AGRO 410W TOPIC OUTLINE (Spring 2001)

Required Text: No single book offers the combination of breath and depth of topics required for AGRO 410W. Consequently, chapters, figures and tables from several sources have been collated into a "Text Packet" (hereafter called the Text) available from the Penn State Book Store (HUB).

Optional Writing Manual: Style for Students : Effective Writing in Science and Engineering, by J. Schall, Burgess Intl. Group, Inc. 1995.

Theme & Topics(Session) Dates Month

(1) 13 Jan.

Introduction

Topics: Discussion of course objectives, policies, and procedures. Overview of Crop Science.

(2-3) 15, 17 Jan.

Global Radiation, Microclimate, and Plant Energy Exchange

Topics: Electromagnetic radiation; Solar spectrum; Solar constant; Wein's law; Visible vs. Thermal radiation; Canopy reflection, absorption, transmission; Quantum, radiometric, photometric irradiance; Cosine law; Terminology and units of measurement.

Readings: Text Chapter 1; "Solar Radiation in Vegetative Canopies" p. 25-27 in the Laboratory Manual; Introduction and terminology in Lab Experiment #1.

(4-6) 20, 22, 24 Jan.

Photosynthesis

Topics: Photochemical, biochemical, and CO2 diffusion processes; Photosynthesis vs. irradiance; C-3, C-4 and CAM carbon metabolism; Introduction to photorespiration; Species variation; Carbon cycle.

Readings: Text Chapter 2; Introduction to Lab exercise #5.

(7-8) 27, 29 Jan.

Respiration

Topics: Dark respiration and Photorespiration; Alternative respiration; Growth and maintenance respiration concepts; Energy conservation; Canopy responses.

Readings: Text Chapter 3.

(9-11) 31 Jan., 3, 5 Feb.

Radiation Interception and Carbon Fixation by Crop Canopies

Topics: Leaf area index (LAI), Leaf angle; Canopy light interception - Beer's law; Critical and optimum LAI; Canopy architecture; Plant density; Photosynthetic efficiency; Maximum crop productivity.

Readings: Text Chapter 4; Text p. 38-40.

(12-14) 7, 10, 12 Feb.

Photosynthate Transport and Dry Matter Partitioning

Topics: Phloem loading and unloading; Phloem long distance transport; Competitive growth and storage sites; Yield components: Harvest index; Remobilization of plant reserves; Source-sink balance.

Readings: Text Chapter 5.

Midterm Exam I(15) 14 Feb.

(16-20) 17, 19, 21, 24, 26 Feb.

Water Relations

Topics: Water potential; Plant available water: Evapotranspiration (ET); Advection; Water stress and plant growth; Osmotic adjustment; Water use efficiency, Infrared thermometry; Stomatal regulation.

Readings: Text Chapter 6; Lab exercise #4.

(21-24) 28 Feb. 3, 5, 7 Mar.

Crop Water Budgets and Irrigation Scheduling

Topics: Crop water requirements; Water budgets; Crop water stress indices; Evapotranspiration (ET) prediction and control.

Readings: Text Chapter 7, Lab exercise #4

10-14 Mar.

SPRING BREAK

(25-28) 17, 19, 21, 24 Mar.

Dynamics of Crop Growth

Topics: Canopy growth analysis; Biomass dynamics.

Readings: Text Chapter 8; Lab exercise #3.

(29-32) 26, 28, 31 Mar., 2 Apr.

Plant Root Systems

Topics: Root system function; Root architecture; Energy costs of roots.

Readings: Text Chapter 9.

(33) 4 Mar.

Midterm Exam II

(34-36) 7, 9, 11 Apr.

Plant Nitrogen Metabolism; Symbiotic and Nonsymbiotic N Fixation

Topics: N-cycle; N uptake and translocation; N assimilation; Dinitrogen fixation; Nodulation; Energy requirements; Carbon-nitrogen dynamics; Genotypic and management factors.

Readings: Text Chapter 10; Lab exercise #7.

(37-40) 14, 16, 18, 21 Apr.

Vegetative Growth

Topics: Crop Phenology; Regulation of plant shape and form; Plastochron index; Carbohydrate partitioning; Regrowth dynamics.

Readings: Text Chapter 11.

(41-44) 23, 25, 28, 30 Apr.

Flowering and Fruiting

Topics: Photoperiodism; Floral induction, initiation, and development; Seed set; Grain fill; Seed maturation and dry down.

Readings: Text Chapter 12.

(45) 2 May

Review for Comprehensive Final Exam


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This document was last modified on June 27, 2000.