793-234 Crop Production and Management

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Plant Production.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

The objective of this subject is to provide students with skills and knowledge relating to crop production and management.

The content includes: An introduction to the cropping industry and Australia's position in the international market place. Domestic marketing of cereal grains and analysis of the economics of growing cereals in suitable climatic zones of Australia. Crop selection and the influence of climate and soils. The resources needed for successful cropping. The principles of crop growth and development. Developing a crop rotation and principles of establishment. Yield potential and limitations to yield. Managing the harvest process. Crop management systems involving irrigation and combining livestock with cropping. Grain legumes and vegetable oilseed crops, their production potential, establishment, management and benefits in a cereal crop rotation. Assessing the merits of alternative crops particularly summer grown cereals and pasture seed production. Possibilities to expand enterprises to include agroforestry, fruit, vegetable or floriculture crops.

Assessment

Internal students - Two assignments of 2000 words each (25% each); three hour test (50%). External students - two assignments of 2000 words (50% each).