LPLK10371U Crop Production in a Farming System Perspective
This course aims at qualifying MSc students to work with the
complex challenges of real-life crop production in a farming system
perspective. Students will be given tools and knowledge to analyse
key elements in plant production systems, but will also be required
to synthesise their own knowledge from courses in underlying
disciplines, in order to suggest solutions to the often open-ended
problems within crop production.
The course will be divided into three major themes; one is given as
fact-based teaching related to key elements in crop production
systems, one is given as an introduction to different decisions
support systems and individual work with decision support systems,
and one is based on a problem-based case with stakeholders.
Key elements in crop production systems:
The course will start with an overview and discussion of key
elements in crop production and contemporary trends in crop
production systems such as precision agriculture, organic farming
and reduced tillage. Quantitative and qualitative aspects of crop
yield for food, feed, fibre and fuel production will be introduced
in a farming system perspective. The environmental aspects of crop
production will be discussed, as will the potential for using
modern technology to increase crop production efficiency and
sustainability. This theme will be organised around a number of
lectures, colloquia and excursions, where differences between crop
production systems will be emphasised, e.g. organic vs.
conventional, no-till vs. conventional tillage, precision farming
vs. conventional (written examination)
Decision Support Systems (DSS) in crop production:
IT and Decision Support Systems (DSS) used e.g. for prediction and
modelling have become central tools in management and advisory
regarding crop production. In the second theme, students will be
introduced to and work with various DSS and models in crop
production. Students will be required to evaluate and classify
various DSS, reflect about farmers’ and other stakeholders’
decision making, and discuss the barriers for knowledge transfer
from science to management and vice-versa. The deliverable for the
DSS analysis is a 4-page report, which will form the written part
of the course examination.
Case-study:
Students will be introduced to some real-life crop production cases
(various farms) and the actors involved (e.g., farmers, advisors,
suppliers and buyers of the product). With the help of different
DSS the students will first analyse the case systematically, with
respect to e.g. productivity, profitability and environmental
impacts. Then based on interactions with various stakeholders, the
students work out adequate and timely advice on particular crop
management problems. The deliverable is a PowerPoint
presentation of the farm analysis and a half-page report on advice
for farm development/crop management.
The objective of the course is to enable students to work with,
analyse and give recommendation about complex, real-life problems
within crop production systems.
Knowledge:
- Demonstrate overview of components of farming and cropping
systems and their interactions.
- Describe the complexity of biological, chemical and physical
factors affecting crop production.
- Critically reflect on the environmental impacts of crop
production and their mitigation.
- Demonstrate overview of the similarities and differences between
various plant production systems (organic, integrated,
conventional) and implementation of new technologies (e.g. no-till,
precision farming).
- Critically reflect about model-based interventions in management
of plant production.
Skills:
- Analyse crop production systematically, with respect to
productivity, profitability and environmental impact.
- Apply up-to-date DSS tools and for strategic planning and
management of crop production, including crop rotation,
fertilisation, plant protection and postharvest management.
Competences:
- Provide adequate and timely advice on applied crop management and
environmental impacts, promoting good agricultural practice (GAP).
- Reflect about farmers’ and other stakeholders decision making,
interactions with DSS and the common gap between theory and
practice.
Literature will be made available on course website at least 2 weeks prior to course start. The literature is mainly scientific papers, but also brochures and homepages with more end-user oriented information. Various DSS software will be made available.
LPLF10317
LPLF10342
LPLB10286
LPLF10372
LPLF10289
- Category
- Hours
- Colloquia
- 20
- Excursions
- 25
- Lectures
- 35
- Preparation
- 76
- Project work
- 50
- Total
- 206
As
an exchange, guest and credit student - click here!
Continuing Education - click here!
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Continuous assessmentCombined oral and written exam.
A 20 minutes oral exam (weight 2/3 in the overall grade).
The written DSS report (see above, weight 1/3 in the overall grade).
Both exams must be passed.
If one part of the exam is not passed, re-examination can be made of this part alone. - Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
- Exam period
- One internal examiner
- Re-exam
- The reexamination form will be oral.
Criteria for exam assesment
Criteria for evaluation of the DSS deliverable and under "Course content" and "Learning outcome" above.
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- LPLK10371U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 1
- Schedule
- A
- Course capacity
- 30
- Continuing and further education
- Study board
- Study Board of Natural Resources and Environment
Contracting department
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences
Course responsibles
- Kristian Thorup-Kristensen (3-717a714676726b7434717b346a71)
Lecturers
Kristian Thorup-Kristensen
Jesper Rasmussen
Vibeke Langer
Hans Jørgen Lyngs Jørgensen
Lars Stoumann Jensen
Fulai Liu
Peter Esbjerg