Module Information
Module Identifier
BR27620
Module Title
Agronomy and Crop Improvement
Academic Year
2025/2026
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2 (Taught over 2 semesters)
Reading List
Other Staff
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Grass and Forage System Evaluation This task has two elements. The first is an advisory report based on a choice of key grassland or forage crop topics. The second is a one page fact sheet on the same topic aimed at farmers highlighting good practise and propose management strategies. 2000 Words | 50% |
| Semester Assessment | Crop Protection Plan Prepare a crop protection plan for an arable crop of your choice, grown in either an organic or conventional setting. The information provided should be in a form of a growers guide. Principle components include: 1. Anticipated pests, weeds and diseases, in the order they are likely to occur 2. Control strategies, including opportunities for integrated pest management 2000 Words | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Crop protection plan 2000 Words | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Grassland Evaluation Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module. 2000 Words | 50% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Explain the mechanisms behind the major biotic constraints to crop productivity in the UK.
Describe the agronomic requirements of a range of non-cereal arable and forage crops.
Describe and critically analyse crop production systems.
Identify and evaluate appropriate crop protection strategies.
Understand the importance of variety production, in terms of agronomic and quality characteristics.
Brief description
The module describes the basic agronomy of a range of selected UK arable and combinable break crops including potatoes, sugar beet, oilseed rape and field beans. Agronomic characteristics include rotation, soil type, sowing and plant establishment, nutrition, crop protection, harvesting and post-harvest storage. Contrasting systems approaches to crop and grassland production will be discussed and their effectiveness evaluated. Biotic constraints on production will focus on the impact of diseases, weeds and pests in arable crops, including mechanism and magnitude of yield losses, crop resistance, chemical and biological control, integrated crop management. Finally, the objectives and achievements of arable crop, grass and legume breeding will be reviewed.
These lectures will include discussion of the variety development, registration, multiplication and certification procedures and the likely impact of advances in biotechnology on future crop production and management.
These lectures will include discussion of the variety development, registration, multiplication and certification procedures and the likely impact of advances in biotechnology on future crop production and management.
Content
Systems approaches to arable, grass and forage crops
Crop rotation and rotation planning
Integrated crop management
For grassland and forages
Management systems, production and environmental protection
Grazing management
Forage conservation
Forage crops
For crop plants incl. oilseed rape, potatoes, sugar beet and field beans :
Market requirements
Varietal characteristics and end use
Rotation, soil preparation and seed establishment
Nutrition
Plant protection: weed, disease and pest control
Harvesting and post-harvest treatment and storage
Crop protection
Disease development and epidemiology
Disease management strategies
Pests and pest damage
Pest management strategies
Weed biology and competition
Weed control
Integrated crop protection
Plant breeding
Crop rotation and rotation planning
Integrated crop management
For grassland and forages
Management systems, production and environmental protection
Grazing management
Forage conservation
Forage crops
For crop plants incl. oilseed rape, potatoes, sugar beet and field beans :
Market requirements
Varietal characteristics and end use
Rotation, soil preparation and seed establishment
Nutrition
Plant protection: weed, disease and pest control
Harvesting and post-harvest treatment and storage
Crop protection
Disease development and epidemiology
Disease management strategies
Pests and pest damage
Pest management strategies
Weed biology and competition
Weed control
Integrated crop protection
Plant breeding
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Communication | Students will write coursework in contrasting styles and formats. |
| Problem solving | Students will draw up a crop protection programme for a given set of conditions |
| Research skills | Students will research material beyond the scope of the lecture material for both components of coursework |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5