Course Module – Department of Agronomy

CPP 511 – Horticultural Crop Production ( 2credits) – History, definition, classification and importance of fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops. – Ecological distribution of vegetables and fruits in Nigeria. – Varieties and adaptation of exotic vegetables and fruits to the Nigerian environment. – Types and systems of vegetable and fruit production. – Production practices, harvesting, handling, processing, storage, marketing and utilization of vegetables and tropical fruit crops. – Methods of plant propagation. – Nursery systems, diseases and pests of vegetables and fruit crops. – Horticultural machines and equipment – Principles of producing, planting, maintaining, ornamental trees, shrubs, perennials and fruits in the nursery, homes and parks.

CPP 512 – Field Crop Production (2 credits) – Soil and climatic requirements – Growth requirement – Weed control and water use – Improved Varieties – Production practices – Diseases and pests – Harvesting, processing, storage, marketing and utilization of field crops (Cereals, Legumes, Roots, Sugar etc).

CPP 521 – Farming System (2 credits) – Concept of a farming system – Factors determining farming systems – Physical, biological and socio-economic characteristics of tropical small-scale farming systems. – Nomadic, shifting cultivation, fallow rotation, permanent cultivation etc. – Cropping system scale: inter sequential, relay etc. – Mixed Farming – Crops and livestock, the different systems aim at crop productivity, soil productivity and labour productivity. – Application of new technologies to different farming systems. – Important crops based on Nigerian farming systems.

CPP 522 – Plantation Crop Production (2 credits) – Importance of plantation crops grown in Nigeria systems: origin, distribution of soils and climate, improved varieties; – Production practices – Cultural methods – Fertilization, water use and weed control of trees and plantation crops.

CGB 511 – Seed Processing, Certification and Storage (2 credits) – Seed characteristics affecting seed processing, processing plant layout. – Various seed processing equipment and their use – Methods of seed processing – Seed extraction and post extraction operations. – Scope and importance of se4ed certification. – Certification agencies, standards and methods (for various crops). – Scope and importance of seed storage. – Factors affecting seed longevity in storage – Storage facilities and environmental control methods – Quality Control in storage, seed packaging in relation to seed storage.

CGB 512 – Plant Breeding (2 credits) – Significance of reproductive systems in cultivated plants. – Sexual and asexual reproduction – Techniques and principles of crop germplasm bank – Role of plant breeding in pest and disease control in crops. – Selection methods in breeding programmes. – Maintenance of breeding stock. – Multiplication and distribution of improved crop varieties.

CCS 511 – Statistical Methods and Experimental Design (2 credits) – Definition and scope of statistics – Collection, tabulation and graphic representation of statistical data – Measures of central tendency and dispersion tests of significance – Analysis of Variance – Principles of experimental designs – Factors influencing plot size, plot shape and number of replications. – Experimental layout, analysis of data and interpretation of results of commonly used designs. – Completely randomized, randomized complete block, Latin square and split plot designs, Factorial experiments in basic designs. – Simple regression and correlation. – Data transformation – Missing data techniques.

CGB 514 – Crop Cytogenetics (2 credits) 1. The Cell: Structure, organelles and their functions. Cell division: mitosis, meiosis and their importance. 2. The Nucleus: Components; the chromosome structure and functions; changes in Chromosome structure and number and their effects on fertility and viability; DNA/RNA Replication. Location of genes on chromosomes. 3. Karyotype analysis 4. Genetic mapping and maps 5. Chromosomal basis for crop plant evolution 6. Incompatibility systems in crop plants; genetic and chromosomal bases for incompatibility.

CPP 523 – Forage and Fodder Crop Production (2 credits) – Adaptation and botany of indigenous and introduced. Pastures and forage plants. – Characteristics of grasses, legumes and shrubs. – Establishment, production and seed production of pasture plants – Utilization and maintenance of permanent and temporary pastures. – Forage conservation and dry season feeds.