AD1CNP: Crop Physiology, Nutrition and Protection

Module code: AD1CNP

Module provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Professor Donal O'Sullivan, email: d.m.osullivan@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Crop physiology is the study of the processes involved in growth, development and yield formation in crop plants in response to their environment.  In this module, you will learn functional anatomy of diverse crop families, how crop plants grow and develop and their nutritional, water and light resource needs during different phases of development. You will also learn about crop physiological responses when conditions are less than ideal i.e. nutrient limitation, abiotic stress and attack by pests and pathogens. We start by covering the core principles and concepts through lectures, screencasts and interactive seminars in the autumn term and progress in the spring term to a series of glasshouse and farm-based practicals to bring crop physiology to life and to draw the different strands of your learning in this module together

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Recognise and name most common plant organs, tissues and specialised cell types and associate these with precise physiological functions radiation capture and photosynthesis, water and nutrient uptake and reproduction
2. Recognise the distinctive morphological and physiological characteristics of the main families of agriculturally important crop species
3. Understand how abiotic and biotic stresses impact plant function and typical crop responses to sub-optimal or stressful conditions
4. Communicate your understanding of relevant anatomical structures and typical developmental and physiological responses of crop plants of interest by completion of reports on practical work and a literature review
5. Develop a range of transferrable and employability skills including time management, written communication, presentation, observational skills, critical analysis and teamwork.

Module content

This module will be run across the autumn and spring terms of Part 1 and will be supported by practical classes at the Crop and Environment Laboratory on Whiteknights campus, Sonning Farm and seminars. 

Lecture content will include: 

• The diversity of crop plants 
• Vegetative and reproductive functional anatomy of crop plants 
• Plant growth and development 
• Photosynthesis 
• Water and nutrient uptake 
• Abiotic and biotic stress responses 

Practicals will involve students growing plants under a variety of experimental conditions and measuring and interpreting the responses observed, which will enhance the learning with practical skills identifying plant parts and measuring rates of growth/development and physiological responses. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will be taught using a series of lectures, practicals and seminars alongside independent study. 

Study hours

At least 45 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs