AGRONOMY 3012RW - Innovation in Agronomy III
Roseworthy Campus - Semester 2 - 2022
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code AGRONOMY 3012RW Course Innovation in Agronomy III Coordinating Unit School of Agriculture, Food and Wine Term Semester 2 Level Undergraduate Location/s Roseworthy Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 6 hours per week Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y Assumed Knowledge AGRIC 2505RW Assessment Exam, practical reports Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Dr Gurjeet Gill
Course Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .
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Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
1 Describe the role of physiological processes controlling plant growth and development. 2 Understand the effect of environment and management on crop growth, rate of development, water and nutrient use efficiency 3 Describe the impact of latest crop management practices on crop productivity and resource use efficiency 4 Undertake sampling of plants and soils for routine analysis of soil water and crop growth and development 5 Interpret results of research on crop growth and development, radiation interception and radiation use efficiency; crop water use and water use efficiency 6 Use decision support system Yield Prophet to understand probability of achieving various levels of productivity and the influence of water and nitrogen stress of predicted crop yield. This activity is undertaken by the students in small groups. 7 Understand the behaviour of herbicides in the environment and evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds and their management. University Graduate Attributes
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:
University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s) Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth
Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.
1-7 Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving
Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.
5-6 Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills
Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.
5-6 Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness
Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.
4-7 Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency
Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.
4-6 Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.
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Learning Resources
Required Resources
Lecture handouts will be posted to the relevant area of MyUni before each class. There will be no provision of printed lecture handouts.Recommended Resources
Tow, Cooper, Partridge and Birch (2011) Rainfed Farming Systems (Online access available through UA library)
Loomis, RS and Connor, DJ (1992) Crop Ecology: Productivity and management in agricultural systems. Cambridge University Press -
Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
The course material is taught by a combination of lectures and practical classes, with assessment in the form of practical write-ups, and summative assessment in the form of the final examination. The lectures are organised into three streams. The first of these are lectures that cover major principles related to crop physiology. The second stream covers impact of technological interventions on resource use efficiency. The third stream addresses the role of herbicides and management of herbicide resistance. Lecture modes used are based primarily on traditional classroom paradigms of lecturer-student interactions, using PowerPoint or similar presentation techniques.
Practical classes are designed and timetabled such that as far as possible, the topics co-ordinate with those being taught at that time within the lecture stream. There are two major practicals in this course. One of them deals with techniques and skills related to quantifying crop growth and development and its relationship with radiation and water use. Data collected by students in small working groups are submitted as a brief research paper. The second practical exercise is based on students learning how to use and interpret the outputs a decision support system called Yield Prophet. This exercise runs throughout the semester in which students learn how simulation models are used in the industry to manage nitrogen input for crops and how changes in seasonal rainfall impacts on the probability of achieving different levels of grain yields. This work is undertaken in small groups. Each group is required to go online and run various scenarios of crop management and then interpret the probability of likely outcomes. The final report is presented jointly by the group but the students are required to undertake self- and peer-assessment of the group. Students also undertake a practical examination, which covers basic numerical skills as well as a field-based problem solving exercise.
Feedback is provided on all assessed work.Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
A student enrolled in a 3 unit course, such as this, should expect to spend, on average 12 hours per week on the studies required. This includes both the formal contact time required to the course (e.g., lectures and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g., reading and revision).Learning Activities Summary
Week Lectures Practicals 1 1. Frameworks and benchmarks for analysing productivity: potential yield, attainable yield,
yield gaps and production efficiency frontiers; inputs vs efficiencies
2. Growth and yield in a water limited environment:Water use and water use efficiencyRevision of Yield Prophet; provide paddock
information; visit selected paddocks and establish N dose response plots2 1. Growth and yield in a water limited environment: limitations and opportunities
2. Crop growth and yield formationWUE and RUE at Roseworthy - I 3 1. Crop growth and yield formation
2. The crop canopyStudent groups to sample crops for
biomass and growth stage for comparison with Yield Prophet predictions4 1. Crop development: genetic and environmental controls
2. How crops respond to sowing date(a) Variety x time of sowing (Hart Field site)
(b) The impact of long-term seeding systems on crop growth (Hart Field site)5 1. How crops respond to N and implication for management
2. How crops respond to planting arrangementTutorial on statistical analysis of
trial data and its interpretation6 Crop canopy management: balancing pre- and post-anthesis water use, rate and timing of N, leaf area duration, haying-off case studies, plant growth
regulators; canopy management in high and low rainfall environmentsRoseworthy Yield Prophet; crop sampling in the field; run your group’s management scenarios 7 1. Dual purpose cereals: rationale, feed gap, physiological principles, case studies from NSW, WA farmer case studies, cattle case study from Esperance
2. Dual purpose canola: whole plant removal risk, blackleg risk, dietary intake, NO3 toxicity risk, physiological principles, CSIRO research, WA farmer case studies, cattle grazing case study from WA, best-bet managementWUE and RUE at Roseworthy – 2nd
sample8 1. Tillage effects on soil properties: soil OC, physical properties, microbial biomass, disease suppressive soils
2. Tillage effects on weeds: germination and establishment, seed decay, weed control with pre-sowing herbicides, crop damage from pre-sowing herbicidesWeigh soil dry weights and a tutorial on the calculation of WUE and RUE 9 Soil compaction and Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF)*: sub-soil compaction, greater susceptibility of sandy soils, deep ripping/cultivation, crop responses, a South Australian case study, re-compaction, CTF - its costs and benefits, improvement in soil properties,
machinery configurationA visit to two farms in the Mid North and to the Hart field day site (all day trip bus leaves Roseworthy at 9 AM); not assessed 10 Precision agriculture: improvement in crop and weed management: common
constraints to yields, spatial variability in yield, approaches to PA, map
based and real time sensors, use of PA for diagnosing constraints, on-farm
trials, weed-seeker technologyEstimating crop yield - Yield Prophet and direct
estimation by sampling; spring farm tour; run your management scenarios (e.g. sowing time, seed rate, wheat variety, N rate and/or timing)11 1. Herbicide Mode of Action and use
2. Herbicide behaviour in plants and the environmentPractical on RIM: explore the impact of weed
management tactics on ryegrass populations12 1. Herbicide use risk – Off target movement and soil residue impacts
2. Herbicide use risk - Herbicide ResistancePractical examination – 10% -
Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
Due to the current COVID-19 situation modified arrangements have been made to assessments to facilitate remote learning and teaching.Assessment Task Task Type Due Weighting Learning Outcome Small group research project - spatial variability and Yield Prophet (group Report) Summative Week 4
5% 1,2,4,5,6 Small group research project - spatial variability and Yield Prophet (individual Report) Summative Week 9 10% 1,2,4,5,6 Practical - herbicide behaviour Summative Week 6 15% 1-6 Practical - grazing value of winter wheat Summative Week 7 10% 1-6 Final Practical Examination Summative Week 12 10% 1-6 Quizzes after each lecture Block Formative and Summative After each Lecture block 20% 1,2,4,5,6 Exam Summative Exam Period 30% 1-6 Assessment Detail
Practical - spatial variability and Yield Prophet (group report) (5%)
Practical - spatial variability and Yield Prophet (individual report) (10%)
Practical - herbicide behaviour (15%)
Practical - grazing value of winter wheat (10%)
Practical Examination (10%)
Quizzes after each Lecture Block (20%)
Quizzes after each Lecture Block will demonstrate the student's understanding of the the online delivery of lectures.
Final Exam (30%)
Will be deliered online through MyUniSubmission
Assignments should be submitted with a cover sheet available from MyUni. Feedback will be provided within two weeks after the submission date.
Late submission of assessments
If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply. A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days or more late without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the mark.Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through .
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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Student Support
- Academic Integrity for Students
- Academic Support with Maths
- Academic Support with writing and study skills
- Careers Services
- Library Services for Students
- LinkedIn Learning
- Student Life Counselling Support - Personal counselling for issues affecting study
- Students with a Disability - Alternative academic arrangements
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Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
- Academic Credit Arrangements Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progress by Coursework Students Policy
- Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy
- Copyright Compliance Policy
- Coursework Academic Programs Policy
- Intellectual Property Policy
- IT Acceptable Use and Security Policy
- Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy
- Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching & Assessment for Students with a Disability Policy
- Student Experience of Learning and Teaching Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Process
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Fraud Awareness
Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.
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