Learn to grow grain, oil and fibre crops on a broad acre farm. Over 55,000 words, in our unique study guide, developed by Agriculture experts in Australia and the UK

Agronomy can be broadly defined as the practice and study of field crops for use as human food, animal feed, fibre, oilseed production and some industrial products. Agronomy involves the biological and physical factors related to crop production, such as crop physiology, plant breeding, pest control, soil science and management, crop rotation and tillage. Agronomic practices refers to field crops such as wheat, and cotton but does not cover vegetable, fruit, forestry and flower crops.

There are 8 lessons in this course:

1. INTRODUCTION TO AGRONOMIC PRACTICES
   • Introduction
   • Crop Types
   • Plant structure and Function
   • Transpiration rate
   • Selection Criteria for Plants
   • Understanding monoculture
   • Row Crops
   • Cover Crops
   • Crop Operations
   • Planter types
2. CULTURE - WHAT INFLUENCES CROP GROWTH
   • Soils
   • Problems with soils
   • Loss of soil problems
   • Erosion
   • Salinity
   • Soil sodicity
   • Soil acidity and alkalinity
   • Improving soils
   • Cultivation techniques
   • Plant nutrition
   • Nutrient deficiencies
   • Organic fertilisers
   • Soil life
   • Insect Pests
   • Diseases
3. CROP HUSBANDRY PRACTICES
   • Operations
   • Identifying weeds
   • Ways to control weeds
   • Spraying
   • Irrigation
   • Chemical crop protection
   • Preparing plant pathogens for microscopic observation
   • Culturing Pathogens
   • Natural pest and disease control
   • Physical controls
   • Organic sprays and dusts
4. SEED AND SEED MANAGEMENT
   • Seed storage
   • Types of seed storage
   • Seed vigour testing
   • Dormancy factors affecting germination
   • Germination treatments
   • Types of media
   • Media derived from rock or stone
   • Media derived from synthetic materials
   • Organic media
   • Diseases
   • Salinty build up
5. ARABLE CEREAL CROPS
   • Cereal crops
   • Zadock scale
   • Wheat
   • Barley
   • Oats
   • Triticale
   • Sorghum
   • Maize
   • Rice
   • Millet
   • Sugar cane
   • Ryegrass
   • Hay and Silage
   • Quality control
   • Storage and handling
   • Hydroponic fodder
6. ARABLE BROADLEAF CROPS
   • Characteristics of broadleaf crops
   • Oil crops
   • Chickpeas
   • Narrow-leafed lupins
   • Canola
   • Faba beans
   • Cover crops
   • Common legumes
7. HARVESTING
   • Crop preparation for harvest
   • Crop harvest equipment
   • Forage harvesting equipment
   • Cereal harvesting equipment
   • Root crop harvesting equipment
   • Grain storage
   • Contract harvesting
8. CROP MANAGEMENT - SPECIAL PROJECT
   • Crop management from planting to post harvest handling

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.

Aims

• Develop your understanding and confidently describe the nature and scope of agronomic practices within your country and others.
• Discuss what is grown, where it is grown and the diversity of practices used to grow a wide range of crops.
• Learn how to identify factors that affect the success of a crop; including soil condition, climate factors and biological influences such as pests and diseases.
• Clearly desribe significant practices used by farmers in the growing of an agronomic crop; including the management of soils, water, cultivations and crop protection.
• Explain how to achieve successful seed germination for different agronomic crops under different conditions in the field.
• Discuss practices used to farm cereals for harvest and sale as cash crops.
• Discuss practices used to farm broadleaf crops for harvest and sale as cash crops.
• Understand the use of different harvesting equipment and techniques including post harvest handling for a range of different crops.
• Demonstrate your knowledge by producing a management plan for a crop from planting to post harvest handling.

What you will do

• Go to your local department of primary industries (or equivalent), collect cropping guides on crops grown locally in your area. Ensure your information includes broadleaf, legume and grass (cereal crops). Collect fodder crop information also and find out what the main fodder crops are in your area.
• Obtain pictures of the seed and mid season crop and mature crop. Become familiar with agronomic terms and start a glossary, use library, text and internet searches to complete this task.
• Having looked at what crops are grown in your region, now look at the soil types. What type of soil is common to your region? What are the main features to these soils. That is, what colour is the soil, what texture is it, does it have a high sand or clay content, does the soil drain well, or waterlog? How did this soil form? Write these down as a reference.
• Collect photos of the various planting, cultivating and harvesting equipment used in your country and write brief notes on when and where you would use which machine and for which crop. Do this for a maximum of 5 pieces of equipment.
• Collect samples of your own seed (for 4 different crops), from a local farmer or produce store.
  • Perform your own germination test using the cotton wool method.
  • Take photos on day 2, and the final day.
  • Record the number of seed germinating per day, and then the total number on the final day.
• Develop a management plan for a crop from planting through to post harvest handling.