There are 9 lessons in this course:
- Introduction
- Identify different nut crop varieties
- The Most Commonly Grown Varieties
- Compare the culture of different commonly grown varieties of nuts.
- Culture of Nuts
- Determine the cultivation practices appropriate to a range of different nut crops.
- Planting, staking, mulching, watering, pest & disease, feeding, pruning, protection from wind, salt, air, etc.
- Less Common Nuts
- Describe the culture of different less commonly grown varieties of nuts
- Propagation
- Determine how to propagate a range of different nut plants.
- Harvest & Post-harvest of Nuts.
- Determine appropriate techniques for harvesting a nut crop.
- Specify an appropriate post-harvest treatment for a nut crop.
- Marketing Nuts
- Develop marketing strategies for nuts.
- Workplace Health and Safety
- Identify risk issues specific to the nut production industry.
- Plus - Special Assignment - On one selected nut group or variety.
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
- Distinguish between common and scientific perceptions of the term nut.
- Compare the botanical characteristics of the fruits from five different nut genera.
- Describe the botanical classification of twenty different species of nut plants, including where appropriate, botanical interrelationships.
- Prepare a plant collection of twenty-five different nut varieties, including the following details on each plant:
- Plant names (Common and scientific)
- A photo, illustration or pressed specimen
- Cultural details
- Harvest & Post-harvest
- Uses (eg. valuable products).
- Develop a resource file of forty items of information relevant to the nut growing industry, including:
- Suppliers of nut plants
- Trade or grower associations
- Publications
- Perform simple tests on three different soils to determine:
- Soil type
- pH
- Drainage
- Water holding capacity
- Evaluate three different soils tested in 2.1 to determine nut varieties suitable for growing in each.
- Explain soil management requirements for at least ten different nut varieties, including:
- Nutrition
- Soil structure
- Physical attributes
- Explain the control of twenty different pests and diseases on ten different nut varieties.
- Develop guidelines for the culture of a specified variety of nut, in the learner's locality, including:
- Watering
- Weed control
- Soil management
- Fertilising
- Pest control
- Disease control
- Prepare a twelve month plan for cultural practices on a specified nut plantation.
- Explain different methods of propagating five different nut species, including:
- Seed
- Grafting
- Layering
- Cuttings
- Determine propagation methods for fifteen different nut species, including where applicable, rootstock variety names.
- Demonstrate how to prepare cuttings for two different nut species.
- Demonstrate three different types of grafts, suitable for propagating nut varieties.
- Determine seed germination procedures for ten different nut genera.
- Prepare a production schedule, for nursery production of a specified type of nut.
- Propagate two different nut plant varieties.
- Explain the operation of a mechanical harvester which can be used for nuts.
- Determine when to harvest four different specified nut species.
- Compare the efficiency of four different techniques for harvesting nuts.
- Describe two different storage techniques for a specified nut variety.
- Determine the optimum environmental conditions for the storage of three different nut species.
- Evaluate three different samples of nuts, which have been stored using three different techniques.
- Determine the commercial processing techniques used for five specified nut species.
- Explain post-harvest handling of a specified nut species, by a commercial plantation in a specified locality.
- Determine different ways in which nuts can be consumed.
- Compare different ways nuts are packaged for retailing, with reference to different factors including:
- Physiological impact on the nut
- Cost of packaging
- Presentation
- Explain the marketing of two different specified nut products, in your locality.
- Develop a marketing plan for one specified type of nut.
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