Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

To give students the opportunity to develop, with guidance:

- familiarity with different kinds of pests

- skills in identifying animal pests, weeds, and diseases in the field

- experience in assessing factors affecting their impact

- exposure to leading farm businesses within the industry

- engagement with recognised experts within the arable industry

- potential to acquire understand current challenges in crop production

- an introduction to the fresh produce sector

Outline Of Syllabus

The Module takes the form of a two week intensive field course.

1. Diseases
- Diagnosis of diseases of agricultural and horticultural crops, weeds, and wild plants. Diversity of fungal
pathogens.

- Quantitative assessment of disease severity as influenced by plant disease resistance and chemical control.
- Analysis of patterns of disease spread by dispersal of spores.

2. Weeds
- Identification of weeds in arable crops and grassland.
- Association of different weed species with different weed control programmes in conventional systems and
lower-input, integrated systems.

3. Pests
- Identification of the major pests of arable crops

4. Managing a arable focused farming business

5. An introduction to the Fresh Produce sector

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Following successful completion of this module a student will be able to:

1) evaluate current practices in pest control, especially the role of pesticides and methods of application

2) demonstrate awareness of factors influencing the spread of pests

3) evaluate current research in the control of crop pests

4) evaluate the effect of varietal resistance and fungicide programmes on disease levels and crop performance

Intended Skill Outcomes

Following successful completion of this module a student will be able to:

1) identify examples of animal pests, weeds, and diseases observable in the region and the principles of
identifying them, applicable to those they have not seen

2) an experience in assessing the severity of pest problems directly in the field

3) develop his/her written communication and oral presentation skills within the assessment programme for the
module

4) handle, manipulate and statistically analyse data in the fungicide report assignment

5) develop his/her oral communication skills

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module is a two week intensive field course which revolves around site and industry visits. Fieldwork (site visits) links the applied nature of the module to applied research and commercial agricultural production.

The identification and control of the major pests of arable crops is developed via a series of field visits to commercial farms, industry, research organisation and demonstration events.

Communication skills are developed via engagement with leading industry experts.

The field course helps to develop numerical skills in terms of the handling of plant material, statistical analysis and data interpretation.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The Field Course Report promotes and develops the principles of identification of the major arable weeds present in UK agriculture, their importance, life-cycle and the options available for their control.

The Report evaluates the effect of variety and fungicide programme on disease levels, growth and yield of wheat via the requirement for statistical analysis and interpretation of data.

General Notes

N/A