The information on this page has been abstracted from the course book and may not include all relevant information about procedures, assessment, etc. You should consult the course book to ensure that you have all necessary information. This course provides an introduction to the physiology and ecology of organisms important in agriculture and to their role in agricultural production systems.
Agriculturalists manage biological systems.
It is only through the understanding of the biology of these systems that effective management can take place. The course consists of lectures, practicals, projects and field visits, covering the physiology of crops and animals, and concentrating on the processes whereby energy is converted from one form into another. We are concerned with the way that crops can be managed to take the best advantage of environmental resources. To this end, a simple relationship between crop yield and the interception and utilisation of solar radiation is a useful unifying theme. Background reading material will be referred to throughout the series of lectures and practicals.