Course: Crop Production Systems (3801-421)

Persons:

• Dr. Thomas Hilger (verantwortlich)
• Prof. Dr. Georg Cadisch (verantwortlich)

Type of Course:

lecture with exercise and seminar

In-Class Hours Per Week:

4

Contents:

Introduction: potentials and constraints of intensification in world food production, principles of plant production in the tropics. Crops and Nutrition: importance of cereals and root crops for human nutrition, importance of minor crops and plant genetic resources for a sustainable development. Plant Growth and Resource Use: Eco-physiology of rice and cassava. Practical Course: Methods of quantifying plant growth. Plant Improvement: Genetic improvement - current and future approaches (GM crops); Plant adaptation mechanisms to stress. Crop Modelling: Concepts; Application in crop production. Tools for evaluating integrated Systems: Integrated modelling approaches - FALLOW; FALLOW - Case studies; Modelling exercises. Cropping Systems: Crop rotation and mixed cropping; Interactions in multiple plant component systems. Crop Protection: Pests and weed management; Principles of biological pest control. Soil Fertility and Conservation Systems: Principles of soil fertility and degradation; Legumes - source of food security and sustainability; Nutrient management and environmental services; Resource protection on sloping land. Alternative Plant Production Systems: Fibers; Biofuel and industrial applications. Interdisciplinary case studies: Students seminar.

Slides and overhead transparencies.

Literature:

Webster, C.C. & N. Wilson (1998): Agriculture in the Tropics. 3rd edition. Blackwell Science, UK; Huxley, P. 1999. Tropical Agroforestry. Blackwell Science, Oxford; Rehm, S. and G. Espig (1991): The cultivated plants of the Tropics and Subtropics. Verlag Josef Margraf, Weikersheim, Germany; Alvim, de T, P. and T.T. Kozlowski (1977): Eco-physiology of Tropical Crops. Academic Press, New York; Booth, V. (1993): Communicating in science - Writing a scientific paper and speaking at scientific meetings, 2 nd Ed., Cambridge University Press; Lal, R. (1990): Soil erosion in the tropics - principles and management. McGraw - Hill, New York; Lal, R. (1994): Soil Erosion Research Methods. Soil and Water Conservation Society, Ankeny; Rehm, S. (1986. Grundlagen des Pflanzenbaus in den Tropen und Subtropen. Band 3. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, Germany; Rehm, S. (1989): Spezieller Pflanzenbau in den Tropen und Subtropen. Band 4. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, Germany; Sinclair, T.R. 1998. Principles of Ecology in Plant Production. CAB International, UK; Smartt, J. and N.W. Simmonds (1995): Evolution of crop plants. 2nd edition: Longman Scientific & Technical, Harlow; Thornley, J.H.M. and I.R. Johnson (1990): Plant and crop modelling - a mathematical approach to plant and crop physiology. Clarendon Press, Oxford;

Location:

Hohenheim

Module:

• 3801-420 Crop Production Systems (compulsory)