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Course Synopses
AGR 111-3 Introduction to Agriculture
Definition of agriculture. World population and food supply. History, scope and importance of agriculture to man. Climatic, edaphic and social distribution. Trends in production, distribution and utilization of agricultural products. Systems of crop farming. Place of forestry in agriculture
Distribution and significance of farm animals. Basic principles of farm animals. Adaptation of various types of feed. Place of fish farming and wild life in agriculture.
CPS 212-3 Basic Farm Engineering
Workshop and building materials mostly used on the farm. Nomenclature, selection, identification, handling and quantity specifications. Principles of farmstead layout, including introduction to broad engineering specifications; surveying instruments (chain, compass, dumpy level and related accessories) and their usage in farm engineering works.
AGR 214-3 Introduction to General Genetics and Breeding Methods
Brief history of genetics. Cell structure and components. Chromosomes: structure, number and variations, linkage and crossing over mutation and genes in the population. Multiple Alleles, mitosis and meiosis. Origin, organization and transmission of biological variations. Theory of evolution. Fundamental principles of inheritance. Mendelian genetics. Introduction to population and quantitative genetics. Reproduction systems in plants. Introduction to animal genetics.
AGR 215-3 Agricultural Biology
The angiosperm plant body: Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons; characteristics, form and modifications of stems, roots and leaves. Phyllotaxy; types of inflorescence. Floral structure and variation. Pollination and fertilization. Fruit development. Types of fruits and seeds. Characteristics and function of various Angiosperm plant tissues. Primary and secondary growth in roots and stems. Principles and systems of plant taxonomy; use of keys. Origin and distribution of crops. Crop classification. Utilization of crops with particular emphasis on
Helminthology: Phylum platyhelminthes: general characteristics and morphology of the class Trematoda and the subclasses Monogenea and Digenea. General characters and morphology of the class cestoda and subclasses Cestodaria and Eucestoda. General subclasses Secernentea and Adenophorea. The plant parasitic nematodes.
Entomology: Arthropods: Outline of biological nomenclature; the position of the phylum Arthropoda in the Animal Kingdom. The classification of Arthropoda; particular mention of the classes Diploada, Chilopoda, Insecta, Crustacea, Arachnida. Its abundance. Variability and versatility and the classes Apterygotes, Exopterygotes and endoterygotes. The major insect order: their diagnostic morphological features; important families and species. Elementary insect physiology and ecology.
CPS 223-3 Introduction to Farm Power and Machinery
Farm power sources (human, animal, electric, engine, wind and solar). Factors affecting selection: principles of internal combustion engines and electric motor tractor: introduction to various systems. Field machinery used for primary and secondary tillage; (ploughs, harrows, planters). Fertilizer applicators, plant protection equipment, hitching operating principles; general maintenance procedures. Equipment for livestock and dairy production. Automatic feed conveyors, automatic drinkers for poultry, milking machine and milk handling equipment. Introduction to meat processing equipment.
CPS 224-4 Principles and Practices of Plant Production
Concept of arable crops. Origin and distribution, essentials of crop growth; soil climate and their relation to crop growth; preparation of lands, seed and sowing; manures and fertilizers; irrigation and drainage; weeds and weed control; harvesting, processing and storage of important crops. Production of important Cereals, legumes, oil and fibre crops.
AGR 312-3 Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture
Food security and food insecurity concepts and dimensions: Natural Resource Management (NMR) concepts and practice; importance of NMR; multi-sectoral character of NMR; the importance of integrating NMR into development. Linkages between management of natural resources and food production; policies for natural resources management and food security; programs and projects for natural resource management and food security. Need to share national experiences in NMR; strategies and techniques for NMR training. Importance of various farming systems in food security and sustainable agriculture.
Definitions: Determinants of food security; household food security; disasters and food security; gender and food security; HIV/AIDS and food security, rural livelihood and rural development.
CPS 315-5 Crop Protection-Diseases and Pests Control
Definition of pest: The nature of modern agriculture as a pest inducing practice. Different agro-ecosystems and their influence on pest problems. The major pests of the following groups of crops: cereals and other cultivated grasses, legumes, root and tuber crops, horticultural crops, plantation crops. Brief outline of different assessment methods and pests control methods. Discussions on the advantages and shortcoming of the different control methods. Strategies of integrated pest management. Insects and other arthropods beneficial to man. General principles of Plant pathology: Disease concept; import and classification of plant diseases. How plant diseases arise; preconditions; the disease triangle; parasite and parasitism; pathogen and pathogenicity; Inoculum: types, dissemination, survival; inoculum potential; host inoculation, infection, invasion. Host range. Epidemiology. Symptomatology. Response of host plant to pathogen attack (Resistance). General approach to plant disease control: Koch’s Postulates; prophylactic, protective and therapeutic disease control measures; specific crop diseases and their control, with emphasis on
CPS 316-3 Research Methodology
Introduction to research. Research techniques and procedures in agricultural experimentation. Basic statistical designs (Randomised designs, Factorial designs, Latin square design and Split-plot designs). Principles of primary data collection, analysis and interpretation of results.
CPS 317-3 Principles and Methods of Plant Breeding
Centres of origin and diversity of crop plants. Variation in plants (Hereditary and environmental). Significance of reproductive system in cultivated plants. Techniques and principles of crop germplasm bank; selection methods in breeding programmes; maintenance of breeding stock; multiplication and distribution of improved crop varieties. Role of plant breeding in crop production.
CPS 327-3 Plant Biotechnology
Introduction to plant biotechnology, scope of plant biotechnology, introduction terms, concepts and principles of plant cell and tissue culture. Biotechnology impacts on food industry and agriculture, how plant in vitro biotechnology exploits plasticity of plant development, concept of totiponency, sterility, type of tissues used, types of growth found in culture and wound responses. Growth of cell in liquid medium, growth curves, pattern of growth cells in medium, innoculum size and critical cell size. Organic seed growth in in-vitro, direct and indirect organogenesis and totiponency induction of shoot and root formation and role of auxins and cytokinins. Application of plant cell and tissue culture for commercial purposes and secondary product formation. Clonal propagation, procedures and application. Generation of variants in culture, somoclonal variation and mutant selection. Anther culture and generation of haploids, transfer of genetic information without the use of sex. Plant protoplast technology and somatic hybridisation. Transgenic plants and their agricultural applications.
CPS 328-3 Weed Science
Characteristics, classification and biology of weeds. Losses due to weeds. Weed control methods and problems associated with them. Classification, chemistry, selectivity, formulation, application, storage and mode of action of herbicides and environmental interaction. Safety factors in the use of herbicides. Basis for herbicidal selectivity. Application equipment and techniques.
CPS 329-3 Pomology
Classification of fruit crops. Factors affecting fruit crop production. Establishing an orchard, propagation and nursery practices and fruit crop management. Fruit quality and marketing. A detailed knowledge about the botany and production practices of citrus, apple, peach, grapes, pear, banana, pineapple. Other minor fruit crops of
AGR 411-3 Farming Systems
Concepts and definitions. Need for a farming systems perspective. Need for efficient on-farm research methods, procedures for development of technologies for farmers. On-farm research-farmer’s circumstances as a basis for planning research. Identifying farmers’ problems and screening of technological components. The concepts of inter-disciplinary team of farming systems; farming systems research and extension.
CPS 400-4 Agriculture in Practice
Exposure of prospective graduants to the field-practical, inter disciplinary problems in crop and livestock production via the ‘DO IT YOURSELF’ approach, spanning a period of 12 months and followed by written reports on the exercises.
CPS 414-3 Field Experimentation
Review of Analysis of variance. Detailed study of Factorial Experimentations.
CPS 415-3 Vegetable Production
Brief survey of vegetable industry in southern
CPS 416-3 Introductory Plant Physiology
Photosynthesis and factors affecting the process. Environmental factors affecting dry matter accumulation. Competition and plant density. Respiration and photo respiration. Essential nutrient elements and their deficiency symptoms. Nutrient and water uptake. Water stress physiology. Seed germination and dormancy. Plant growth regulators.
CPS 422-3 Harvest and Post Harvest Technology
Harvesters. Grain cleaning and grading. Grain threshing and grinding. Feed mills: hammer mills and burr mills. Feed mixing and cubing. Straw processing. Principles of crop drying. Deep bed and thin layer drying. Psychometric chart. Vegetable and fruit processing. Environmental control of crop and livestock buildings. Farm transport and materials handling.
CPS 423-4 Seed Production
Review of plant breeding aspects of seed production. Evaluation and maintenance of varieties. Seed multiplication. Agronomic aspects of seed production: protection, isolation, planting, cultivation and rouging. Seed processing; harvesting, drying, cleaning and storage. Seed quality control: field inspection and laboratory tests. Seed Certification and Legislation. Seed distribution. Seed production recommendations for important crops with emphasis on
CPS 424-3 Crop Physiology
Crop growth analysis: relative growth rate, leaf area index, leaf area duration, net assimilation rate, crop growth rate. Dry matter accumulation and partitioning. Physiology of crop yield and concept of ideotypes. Biological nitrogen fixation; stress physiology including drought, nutrients, salinity and temperature. Toxic factors in plants. Use of growth retardants. Senescence and post harvest physiology.
CPS 425-3 Integrated
Concept of pest and disease management: Population dynamics of insects and other animal pests of crops.
CPS 426-3 Irrigation Agronomy
Hydrologic cycle; role of water in crop growth; concepts of soil water availability; irrigation water requirements; irrigation scheduling; methods of irrigation; water deficits and crop yields; water use efficiency; water quality, principles of salinity and alkalinity; management of problem soils (saline, alkaline, saline-alkaline, sodic and flood prone soils); leaching and drainage; irrigation resources, with emphasis on Lesotho. Visits to irrigation sites. Soil-water-plant atmosphere relationships. Concept of field capacity and available water. Water deficit and plant growth. Assessment of water requirements for crops, especially at critical growth stages. Economic and efficient use of water. Irrigation scheduling for major field and horticultural crops. Agronomic management of irrigated crops. Effect of salinity, alkalinity, acidity and flood prone soils on crop growth and development. Agronomic practices for crops in “problem soils”.
CPS 444-6 Crop Science Project
Each student shall execute a project selected from a list of topics that will be provided, write up in the form of a dissertation, and have it bound. Thereafter, the student shall present a seminar based on his/her project, and later defend the dissertation before an external examiner.
M.Sc. COURSE SYNOPSES:
M.Sc. [Crop Production] COURSES:
CPS 611-3 Biometrics
Review of the mathematical models for the commonly used experimental designs and their relation to ANOVA tables. Data arrangement, input, and analysis for commonly used designs, (CRD, CRBD, and Latin Square Designs), using a computer package programme and interpretation of results. Factorial experiments, analysis of the 2² factor experiments, and three factor experiments, multiple linear regression, analysis of covariance.
CPS 621-2 Post-Harvest Technology of Horticultural Crops
Review of machinery for horticultural crops production, Principles of psychometric chart; Control of heating the ventilation in green house; Grading and sorting of horticultural crops; Techniques in fruits and vegetable dying; Handling, packaging, and storage of fruits and vegetables; Refrigeration in storing horticultural crops. Control of conditions in horticultural stores.
CPS 631-3 Advanced Irrigation Agronomy
Farm water quality and treatment; Use of urban, industrial, and agricultural affluent in irrigation; Farm water delivery systems; Design, and application of drip irrigation system; Farm water flow and measurement; Irrigation water management; Evaluation of irrigation systems and practices; Environmental impact of irrigation, with emphasis on Lesotho; special problems of irrigation in Lesotho.
CPS 641-3 Advanced Crop Physiology
Crop growth analysis; Environmental factors affecting dry matter production and partitioning; Metabolic sinks in plants; Physiology of crop yield.
CPS 651-1 Biotechnology: Its application in Crop Production
Concept of biotechnology; History and evolution of biotechnology; Scope of biotechnology, including genetic engineering, plant cell and tissue culture, biomass production and technology, enzyme technology, immobilized cells and enzymes, microbial insecticides and nitrogen fixation; Potential application of biotechnology in the developing countries in the area of crop production Social, economics, and environmental implications of biotechnology.
CPS 661-2 Advanced Farming Systems
Concept of a farming system; the systems and system-analytical approach to farm problems; small-scale farming systems in the developing countries, with emphasis on Africa in general and Southern Africa in particular; general characteristics; strengths and weaknesses. Case Studies-including nomadic pastoralism, shifting cultivation, fallow rotation, permanent cropping systems, multiple cropping system, systems with tree crops, dairying, effects of these systems on soil/land productivity; achieving sustainable yields in tropical, sub-tropical, and warm-temperate environments via exploring developmental possibilities for the farming systems in these region; large-scale farming, improved small-scale farming, sole and mixed cropping, mixed farming, adoption of new technologies; the systems approach to the physical planning of small-scale farming-particularly under labour-limiting situations; temperate farming systems: characteristic, evolution, and development in the following systems: ranching, dairying , pig and poultry production, mixed farming, arable farming, intensive horticulture.
CPS 671-3 Advances in Agronomy
System analysis of natural resources with respect to crop production; crop yield maximizing factors; manipulation of cultural, environmental, and germplasm factors for optimum yield; light interception land gas exchange in crop stands; response to nitrogen in relation to crop morphology and stand density. Soil physical properties and plant growth; soil compaction; Effect of soil compaction on root development; Power requirement for different shapes of tillage tools; Tractive machinery; Soil deformation and wheel slip; Sinkage and rolling resistance; Matching tractive machinery with tillage implements.
CPS 681-1 Crop Science Students’ Seminar
Each M.Sc. candidate shall be required to prepare a research proposal, and present this in the form of a seminar. At the end of the research execution, each student shall also present his/her research findings in the form of a seminar. Each seminar shall be awarded a grade.
CPS 612-2 Selected Topics in Horticulture
The contents of this course shall be largely determined by the lecturer teaching it ant any point time. It will however include, inter alias, such topics as: Origin of major horticultural crops in Southern Africa, with emphasis on
CPS 622 Advanced Weed Science
Characteristics and classification of weeds. Reproduction of weeds. Economic importance of weeds, with emphasis on
CPS 632-3 Integrated
An overall view of crop protection as a discipline that assembles all available resources for effective, efficient, and economic control of pest and disease problems of crop plants and their produce; general principles of both pest and disease management, and integration of both areas of management. Modern approaches to crop protection. Crop protection methods for small-scale and resource-poor, as well as for large-scale farmers.
CPS642-3 Stress Physiology
Stress physiology: Emphasis on drought and water logging; Low and high temperature stress; Nutrient stress; Salinity. Plant adaptation to stress; Methods of alleviating stress.
CPS 652-3 Special Topics in Crop Improvement
Plant genetic resources and plant breeding programme relationships. Review of variety development for crops propagated in different ways. The status of plant breeding the seed production in Lesotho; variability, centres of origin and improvement programmes relationship; maintenance and multiplication requirement for differently propagated crops; quality declared seed, certified seed; analysis of plant improvement programme in Lesotho.