaluate the necessary resources, do planning of observations needed.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

After completing the study course, the student will have:
• knowledge and understanding of theoretical and empirical studies in agriculture and their basic concepts; tests;
• skills to formulate, critically evaluate and coordinate the basic questions of the research according to the aim and tasks, to choose appropriate research and data processing methods for a specific trial, to interpret the results of data processing, to formulate conclusions corresponding to the results; tests, practical works;

• competences in cooperation with the supervisor to develop the final thesis, to use practically the results of other studies; tests, practical works.

Course Content(Calendar)

Full time studies
Lecture topics; 16 h
Part 1 - in general about research, research methods and experiment planning – total 5 h
1. Concept of science, classification of sciences, state of science in Latvia – 1 h
2. General research methods – 1 h
3. Specific research methods in agronomy – 1 h
4. On-farm research trials and basic requirements for field trials – 1 h
5. Experiment planning, topic selection, literature studies, bachelor's thesis topic selection – 1 h
1st test

Part 2 – field trials in agronomy – total 5 h
6. Basic elements of the field trial methodology – plots, variants, replications, layout of variants in replications, trial scheme – 1 h
7. Observations, types of observations and their planning, errors – 2 h
8. Establishing and realizing the field trials – 1 h
9. Research documentation – initial and basic documents, final reports, content and arrangement of bachelor thesis – 1 h
2nd test

Part 3 – peculiarities in various agronomic studies – total 6 h
10. Comparison of varieties, Cabinet Regulation No. 518. Regulations Regarding the Assessment of Value for the Cultivation and Use of Plant Variety – 1 h
11. Peculiarities of trials in meadows, pastures, cultivated grasslands – 1 h
12. Peculiarities in trials related to plant protection (diseases and pests) – 1 h
13. Concept of econometrics, study of relationships between different traits – 1 h
14. Peculiarities of research in horticulture – 1 h
15. Peculiarities in field trials for plant breeding – 1 h
3rd test

Topics of practical works – 32 h

Part 1 - definition of research and sources of information – 8 h
1. Introduction, conditions for performance of practical work – 1 h
2. Choosing a research topic, defining the aim, tasks, hypothesis – 2 h
3. Planning of research resources – 1 h
4. Scientific literature studies. Work with LBTU subscribed or developed scientific literature databases, visit to LBTU Fundamental Library – 2 h
5. Open data, work with statistical databases of agricultural data – 2 h

Part 2 –studies and research work formation – 10 h
6. Representation of data in figures and arrangement in tables – 2 h
7. Design of references in the text, and preparing the list of references –2 h
8. Preparation of the text for course and bachelor papers, and scientific reports. Work with the methodological instructions "Accomplishment and layout of study assignments”– 1 h
9. Text editing – 1 h
1. Test - technical presentation of the work in accordance with the requirements for the presentation (test with a mark) – 3 h

3. Mathematical data processing and interpretation of research data – 9 h
10. Mathematical processing and interpretation of data obtained in experiments using descriptive statistics and t-test – 3 h
11. Mathematical processing and interpretation of data obtained in experiments using one- and two-factor anova analysis – 3 h
12. Mathematical processing and interpretation of data obtained in experiments using correlation and regression analysis – 3 h
4. Oral presentation of research – 5 h
13. Preparation of the oral presentation, and reporting – 2 h
2. test – Seminar with public presentation (task with a mark) – 3 h

For part-time students:

All topics indicated for full-time attendance are implemented, but the number of contact hours is 1/2 of the indicated hours

Requirements for awarding credit points

Passed exam. The evaluation of the exam can be obtained accumulatively from the average evaluation of the tests and practical tests taken during the study course (90%) and from the final test grade (10%). In order to receive a final grade, tests and practical’s tests must be completed with a mark at least 4.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Independent studies of scientific literature and other sources of information, depending on the tasks assigned.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Tests during the study course are evaluated on a 10-point scale.

Compulsory reading

1.Gustavii B. How to write and illustrate scientific paper. Cambridge University Press, 2008. 168p.
2.Datu statistiskā apstrāde ar MS Excel: mācību līdzeklis studentiem. Sast. I. Arhipova, L. Ramute, L. Paura. Jelgava: LLU, 1999. 159 lpp.
3.Petersen R.G. Agricultural Field Experiments Designe and Analysis. Oregone State Universit, 1994. 432 p.
4.Singh Y.K. Fundamental of research and methodology and statistics. Published by New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers, 2006. 310 p.
5.Rubenis J., Liepa I. Agronomisko izmēģinājumu metodikas pamati. Rīga: Zvaigzne, 1976. 180 lpp.

6.Rubenis J. Agronomisko izmēģinājumu metodikas praktikums. Rīga: Zvaigzne, 1987. 157 lpp.

Further reading

1.Neparametriskās metodes, SPSS datorprogramma. Mācību līdzeklis studentiem, LLU: sast. L. Paura, I. Arhipova. Jelgava: LKC, 2002.148 lpp.
2.Krastiņš O. Statistika un ekonometrija. Mācību līdzeklis augstskolām. Rīga: LR CSP, 1998. 336 lpp.
3.Kārkliņš A., Kreišmane Dz. Studiju darbu izpilde un noformējums: metodiskie norādījumi Lauksaimniecības fakultātes studentiem. 6. papildinātais un pārstrādātais izdevums. Jelgava: LLU, 2020. 69 lpp.

4.Доспехов Б. А. Методика полевого опыта (с основами статистической обработки результатов исследований). Москва: Агропромиздат, 1985. 351 с.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Rural Sustainability Research. Latvijas Biozinātņu un tehnoloģiju universitāte. e-ISSN: 2256-0939.
2. Agronomy Research. Estonian University of Life Sciences, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry. ISSN 1406-894X.
3. Žemdirbyste–Agriculture. Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Vytautas Magnus University. ISSN 1392-3196.
4. Agronomy. MDPI Switzerland. ISSN: 2073-4395

5.Līdzsvarota lauksaimniecība: Latvijas Biozinātņu un tehnoloģiju universitātes Lauksaimniecības fakultātes, Latvijas Agronomu biedrības un Latvijas

Notes

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