DEPARTMENT OF CROP SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA
POSTGRADUATE MASTER’S DEGREE [MSC] PROGRAMME
SEPTEMBER, 2015
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
DEPARTMENT OF CROP SCIENCE
POSTGRADUATE MASTERS DEGREE [MSC] PROGRAMME
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The postgraduate Masters’ Degree (MSc) programme of the Department of Crop Science focuses on the training of high level crop scientists who are able to tackle all aspects of crop production with its challenges, and move the frontiers of knowledge in this area of agriculture.
The post graduate Masters’ Degree (MSc) training is provided
in the following options: Crop Production; Crop Physiology; General Horticulture; Tropical fruit and plantation Crops; Vegetable Crop Production; Plant Breeding and Genetics; Forage and Fodder Crops; Seed Science and Technology; Economic Entomology ; Plant Mycology; Plant Nematology; Plant Bacteriology; Plant Virology and Weed Science
2.0 SCOPE OF POSTGRADUAT MASTER’S DEGREE [MSc} PROGRAMME
The following programmes are offered in Crop Science.
Masters’ Degree (MSc) in Crop Production; Crop Physiology; General Horticulture; Tropical fruit and plantation Crops; Vegetable Crop Production; Plant Breeding and Genetics; Forage and Fodder Crops; Seed Science and Technology; Economic Entomology ; Plant Mycology; Plant Nematology; Plant Bacteriology; Plant Virology and Weed Science
3.0. MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAMME IN CROP SCIENCE
The Master’s Degree (M.Sc) programme in the Department of Crop Science will be awarded in the following areas of specialization:
- Crop Production
- Crop Physiology
- General Horticulture
- Tropical fruit and Plantation Crops
- Vegetable Crop Production
- Forage and Fodder Crops
- Seed Science and Technology
- Plant Breeding and Genetics
- Economic Entomology
- Plant Mycology
- Plant Nematology
- Plant Bacteriology
- Plant Virology, and
- Weed science
3.1 PHILOSOPHY
The Master’s Degree Programme in Crop Science is to develop high level manpower to pursue careers in academics and research institutes and to upgrade knowledge and skills for candidates employed in industry, public service or on self employment.
3.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
- The Master’s Degree Programme in these areas are aimed at training students in courses in the relevant areas or fields and other academic disciplines.
- Equipping students with research skills through the conduct of supervised research, seminar presentation, and thesis preparation and defence.
- ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Candidates seeking admission for the Master’s Degree in any of these areas of specialization must have any of the following qualifications from recognized institutions, in addition to satisfying the University Matriculation requirements:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture or related discipline with a minimum of Second Class Honours Lower division with CGPA in line with University basic minimum requirement.
- Higher National Diploma (HND) Upper Credit, plus Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) in Agriculture or related discipline.
4.0 DURATION OF MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAMME
- The full time Masters Degree programme shall run for a minimum duration of four (4) semesters and maximum of six (6) semesters.
- The part-time Masters Degree programme shall run for a minimum duration of six (6) semesters and maximum of eight (8) semesters.
4.1 REQUIRMENT FOR GRADUATION
Candidates must have fulfilled the following conditions to be awarded the Maters Degree in Crop Science:
A} The candidate must pass a minimum pf 36 credit units made up of the following:
COURSES UNITS
Core Courses 12
Electives 20
Thesis/Dissertation 10
Seminars 2
Total: 44
b The candidate must carry out a research project relevant to the area of specialization and submit an acceptable research dissertation/thesis to be defended before an external and internal examiners.
The above courses shall be run in a minimum of two semesters with distribution as follows:
(a) Crop Production
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core |
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods, Design and Analysis of Experiments | 2 Core |
| CSC 621 | Advanced Crop Production | 2 Core |
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core |
| CSC 651 | Crop Physiology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 623 | Crop Growth and Yield Analysis | 2 Elective |
| CSC 631 | Weed Management | 2 Elective |
| CSC 625 | Crop Mineral Nutrition | 2 Elective |
| CSC 633 | Principles of Pest and Plant Disease Control | 2 Elective |
| CSC 627 | Seminar | 2 Core |
| Total | 21 |
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| CSC 632 | Plant Pathology | 2 Core |
| CSC 634 | Economic Entomology | 2 Core |
| CSC 622 | Advanced Crop Production & Cropping Systems | 2 Elective |
| CSC 624 | Farming & Cropping Systems | 2 Elective |
| CSC 626 | Plant Breeding and Genetics | 2 Elective |
| CSC 628 | Seed Production, Processing & Storage Technology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 662 | Plant Biotechnology | 2 Core |
| CSC 892 | Research Project | 10 Core |
| Total | 24 |
- b) Crop Physiology
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core |
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods, Design and Analysis of Experiments | 2 Core |
| CSC 621 | Advanced Crop Production | 2 Core |
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core |
| CSC 651 | Crop Physiology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 623 | Crop Growth and Yield Analysis | 2 Elective |
| CSC 653 | Crop Ecology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 655 | Research Techniques in Crop Physiology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 641 | Plant Propagation Techniques | 2 Elective |
| CSC 881 | Seminar | 2 Elective |
| Total | 21 |
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| CSC 632 | Plant Pathology | 2 Core |
| CSC 634 | Economic Entomology | 2 Core |
| CSC 626 | Plant Breeding and Genetics | 2 Elective |
| CSC 652 | Post Harvest Handling Processing and Storage Protection | 2 Elective |
| CSC 636 | Physiology of Parasitism (Host-Parasite Relationship) | 2 Elective |
| CSC 624 | Farming and Cropping Systems | 2 Elective |
| CSC 662 | Plant Biotechnology | 2 Core |
| CSC 892 | Research Project | 10 Core |
| Total | 24 |
- c) General Horticulture
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | ||
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods, Design and Analysis of Experiments | 2 Core | ||
| CSC 621 | Advanced Crop Production | 2 Core | ||
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core | ||
| CSC 643 | Fruit and Vegetable Crop Production | 2 Elective | ||
| CSC 657 | Post-Harvest Physiology | 2 Elective | ||
| CSC 641 | Plant Propagation Techniques | 2 Elective | ||
| CSC 659 | Horticultural methods | 2 Elective | ||
| CSC 659 | Crop Physiology | 2 Elective | ||
| CSC 681 | Seminar | 2 Core | ||
| Total | 21 | |||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||
| CSC 632 | Plant Pathology | 2 Core | |
| CSC 634 | Economic Entomology | 2 Core | |
| CSC 653 | Crop Ecology | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 602 | Organic Horticulture | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 638 | Weed Biology and Ecology | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 626 | Plant Breeding and Genetics | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 662 | Plant Biotechnology | 2 Core | |
| CSC 625 | Mineral Nutrition of Plants | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 642 | Plantation Crops | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 644 | Tropical Ornamental Horticulture and Land Scope | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 892 | Research Project | 10 Core | |
| Total | 30 | ||
- d) Tropical Fruits and Plantation Crops
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | ||
| CSC 621 | Advanced Crop Production | 2 Core | ||
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods, Design and Analysis of Experiments | 2 Core | ||
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core | ||
| CSC 651 | Crop Physiology | 2 Core | ||
| CSC 625 | Mineral Nutrition of Plant | 2 Elective | ||
| CSC 645 | Nursery: Principles And Practices | 2 Elective | ||
| CSC 653 | Crop Ecology | 2 Elective | ||
| CSC 641 | Plant Propagation | 2 Elective | ||
| CSC 662 | Plant Biotechnology | 2 Core | ||
| CLM 681 | Seminar | 2 Core | ||
| Total | 23 | |||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||
| CSC 646 | Tropical pomology | 2 Core | |
| CSC 602 | Organic Horticulture | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 642 | Plantation Crop Production | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 623 | Crop Growth and Yields Analysis | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 657 | Post Harvest Physiology | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 631 | Weed Management | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 664 | Plant Biochemistry | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 692 | Research Project | 10 Core | |
| Total | 24 | ||
- e) Vegetable Crop Production
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | |||
| CSC 627 | Seed Production/Technology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 651 | Crop Physiology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 671 | Design of Experiments | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 625 | Mineral/Nutrition of Plant | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 623 | Crop Growth Analysis | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 633 | Principles of Pest and Disease Control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 645 | Nursery: Principles and Practices | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 681 | Seminar | 2 Core | |||
| Total | 21 | ||||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| CSC 620 | Advanced Vegetable Crops | 2 Core |
| CSC 651 | Crop Ecology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 657 | Post Harvest Physiology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 662 | Plant Biotechnology | 2 Core |
| CSC 626 | Plant Breeding | 2 Elective |
| CSC 692 | Research Project | 10 Core |
| Total | 26 |
- f) Forage and Fodder Crops
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | |||
| CSC 629 | Forage Conservation | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 671 | Design of Experiments | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 651 | Crop Physiology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 625 | Mineral Nutrition of Plants | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 626 | Plant Breeding & Genetics | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 651 | Crop Ecology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 632 | Plant Pathology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 681 | Seminar | 2 Core | |||
| Total | 21 | ||||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| CSC 654 | Grassland Productivity | 2 Core |
| CSC 656 | Quality Evaluation of Pastures | 2 Core |
| CSC 634 | Economic Entomology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 662 | Plant Biotechnology I | 2 Elective |
| CSC 623 | Crop Growth & Yield Analysis | 2 Elective |
| CSC 622 | Advances in Crop Production & Cropping Systems | 2 Elective |
| CSC 628 | Seed Production Processing & Storage Technology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 631 | Weed Management | 2 Elective |
| CSC 692 | Research Project | 10 Elective |
| Total | 26 |
- g) Plant Breeding and Genetics
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | |||
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods, Design and Analysis of Experiments | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 621 | Advanced Crop Production | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 626 | Plant Breeding & Genetics | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 651 | Crop Physiology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 661 | Biometrical Genetics | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 663 | Plant Genetic Resource & Conservation | 2 Elective | |||
| CLM 681 | Seminar | 2 Core | |||
| Total | 21 | ||||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||
| CSC 613 | Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition | 2 Core | |
| CSC 632 | Plant Pathology | 2 Core | |
| CSC 634 | Economic Entomology | 2 Core | |
| CSC 666 | Cytogenetics | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 653 | Crop Ecology | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 627 | Seed Production and Technology | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 624 | Farming and Cropping System | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 633 | Principles and Practices of Pest management | 2 Elective | |
| CSC 662 | Plant Biotechnology | 2 Supporting | |
| CSC 892 | Research Project | 10 Core | |
| Total | 28 | ||
- h) Seed Science and Technology
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |||||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | ||||
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods, Design and Analysis of Experiments | 2 Core | ||||
| CSC 621 | Advanced Crop Production | 2 Core | ||||
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core | ||||
| CSC 601 | Seed Biology | 2 Elective | ||||
| CSC 673 | Seed Analysis, Testing and Certification | 2 Elective | ||||
| CSC 675 | Seed Technology | 2 Elective | ||||
| CSC 639 | Pesticide Biochemistry, Toxicology and Application Technology | 2 Elective | ||||
| CSC 663 | Plant Genetics Resources Conservation | 2 Elective | ||||
| CSC 626 | Plant Breeding and Genetics | 2 Elective | ||||
| CSC 651 | Crop Physiology | 2 Elective | ||||
| CSC 681 | Seminar | 2 Core | ||||
| Total | 25 | |||||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| CSC 613 | Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition | 2 Core |
| CSC 632 | Plant Pathology | 2 Core |
| CSC 634 | Economic Entomology | 2 Core |
| CSC 628 | Seed Production and Certification | 2 Elective |
| CSC 612 | Stored Products Entomology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 614 | Seed Enterprise & Quality Assurance | 2 Elective |
| CSC 668 | Molecular Techniques for Crop Improvement | 2 Elective |
| CSC 628 | Seed Production, Processing & storage Technology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 692 | Research Project | 10 Core |
| Total | 26 |
2.2 Master of science (M.sc) degree programmes in crop protection
(a) Economic Entomology
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | |||
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods (Design and Analysis of Experiments) | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 621 | Advanced Crop Production | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 655 | Research Techniques in Crop Physiology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 603 | Soil-Borne Pests and their Control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 605 | Plant disease Epidemiology and Control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 631 | Weed Management | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 633 | Principles of Pest and Plant Disease Control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 607 | Insect Morphology and Physiology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 639 | Pesticide Biochemistry, Toxicology and Application Technology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 681 | Seminar | 2 Core | |||
| Total | 25 | ||||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core |
| CSC 634 | Economic Entomology | 2 Core |
| CSC 672 | Ecological Principles and Methods | 2 Core |
| CSC 633 | Principles and practices of Pest Management | 2 Elective |
| CSC 609 | Insect Ecology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 604 | Insect Vectors of Plant Pathogens/Insect Pathology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 651 | Crop Physiology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 612 | Stored Products Entomology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 692 | Research Projects | 10 Core |
| Total | 26 |
(b) Plant Mycology
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | |||
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods, Design and Analysis of Experiments | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 651 | Crop Physiology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 655 | Research Techniques in Crop Physiology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 633 | Principles of pastes and plant disease control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 639 | Pesticide Biochemistry, Toxicology and Application Technology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 605 | Plant disease Epidemiology and Control | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 603 | Soil-Borne Pests and their Control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 653 | Crop Ecology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 606 | Seed Pathology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 608 | Plant Mycology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 681 | Seminar | 2 Core | |||
| Total | 25 | ||||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core |
| CSC 652 | Post Harvest Handling Processing and Storage Protection | 2 Elective |
| CSC 653 | Ecological Principles and Methods | 2 Core |
| CSC 633 | Principles & Practices of Pest Management | 2 Elective |
| CSC 665 | Principles of Crop and Pests Resistance | 2 Elective |
| CSC 616 | Ecology, Diagnosis of Management of diseases of Plant and its control | 2 Elective |
| CSC 636 | Physiology of Parasitism (Host-Parasite Relationship) | 2 Elective |
| CCS 692 | Research Projects | 10 Core |
| Total | 24 |
(c) Plant Nematology
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | |||
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods, Design and Analysis of Experiments | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 655 | Research Techniques in Crop Physiology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 605 | Plant disease Epidemiology and Control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 632 | Plant Pathology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 639 | Pesticide Biochemistry, Toxicology and Application Technology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 603 | Soil-Borne Pests and their Control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 667 | Principles of Biotechnology & its Application in Pest Management | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 606 | Seed Pathology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 615 | Plant Nematology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 681 | Seminar | 2 Core | |||
| Total | 23 | ||||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core |
| CSC 652 | Post Harvest Handling Processing and Storage Protection | 2 Elective |
| CSC 653 | Ecological Principles and Methods | 2 Core |
| CSC 665 | Principles of Crop and Pests Resistance | 2 Elective |
| CSC 633 | Principles & Practices of Pest Management | 2 Elective |
| CSC 616 | Ecology and Diagnosis of Diseases of Plants and its Control | 2 Elective |
| CSC 618 | Principles of Weed Science | 2 Elective |
| CSC 636 | Physiology of Parasitism (Host-Parasite Relationship) | 2 Elective |
| CSC 692 | Research Projects | 10 Core |
| Total | 28 |
(d) Plant Bacteriology
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | |||
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods (Design and Analysis of Experiments) | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 655 | Research Techniques in Crop Physiology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 605 | Plant disease Epidemiology and Control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 632 | Plant Pathology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 639 | Pesticide Biochemistry, Toxicology and Application Technology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 603 | Soil-Borne Pests and their Control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 667 | Principles of Biotechnology & its Application in Pest Management | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 606 | Seed Pathology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 617 | Plant Bacteriology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 681 | Seminar | 2 Core | |||
| Total | 23 | ||||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core |
| CSC 652 | Post Harvest Handling Processing and Storage Protection | 2 Elective |
| CSC 653 | Ecological Principles and Methods | 2 Core |
| CSC 633 | Principles AND Practices of Pest Management | 2 Elective |
| CSC 665 | Principles of Crop and Pests Resistance | 2 Elective |
| CSC 616 | Ecology and Diagnosis & Management of Plant Bacteriology Disease of Plants | 2 Elective |
| CSC 618 | Principles of Weed Science | 2 Elective |
| CSC 636 | Physiology of Parasitism (Host-Parasite Relationship) | 2 Elective |
| CSC 692 | Research Projects | 10 Core |
| Total | 28 |
(e) Plant Virology
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | |||
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods, Design and Analysis of Experiments | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 655 | Research Techniques in Crop Physiology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 605 | Plant disease Epidemiology and Control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 632 | Plant Pathology | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 603 | Soil-Borne Pests and their Control | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 637 | Physiology and Biochemistry of Herbicide Action | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 667 | Principles of Biotechnology & its Application in Pest Management | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 606 | Seed Pathology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 681 | Seminar | 2 Core | |||
| Total | 21 | ||||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core |
| CSC 652 | Post Harvest Handling Processing and Storage Protection | 2 Elective |
| CSC 665 | Principles of Crop and Pests Resistance | 2 Elective |
| CSC 653 | Ecological Principles and Methods | 2 Core |
| CSC 633 | Principles & Practices of Pest Management | 2 Elective |
| CSC 616 | Ecology, Diagnosis & Management of Disease of Plants | 2 Elective |
| CSC 636 | Physiology of Parasitism (Host-Parasite Relationship) | 2 Elective |
| CSC 619 | Plant Virology | 2 Core |
| CSC 604 | Insect Vectors of Plant Pathogens/Insect Pathology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 692 | Research Projects | 10 Core |
| Total | 28 |
- g) Weed Science
First Semester
| Course Structure | Units | ||||
| PGC 601 | Research methodology and application of ICT in research | 3 Core | |||
| CSC 671 | Statistical Methods, Design and Analysis of Experiments | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 621 | Advanced Crop Production | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 611 | Computer Application in Agriculture | 2 Core | |||
| CSC 631 | Weed Management | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 635 | Research Methods in Weed Science | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 637 | Physiology and Biochemistry of Herbicide Action | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 639 | Pesticide Biochemistry, Toxicology and Application Technology | 2 Elective | |||
| CSC 627 | Seminar | 2 Core | |||
| Total | 19 | ||||
Second Semester
| Course Structure | Units | |
| CSC 613 | Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition | 2 Core |
| CSC 632 | Plant Pathology | 2 Core |
| CSC 634 | Economic Entomology | 2 Core |
| CSC 638 | Weed Biology and Ecology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 630 | Parasitic and Aquatic Weeds and their Control | 2 Elective |
| CSC 651 | Crop Physiology | 2 Elective |
| CSC 658 | Pasture and Forage Crop Establishment and Management | 2 Elective |
| CSC 633 | Principles of Pest and Plant disease Control | 2 Elective |
| CSC 692 | Research Project | 10 Core |
| Total | 26 |
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
PGC 601: Research methodology and application of ICT in research (masters degree course)
In-depth research work aimed at acquiring full knowledge and presentations in scholarly writing of the concepts, issues, trends in the definition and development of the study area from African and Western perspectives. Major steps in research: Selection of problem, Literature review, Design, Data collection, analysis and interpretation, Conclusions, Study of various research designs, historical, case studies, surveys, descriptive, cross sectional, experimental, etc. Analysis, surveys and synthesis of conceptual and philosophical foundations of different disciplines. Identification of research problems and development of research questions and or hypotheses. Detailed treatment of methods of collecting relevant research data and the format for presenting research results (from designing the table of contents to referencing, bibliography and appendix). Data analysis and result presentation in different disciplines using appropriate analytical tools. Methods of project/dissertation writing. Application of appropriate advanced ICT tools relevant in every discipline for data gathering, analysis and result presentation. Essentials of Spreadsheets, Internet technology, and Internet search engines. All registered Masters Degree students must attend a solution – based interactive workshop to be organized by the School of Postgraduate Studies for a practical demonstration and application of the knowledge acquired from the course, conducted by selected experts. 3 units
CSC 601 Seed Biology
What is a seed. The structure, anatomy and morphology of mature seeds. Seed development: a) flowering, ii) control of flowering, ii) flower development. fertilization – i) pollination, ii) double fertilization, iii) male sterility, iv) self-incompatibility. Early embryogenesis – i) embryogenesis, ii) endosperm development. mid embryogenesis – i) seed reserves – carbohydrates, ii) seed reserves – lipids, iii) seed reserves – proteins. Late embryogenesis – desiccation tolerance. Mature Seeds – i) Seed Morphology, ii) Seed Dispersal. Seed
Dormancy – types of dormancy, control of dormancy – i) Plant Hormones, Phytochrome. Seed Germination: Imbibition – i) Water Uptake, ii) Oxygen Uptake; Germinative Events – i) Embryo Growth, ii) Endosperm Weakening; POST-Germinative Events – i) Reserve Mobilization, ii) Seedling Establishment. Seed Viability – Longevity and Deterioration Mechanisms. Importance of improved seeds. Differences between seeds, seedlings and grain. Seed and varietal classification. Varietal development and maintenance. Classes of seed: breeder, foundation and certified. Sources of various classes of seeds, NARIS -location and mandate crops. 2 units
CSC 602 Organic Horticulture
Definition of organic horticulture, significance to health and environment, organic/inorganic manures impact on environment, organic manure practices, product quality assurance, biosafety certification, production packages for selected horticultural specialization fruits, vegetables and ornamentals, marketing local and export of organic horticultural products, environmental impact assessment, air, water, soil, vegetation. Soil organic matter, sources, properties, maintenance and roles in plant nutrition, soil and ecological life. 2 units
CSC 603 Soil-Borne Pests and their Control
Soil-borne insect pests. Soil as a medium for plant growth and habitat for insects; adaptations for living in the soil; classification of soil-borne insects. General ecology and biology of soil insects; termites, Scarabaeids, Lepidoptera, Coleopteran. Dispersal and spread of soil pests. Economic important/mode of damage to crops and pastures, crop loss assessment; influence of edaphic and environmental factors on soil borne disease and insect pest problems; effect of soil temperature, rainfall, moisture etc, on survival of soil pest interactions between soil pests. Principles and control of soil insects pests and diseases. Soil-borne diseases- Definition and types of soil-borne plant pathogens- fungi, bacteria, nematodes. Types and important of diseases and problems associated with soil pests: wilts seed rot, damping off and seedling blight. Root rot etc. various methods of dispersal, survival (temporal dispersal) structure mechanisms. 2 units
CSC 604 Insect Vectors of Plant Pathogens/lnsect Pathology
Study of insects transmi~sion of plant pathogens, interaction of plants, pathogen and vectors, and environmental influence. Infections and non-infections diseases of insects and factors predisposing insects to infection. Characterization of “major groups of insects pathogens. Infection process, pathogensis and host responses. Practical application of pathogens in suppression of agricultural pests. 2 units
CSC 605 Plant Disease Epidemiology and Control
Definition of some terms and principles in epidemiology. Importance of epidemiology using some historic epidemic diseases as examples, The elements of an epidemic. How host-pathogen environmental, human and cultural practices affect the development of epidemics: inoculums build-up, potential, types, sources, amount. Dispersal: air-bome.vseed-borne, soil-borne, water-borne. Monocyclic and polycyclic processes. Derivations formulae for use in’ explaining some epidemiological principles: exponential infection rate, and corrected basic infection rate. The phases of an epidemics, equivalent and threshold theories, modeling of plant disease epidemics. Comparison of epidemics” computer simulations of epidemics and disease forecasting. Application of epidemiological principles in plant disease control. Laboratory and field recognition of plant diseases (fungal, bacterial, viral and nematodes). 2 units
CSC 606 Seed Pathology
History of seed pathology. Common diseases of crop seeds. Factors that predispose seeds to infection. Damages caused by pathogens on seeds, impact of seed damages in seed production. Modern laboratory, field equipment and procedures used in seed pathological testing, special culture media and preparations, isolation techniques, inoculation techniques including pathogenicity tests. Control of seed-borne diseases. 2 units
CSC 607 Insect Morphology and Physiology
The integument- cuticle, epidemics, basement membrane and cuticular appendages, insect growth and development- Ecdysis, metamorphosis and the concept of instars, regeneration, Histolysis and histogenesis. Arrested growth and diapauses; insect colouration; insect body structure – the head capsule, antennae, mouth parts, and feeding habits, the thorax, wings and flight in insects and insect locomotion, digestive system of an insect-gut, digestion and absorption, nutrition in insects, insect circulatory system, insect reproductive system, respiration, excretory system, nervous system in insect sensory response, insect behaviour, insect insects as most successful terrestrial animal, locomotion in insects. 2 units
CSC 608 Plant Mycology
Mushrooms (pluerotus, agaricus), taxonomy, variability and physiological specialization of fungal plant pathogens, causes of variability, fungal nutrition, and parasitism (its nature, origin, and evolution). Types of obligate and facultative parasitism, fungal diseases of crops, isolation and identification of antibiotic producing fungus. 2 units
CSC 609 Insect Ecology
Introductory information, definition of insect ecology and environment, levels of organization in ecology, species population, species, biotic community, ecosystem biome and biosphere, life system concept, population theories- Nicholson, Andrewartha, Birch, Milne etc; characteristics of species, population, population dynamics, natality., mortality, movement as a cause of numerical change, factors influencing natality, factors influencing mortality; competition; intra and inter specific competition. Territoriality, competitive exclusion principle etc; life table concept, predator-prey and parasitoid-host relationship. 2 units
CSC 611 Computer Applications in Agriculture
Introduction to computer hardware, software and operating systems. Microsoft office, data management and analysis packages. Internet connectivity, browsing, virtual libraries. Computer based modeling packages in Agricultural science. Statistical softwares in agricultural analysis (GENSTA T, SPSS, SAS, MINI-TAB, M-STATetc). 2 units
CSC 612 Stored Products Entomology
Seed storage systems. Insect pests of economic importance in stored products, Physiological processes in insect growth and development. Environmental factors that affect insect incidences, stored products pest management. 2 units
CSC 613 Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition
Soil fertility in relation to physical and chemical characteristics of soils. Nutrient absorption and distribution in plants, effects of fertilizer and lime, C.E.C, organic matter and pH on nutrient availability and uptake, fertilizer use and technology. 2 units
CSC 614 Seed Enterprise & Quality Assurance
Concept of seed quality, seed certification procedures and indicators, varietal development eligibility, seed multiplication; breeder, foundation and certified seeds, testing for germination and physical characteristics, viability tests, seed loss, moisture content and storage; physiological, pathological disorders, uniformity and stability; seed research and development. Definition of seed demand and supply systems, scales of enterprise – small, medium and large scale organization and models, private/public enterprise, merits and demerits, specific seed production enterprises (cereals, legumes, and tubers, clone, tissue, culture plants, marketing studies, government policy for seed enterprises production. 2 units
CSC 615 Plant Nematology
The relationship of nematodes to man’s environment: Nematode ecology and distribution in soil and water. Study of important diseases of plants caused by nematodes. Historical perspective, symptoms, diagnosis, host-parasite relationship, dissemination and control. Biology, life cycle and economic importance of Tylenchidae, Tylenchorhynchidae, Platylenchidae, Belonolamidae, Hoplolamidae, Heteroderidae, Aphlenchoidae, Dorylamidae, and free-living nematodes. Extraction handling, and identification of nematodes from soil and plants, special techniques for hatching, culturing etc . 2 units
CSC 616 Ecology and Diagnosis of Diseases of Plants and its Control
Taxonomy of plant parasitic nematodes, scientific and ordinary classifications, evolutionary
systematic, phonetic, experimental I numerical taxonomy. Morphology of plant parasitic nematodes, Host- parasitic relationships, pathogenicity tests. Types of parasitism/nematodes symptoms, life cycles of typical parasitic nematodes, Factors influencing host-parasite relationships, disease complexes, nematodes- distribution -vertical/horizontal: survival of plant parasitic nematodes: Nematological (Histo-pathological) techniques-sampling techniques, sample processing, identification of important genera under microscope, mounting of nematodes. Nematode control strategies. 2 units
CSC 617 Plant Bacteriology
Classification of major plant pathogenic bacteria. Characteristic (morphological, cultural, physiologic and pathogenic) of major genera of phyto-pathogenic bacteria. Use of Bergey’s manual, bacterial pathogenesis, entry and multiplication in-vivo, Host pathogen recognition (the hypersentive). Role of enzymes toxins, plant growth regulars, resistance in plants to phyto-pathogenic bacteria. 2 units
CSC 618 Principles of Weed Science
Evolution, structure, classification, distribution ecology and physiology of weeds, the establishment, growth development, reproduction and dispersal of weeds, useful and harmful aspects of weeds, collection. Handling and identification of weeds, classification of herbicides,herbicides behaviour in the soil and interaction of herbicides with soil microflora. Mechanism of herbicides action, basis of herbicide selectivity. Research methods in weed science. 2 units
CSC 619 Plant Virology
Theory: Introduction, Definitions and organism infected by viruses. History of plant virology sympathology: transmission, .plant-viruses composition, structure, structural bonding forces, infection, replication, assembly and movement, behavior of viruses in mixed infections: purification: Epidemiology, serology, viral taxonomy, viroids and virusoids, physiology of plant virus interaction control of plant viruses, satellite viruses. 2 units
CSC 620 Advanced Vegetable Crops
CSC 621 Advanced Crop Production
Physiological origins of crop yield, Potential versus harvest yield and the role of environmental factors. Management practices employed in Crop production, farming systems – traditional and modern concepts, the eco-physiological consideration of multiple cropping, contemporary models in cropping systems and research methods. 2 units
CSC 622 Advances in Crop Production and Cropping Systems
Origin and distribution of major cereal crops, sugar and fibres, pulses and oil seeds, vegetables and fruits, roots and tubers: soils and climate: cultivation practices in Nigeria and elsewhere: improved cultivars, seeds and sowing, nursery management and propagation (for fruits and vegetables), manures and fertilizers, irrigation, drainage, weed control and crop protection practices, harvesting and processing, uses and quality aspects. Definition of cropping systems, criteria for classifying cropping systems, types of cropping systems (shifting cultivation, crop rotation, cropping patterns, monocropping, sole cropping, mixed cropping/intercropping, agro-forestry), types of intercropping (row intercropping, strip intercropping, relay intercropping), advantages and disadvantages of intercropping, assessment of intercropping by land equivalent ratio, area x time equivalent ratio. 2 units
CSC 623 Crop Growth and Yield Analysis
Dynamics of crops, factors limiting growth concept related to influence on growth; growth analysis concept, NAR, leaf area index, CGR & RGR, crop growth and distribution of photosynthetic products; analysis of principal limiting factors, attributes for characterizing genotypes, dry matter production and grain yield, photosynthates partitioning and translocation; partitioning of the assimilates; source and sink relationship; source and sink limitations, determination of economic yields, environmental and physiological control of crop yield; leaf photosynthesis in C3 and C4 species, development of yield capacity, environmental effects on grain yield. 2 units
CSC 624 Farming & Cropping Systems
Systems concept in agriculture and farming system, definition of farming system, terminologies, classification of farming systems and their major criteria, peculiarities of the tropical environment and their resultant cropping system/sustainable farming systems. Traditional farming systems and their characteristics, cropping systems: sole cropping, monocropping, multiple/mixed intercropping systems, shifting cultivation, crop rotation, etc. types of intercropping: row intercropping, strip intercropping, relay/succession intercropping, advantages and disadvantages of intercropping/agro-forestry systems and their various types,
organic farming system. 2 units
CSC 625 Crop Mineral Nutrition
Concept of organic matter and its significance in agriculture, soil organic matter sources, properties, maintenance and roles in plant nutrition, soil and biological life, organic matter contents of different soils in Nigeria, the mechanism of nutrient absorption by plants. The essential nutrient elements, their functions, sources of availability and deficiency symptoms, other elements of biological importance found in plants, nutrient interactions. Plant tissue and soil testing, green houses and field techniques in nutritional investigations. Crop growth media. The mechanism of nutrient absorption by plants, The essential nutrient elements, their functions, sources availability and deficiency symptoms, other elements of biological importance found in plants. Nutrient interactions, Fertilizers and fertilizer compounding, Limes, liming and lime requirements and nutrient balance, Plant tissue and soil testing. Green-houses and field techniques in nutritional investigations. Use of plant tissue analysis in fertilizer advising. Role of mycorrhiza in crop nutrition. physical environment in the field crops. Metabolic sinks and sources and their relationships. Physiological significance of internal water relations in yields; Biotechnology – engineering for higher yields. 2 units
CSC 626 Plant Breeding and Genetics
History and importance of crop breeding in agriculture. Classification of crop plants on the basis of mode of reproduction, means of pollination and their relationships to breeding methods. Mechanisms in favouring self and cross pollination in crops, their problems and usefulness in crop breeding. Genetic basis and methods of breeding self and cross pollinated crops. Role of environment and genotype inheritance of characters. Heritability arid methods of estimation. Hybridization, combining ability and diallel crosses. Selection intensity and advances. Selection under competition. Basic concepts of genetic engineering. The multiplication, evaluation, registration and distribution of improved crop varieties. 2 units
CSC 627 Seed Production and Certification
Definition of seed. Elements of Seed Improvement. Seed production technology. Physiology, maturation and dormancy of seeds. Environment and other factors affecting seed multiplication. Pollination – wind and insect. Pollination of FI hybrid seed production. Protection against foreign pollen. Isolation distance. Deterioration of seed stocks. Controlled multiplication. Cultural practices: plant protection, chemical application. Crop maturity and time of harvest. Seed certification. Contract growing philosophy, principles and applications. Seed Law and Enforcement through field inspection and laboratory testing for seed quality. Seed Programme in Nigeria. Problems of Seed Industry in Nigeria
Practicals: Dormancy breaking techniques. Application of pesticides and visit to commercial seed processing companies: National Seed Service and MANR, Familiarize students with seed processing, packaging and storage principles. 2 units
CSC 628 Seed Production, Processing and Storage Technology
Definition of seed, production techniques, physiology, maturation and dormancy of seeds. Recalcitrant seeds, seed utility and quality; environmental factors affecting them, processing operations, machines by seed types, benefits, drying techniques, seed treatments, storage techniques and requirements, gene banks establishment and management. Pathological problems (seed health), monitoring, evaluation and control, seed handling, packaging, marketing and manpower training. 2 units
CSC 629: Forage Conservation
Hay cuts and hay making; silage cuts and silage; making, foggage/stock pilling; drying, milling and pelletting of forage, silos and other storage materials. 3 units
CSC 630 Parasitic and aquatic Weeds and their Control
Identification and classification’ of major parasitic weeds (Striga spp) and aquatic weeds (Water Hyacinth) of agricultural importance. Their physiology, life forms and distribution. Management of parasitic and aquatic weeds. Environmental impact of assessment of control measures. 2 units
CSC 631 Weed Management
Evolution and classification of weeds, physio-chemical and abiotic factors affecting plants in natural plant commodities. Weed taxonomy and identification, description of major terrestrial and aquatic weeds prevalent in Nigeria. laboratory and field activities in’ weed collection and identification. General and specific effects of weeds on crops. Methods of weed control. Chemistry and mode of action of herbicides. Precautions and general regulations of herbicide usage. 2 units
CSC 632 Plant Pathology
Nematode disease – gross morphology, life cycle and broad classification of plant parasitic nematodes: symptomatology and host-parasite relations in plant disease involving nematodes: nematode population dynamics influence on environment and. host crop: nematode disease control: bacterial diseases – broad classification of bacterial plant pathogens: bacterial diseases of plants including blight, wilts, soft rots, leaf spots: bacterial diseases of important crops such as legumes and cassava: methods of control of bacterial diseases: viral diseases – nature of plant viruses: classification of plant pathogenic viruses: major groups of viral diseases – masoacs (YMT), Yellow (Aster yellows) and ring spot viruses: mode of virus diseases spread and methods of virus disease. 2 units
CSC 633 Principles of Pest and Plant Disease Control
An overview of crop protection as a discipline that assembles all available resources of efficient and economic control of pests and disease problem. General principles in both pests and disease control. Methods of integrating both areas of control. Practical means for achieving on the field a high standard of crop protection control. Preventive IPM strategies: Curative IPM strategies; Basic principles of chemical crop control safety measures, concept and definition of pests and diseases in agricultural crops, survey of insects and pathogens of importance in crop production in the tropics. The concept of pest management; economics of pest control, pest control strategies – chemical, biological, third generation pesticides 9pheromones, growth regulators, autosterity), host plant resistance, integrated pest management (IPM). 2 units
CSC 634 Economic Entomology
The importance of insects to man, A survey of insects that are of agricultural importance in crop production in the tropics, economic principles and consequences of crop losses to the farmer, consumer and society, characteristics of insects that make them successful, principles of insect control in field and storage by chemical, biological and integrated methods, pest monitoring and forecasting; techniques for survey of insect pest infestation and evaluation of insect damage and losses in the field. Quantitative relationships among pests population, crop growth. Rational concept of crop loss assessment for improving crop production, the concept of economic threshold (ET), economic injury level, economic damage. 2 units
CSC 635 Research Methods in Weed Science
Weed taxonomy and identification, description of major terrestrial and aquatic weeds prevalent in the area. Essential elements of laboratory, green hoise and field experimentation in weed science. Experimental designs, data collection, processing and reporting. Recent research trends in weed science, present and future weed control strategies for developing nations. Modem techniques in determing herbicide, absorption, metabolism degeneration, selectivity, mode of action. Herbicide formations, application, physiology and biochemistry. 2 units
CSC 636 Physiology of Parasitism (Host -Parasite Relationship)
Definition of terms used in plant disease physiology; Entry of bacteria and fungi into plants. Mechanisms of pathogenesis – Cell wall degrading enzymes, Toxins associated with necrosis; Effect of disease on the physiology of host plant – Respiration, Photosynthesis, plant growth regulations, water relations/vascular wilts; Specificity and recognition in host-pathogen interaction – Mechanisms of specificity, Hypersensitivity reaction, phytoalexins, mechanism of recognition, incompatibility. Resistance in plants to pathogens – pre- formed resistance factors (Structural, Anti-microbial substances); Induced resistance factors (Concept of induced resistance, structural/physical, chemical, hypersensitive reaction). Alterations in plant growth patterns. Substances involved in vascular wilts, res. 2 units
CSC 637 Physiology and Biochemistry of Herbicide Action
Herbic3ide classification, formulation, mode of action and application. Behavior of herbicides with emphasis on uptake, translocation and metabolism in plants: herbicide behaviour in soil and interaction of herbicides with soil micro-organism fauna. Effect of herbicides on plant growth, morphologenesis, plant composition, metabolism, endogen regulator systems, biophysical and biochemical processes. Mechanism of herbicide action. Basis of herbicide selectivity and fundamental approaches to the design of herbicides. 2 units
CSC 638 Weed Biology and Ecology
Ecology and biology of important weeds, methods species perpetuation; reproduction, vegetative propagation and dispersal’; weed-crop association, effects of growth and yield competition for nutrients, moisture and light; weed spectrum/community under different ecological zones. Effect of herbicides on ecosystems; evaluation of major ecological factors involved in the use of herbicides, weed control in important crops in Nigeria, aquatic, weeds and their control. Obnoxious weeds. 2 units
CSC 639 Pesticide Biochemistry, Toxicology and Application Technology
History of pesticide usage, chemistry and mode of action of different classes of pesticides. Metabolism in target and non-target organisms and in the environment, toxicology, analytical, laboratory and field techniques for the determination of pesticides residue in plant tissues, soil, air surface and underground waters, pesticides pollution and pollution control. Pesticides formulations (sprays, dusts, granules, Aerosols, Fumigants, Encapsulated materials, fertilizer/ pesticide combinations, barts etc). Insecticides (organic and inorganic) herbicides (organic and inorganic) fungicides / bactericides (organic and inorganic forms). Nematicides, rodenticides etc. problems associated with use of pesticides. 2 units
CSC 641 Plant Propagation Techniques
Techniques of propagation. by cutting, grafting and budding – types of cuttings, sources of cutting materials, rooting media, treatment of cuttings with auxins and other growth hormones, care of cuttings during rooting, types of grafts, requirements for successful grafting, aftercare of grafted plants, types of budding, importance and utilization of budding, rootstock for budding, principles of tissue culture and micropropagation – types of tissue culture system, control of the tissue culture environment, variation in micropropagated plants, uses for micropropagation, disadvantages of micropropagation, general laboratory facilities and procedures, micropropagation procedures. 2 Units
CSC 642 Plantation Crops
A study of the general principles and practice of tree-crop culture and their relation to underlying sciences. Topics to be covered include Economics, History, Distribution, Botany, growth, propagation, production, processing and uses of major tropical tree crops and crop products. 2 units
CSC 643 Fruit and Vegetable Crop Production
Origin and classification of fruits, nutrient and water management, factors limiting fruit production, physiology of flowering, pollination, fruit set and development, physiological disorders, causes and remedies, maturity indices. Classification of vegetables, nutritional and medicinal values of vegetables, nursery management, yield and quality as influenced by chemicals and growth regulators, role of organic manures, inorganic fertilizers and micronutrients, nutritional deficiencies, disorders and control measures, harvesting, grading, packaging and storage techniques for fruits and vegetables. 2 units
CSC 644 Tropical Ornamental Horticulture and Land Scope
Concepts and techniques of landscape plant production and utilization with special reference to the tropics. Domestication and improvement of ornamental plants. Floricultural crop production and indoor environment. Protected cultivation, and lawn grass species. Establishment and maintenance of turfgrasses. 2 units
CSC 645 Nursery Principles and Practices 2 units
CSC 646 Tropical Pomology 2 units
CSC 651 Crop Physiology
Crop growth as a resultant of all physiological processes, inherent patterns of growth and development. Plant metabolic processes; Quantitative analysis of crop growth and development; Effects of cultural and environmental factors; Regulation of growth and development; Growth correlations; Developmental physiology of selected leaf, storage organ, fruit and seed crops; potential productivity of (a) existing crops (b) model crops; Methods of study and interpretation of the physical environment of and in filed crops. 2 units
CSC 652 Post Harvest Handling Processing and Storage Protection
Concept of storage and Food Security: morphology and physiology of stored commodities. Losses and factors affecting produce/products deterioration; Casual agents of deterioration; Influence of temperature and relative humidity; preservation (mechanical, refrigeration, vacuum cooling, liquid nitrogen and gas storage, volcanic storage, etc), drying and storage methods; post harvest handling and processing of produce; pests of stored produce/products – insects, mites, pathogens, rodents, birds, etc. classification of stored products arthropods and pathogens; morphology, distribution, biology and economic importance. Detection and monitoring of arthropods and pathogens on stored commodities; Storage structures and designs (ventilated and hermetic). Packaging and Environment; Seed pathology and management, pest control strategies in storage. Diseases of stored produce; Disease control strategies in storage. 2 units
CSC 653 Crop Ecology
Climatic, biotic and adaphic factors which affect adaptation, distribution and productivity of crop plants; Growth and development patterns of crops. Factors of light (intensity and duration), temperature, moisture, soil and nutrition in relation to crop production. Vernalization in crop production, crop adaptation to stress conditions; measurements of yield and productivity; problems of crop production in humid tropics. 2 units
CSC 654 Grassland Productivity
Species adaptation and productivity of tropical forage species; pasture establishment and cutting management; grass/legume mixtures and productivity. Nitrogen fixation and N-economy of tropical forage legumes; fertilization and general management practices for increased productivity of natural and sown pastures; grazing management in relation to pasture productivity; forage crop conservation. 2 units
CSC 655 Techniques in Crop Physiology
Solution culture techniques; Environmental factors – measurements and control in glasshouses, growth room and growth cabinets; plant growth analysis; Measurements and interpretation of the physical environments of crops; Methods in carbondioxide assimilation (photosynthesis) respiration and stomatal movements and their interrelations; Chemical analysis of plant tissues and data interpretation; Chromatographic techniques. 2 units
CSC 656: Quality Evaluation of Pastures
- Digestibility – determination
- crude protein content – determination
- fibre content – determination
- Nutrient contents (minerals) – determination
- forage acceptability – determination
- forage intake – determination 2 units
CSC 657 Post-harvest Physiology
Field cultural treatments in relation to post-harvest physiological disorders. Packing house and transit handling and storage life. Methods of preservation. Major ways of prolonging storage life: mechanical refrigeration, vacuum cooling, liquid nitrogen and gas storage. Measurement of heat, moisture loss, respiration, respiratory Quotient and Climacteric Post harvest deterioration and losses, respiration, ethylene and other plant hormones – role in senescence, ethylene and fruit ripening, compositional changes during maturation and ripening, transpiration and water loss, physiological disorders, temperature management – cooling methods and principles, handling, transportation, distribution and marketing. 2 units
CSC 658 Pasture and Forage Crop Establishment and Management
Evaluation of species adaptation and productivity of tropical forage crop; Productivity of natural and sown pastures; Grass legume mixtures; Nitrogen fixation by tropical forage legume; Fertilization, irrigation and general management practices for increased productivity of natural and sown pastures. 2 units
CSC 659 Horticultural Methods
Nursery production – location of the nursery, site preparation, nursery structures, types of nursery production, nursery tools, growing media – types of growing media, sterilization of growing media, problems associated with sterilization of growing media, watering, fertilizer application, containers for growing pot plants, controlled environment facilities and their operation – greenhouse design and construction, internal environmental control, importance of greenhouses in plant production, principles of landscaping, types of landscaping, elements of design, fertilization and watering of trees and shrubs in the landscape, pruning of landscape trees and shrubs. 2 units
CSC 661 Biometrical Genetics
Elementary Statistics. Elements of Matrix Algebra. Variance and Covariance Analysis. Path Analysis. Scaling Test and Components of Generation Means. Dialysis. Analysis of Partial Dialled. Three-way Cross Analysis. Analysis of North Caroline Designs. Classificatory Analysis-Metroglyph and Index Score method D2 statistics stability method. Simultaneous Selection Models. 2 units
CSC 662 Plant Biotechnology
Plant tissue culture and applications. Micropropagations, somatic embryogenesis, somaclonal vanatrons. Chemicals and plant interactions. Application of genetic engineering in crop improvement, herbicide resistance insect resistance, environmental tolerance, virus resistance and agricultural food production. 2 units
CSC 663 Plant Genetic Resource Conservation
Genetic basis for evolution of cultivated plants. PGR ‘concepts and principles. Importance of plant genetic resources. Genetic variation and their sources. Centres of diversity. Strategies for formal and informal PGR conservation, development and management. Management of genebanks, living botanical collections, natural reserves and in situ conservation areas. conservation of resources through biotechnology. Policy issues relating to PGR conservation and use. 2 units
CSC 665 Principles of Crop and Pests Resistance
Concepts of crop and pest resistance. Genetic basis for resistance variations (crop / pests) detection and stability of host resistant genes. Management of host resistance genes. 2 units
CSC 666 Cytogenetics
Relationship between plant breeding and genetical science, Cytogenetic Basis of Plant Breeding- variations in individual chromosome, variations in chromosome number, cytoplasmic inheritance and related phenomena. Modes of reproduction in plans- description and identification of various modes, Heriditary and environmental factors affecting mode of reproduction, plant breeding problems associated with mode of reproduction. Origin of the plant breeders material – Indigenous materials and introductions, centres of diversity and/or origin, VaviIov’s and Harlan’s works, origin of crop species, collections of potential parental materials. Interspecific Hybridization- barriers to hybridization, cytogenetic basis of hybrid sterility, genetic disability of F2 and later generations, methods of utilizing interspecific hybrids. Analysis and managing of discontinuous variation: Patterns of discontinuous variation, testing hypotheses, binomial, x2 and other tests, estimation of linkage intensities, development and use of near isogeruc lines. Mutation breeding- genetic basis of mutation, methods of mutation breeding 2 units
CSC 667 Principles of Biotechnology & its Application in Pest Management
Definition of terms in Biotechnology; introduction to recombinant. DNA technology; ; methods in biotechnology -protein based and nucleic acid-based methods, Tissue culture; Gene cloning and sequencing, molecular markers, Goals / Benefits of genetically – modified plants; Bio-ethics and Biosafety 2 units
CSC 668 Molecular techniques for Crop Improvement
Gene and gene expression and silencing PCR based. Methods of detecting variation in the geneome, AFLP, SNPS etc, gene sequencing and gene cloning. Detection and statistical analysis of quantitative trait loci. Reverse -PCR and gene products. 2 units
CSC671 Statistical Methods, Design and Analysis of Experiments
Basic ideas about statistical inference and test of hypothesis, planning of experiments, collection, presentation and summarization of data, randomization, replication, sub-sampling and unequal-sample size, experimental error, error control, standard deviation and standard error of means, coefficient of variability (C.V.)-define, introduction to statistical computer software’s; Statistical Analysis System (SAA), Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), GENSTAT, BIPLOT, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and other Computer Software programmes/packages, etc., survey of experimental designs, and analysis of variance (ANOVA), assumptions of ANOVA, linear additive model(s), expected mean squares (EMS), Latin Squire (LS), and Split-Plot designs, missing data, incomplete block designs, detection of difference between treatment means, application of Fisher’s least significant difference (F-LSD = LSD), Duncan’s new multiple range test (DNMRT), Honest significant difference (HSD), or Turkey’s W-procedure and Dunnett’s test, comparison-wise and experiment-wise error rates, factorial experiments, linear model for factorial experiments, single-degree of freedom comparisons, individual degrees of freedom, equally spaced treatments, orthogonal comparisons, and response surface analysis, confounding in factorial experiments. Repeated measures design(s), simple linear, regression and correlation, coefficients analyses, non-linear relations, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), data transformation and non-parametric techniques, combining of experiments, location and/or years or seasons, Bartlett’s test, etc., design and analysis of rotation experiments. 2 units
CSC 672 Ecological Principles and Methods
Ecological principles and methods with particular reference to the study of insect population. Physical and biotic factors affecting abundance and distribution of insects and their interrelationships. . Population interaction; predator-prey and host-parasitoid relationship and life table. Insect surveys and assessment of damage. 2 units
CSC 675 Seed Technology
Elements of seed industry. Climatic and other requirements for seed multiplication. pollination- Fl hybrid seeds. Controlled multiplication. Determination of seed stocks. Protection against foreign pollen, isolation distances. Contract growing-Philosophy, principles and applications. Seed packaging principles, types and coat implications. seed marketing principles and objectives. Marketing organization and management. Sampling of agricultural seeds-types and techniques. seed blending procedures and calculations. Seed laws. Plant Breeder’s rights. Seed programme development implication and evaluation.
Practicals: Purity analysis, seed viability and vigour. Sampling techniques-primary samples, composite- submitted and working samples. Seed health testing. Seed packaging. Types and
2 units
*CSC 681 Seminar
Students in consultation with the supervisors should present a scheduled Departmental postgraduate seminar on current and relevant topics. The entre Departmental postgraduate lecturers should endeavour to attend and grade the seminar. 2 units
CSC 692 Project
Research is carried out in the area of specialization under a supervisor or supervisors and submission of bound copies of dissertation/thesis for external and internal examiners in preparation for the dissertation or thesis defence. 10 units