PRINCIPLES OF CROP PROTECTION
- Agricultural Sciences
- 300 level
- 2 credit units
- 99 pages
- 7 units
This course provides an understanding of crop pests and diseases, and their management and control. It covers the nature of crop pests and diseases, their economic importance, and management strategies. The course also discusses insects, weeds, rodents, nematodes, and birds as pests, as well as bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases. Students will learn about various control methods and precautionary measures for crop protection.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 156 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, practical, case study
- Practical work
- Yes
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of CRP303, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
CRP303 · Unit 1: Concept of Pests
Crop productivity in most of Africa is generally low. This is due to losses from pests and diseases. Therefore, the reduction of losses due to pests and diseases is an important element in increasing the efficiency of crop production. These losses occur from planting of the seeds through field phases of production to storage and processing.
What you should be able to do
- Identify common crop pests and diseases.
- Describe the life cycle and behavior of major pests.
- Explain the economic impact of pests and diseases on crop production.
- Implement integrated pest and disease management strategies.
- Apply appropriate control measures for specific pests and diseases.
What it prepares you for
- Agronomist
- Crop Protection Specialist
- Agricultural Extension Officer
- Farm Manager
- Plant Health Inspector
- Agriculture
- Food Production
- Horticulture
- Crop Science
- Environmental Management
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module I: Crop pests
Unit 2: Insects as pests
Understanding the complex life cycles and diverse feeding habits of various insect pests requires detailed entomological knowledge.
- Module II: Crop diseases
Unit 2: Important diseases of Crop plants
Identifying specific pathogens and understanding their interactions with host plants requires advanced knowledge of plant pathology and microbiology.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 64 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module I: Crop pests
Unit 1: Concept of crop pest · 2 hours
Define crop pests and their categories.. Discuss the importance of crop pests and conditions that promote them.. List general control measures for crop pests..
- Week 2Module I: Crop pests
Unit 2: Insects as pests · 3 hours
Discuss the damage caused by insect pests.. Name and describe insect pests of cereals, legumes, roots, and tubers.. Discuss control measures for insect pests..
- Week 3Module I: Crop pests
Unit 3: Other animal agricultural pests · 2 hours
Discuss damages caused by rodents, nematodes, and birds to agricultural products.. Discuss control measures for rodents, nematodes, and birds..
- Week 4Module I: Crop pests
Unit 4: Weeds as pests · 2 hours
Define weeds and discuss their effects on crop production.. Discuss the principles and methods of weed management.. Identify important herbicides in weed control..
- Week 5Module I: Crop pests
Unit 5: Pests of stored products · 2 hours
List categories of storage pests and discuss damages caused by them.. Identify storage pests of common Nigerian crops.. Discuss precautionary measures for controlling pests in stored products..
- Week 6Module II: Crop diseases
Unit 1: Concept of crop diseases · 3 hours
Define crop diseases and list their causes.. Discuss damages caused by diseases and their categorization.. Describe general symptoms and diagnosis of plant diseases.. Discuss general control methods for plant diseases..
- Week 7Module II: Crop diseases
Unit 2: Important diseases of Crop plants · 6 hours
List and describe organisms that cause plant diseases.. Describe symptoms of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and nematodes.. Name and describe diseases of important field, vegetable, and permanent crops.. Discuss control methods for crop diseases..
- Week 8Module I: Crop pests
Unit 1: Concept of crop pest · 4 hours
Review Module I: Crop Pests. Complete assignments for Module I.
Unit 2: Insects as pests · 4 hours
Review Module I: Crop Pests. Complete assignments for Module I.
- Week 9Module I: Crop pests
Unit 3: Other animal agricultural pests · 4 hours
Review Module I: Crop Pests. Complete assignments for Module I.
Unit 4: Weeds as pests · 4 hours
Review Module I: Crop Pests. Complete assignments for Module I.
- Week 10Module I: Crop pests
Unit 5: Pests of stored products · 4 hours
Review Module I: Crop Pests. Complete assignments for Module I.
- Week 11Module II: Crop diseases
Unit 1: Concept of crop diseases · 4 hours
Review Module II: Crop Diseases. Complete assignments for Module II.
Unit 2: Important diseases of Crop plants · 4 hours
Review Module II: Crop Diseases. Complete assignments for Module II.
- Week 12Module I: Crop pests
Unit 1: Concept of crop pest · 8 hours
Complete any outstanding assignments.. Prepare for final examinations..
- Week 13Module II: Crop diseases
Unit 1: Concept of crop diseases · 8 hours
Final revision and preparation for examinations.. Focus on key concepts and difficult areas..
Preparing for the exam
- Create detailed notes summarizing key pests, diseases, and their control methods from each unit.
- Develop flashcards for quick recall of scientific names, symptoms, and treatments.
- Practice identifying pests and diseases from images and descriptions in the course materials.
- Review all Tutor Marked Assignments (TMAs) and their solutions to reinforce understanding.
- Focus on understanding integrated pest management (IPM) principles and their application.
- Create concept maps linking different control methods (cultural, biological, chemical) to specific pests and diseases.
- Allocate specific study time for each module, focusing on areas of weakness identified in self-assessments.
Questions students ask about this course
What is CRP303 about?
This course provides an understanding of crop pests and diseases, and their management and control. It covers the nature of crop pests and diseases, their economic importance, and management strategies. The course also discusses insects, weeds, rodents, nematodes, and birds as pests, as well as bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases. Students will learn about various control methods and precautionary measures for crop protection.
How many units does CRP303 have?
CRP303, PRINCIPLES OF CROP PROTECTION, has 7 units across 2 modules, over 99 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is CRP303?
CRP303 carries 2 credit units, at 300 level in Agricultural Sciences.
Is CRP303 hard?
CRP303 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and case study work, and it has a practical component.
How long does CRP303 take to study?
About 156 hours of study, spread across its 7 units.
How is CRP303 assessed?
CRP303 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with CRP303?
Agronomist, Crop Protection Specialist, Agricultural Extension Officer, Farm Manager and Plant Health Inspector.