Programme Overview

This programme aims to give graduates in various areas of Crop Science and related fields an opportunity to broaden their knowledge in Crop Science. Emphasis will be placed on the scientific aspects of Crop Production, Crop Improvement and Crop Protection that are relevant to agriculture.

On completion of this programme, graduates will be able to:

1. Develop an understanding of the disciplines related to crop production, protection or improvement; make them familiar with chemical, biological, and physical principles that relate to crop plants and their environment. Develop their skills to apply the principles related to crops, soils, and environment to solve crop production, improvement and protection problems.

Develop their leadership, communication, and technical skills in crop sciences.

1. Manage agricultural enterprises and develop entrepreneurship skills to create employment and improve the economy of the country.

 

Entry Requirements

To be eligible in the programme, a candidate must normally be a holder of at least a good first degree in Agronomy, Crop Science or Horticulture or related fields from a recognised University. 

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Employability: After completing the programme, graduates should be able to:

• Teach at universities and colleges.
• Work as agronomists, crop protectionists, plant breeders and horticulturalists.
• Work as researchers in public and private institutions.
• Work as consultants.
• Create their own business ventures.
• Work in NGOs,
• National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) and International, Researchers, Consultants

Further Studies: Doctoral studies in Agronomy, Plant Breeding and other related programmes.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The following structure would allow candidates to major in Crop Production or Crop   Improvement.

 

Level 1 Semester 1

CROP PRODUCTION OPTION

Code Module Description                 Credits

MCS702 Advanced Crop Physiology 24

MCS703 Advanced Crop Protection 24

MCS708 Agroclimatology and Environmental Issues 24

 

Electives (Choose one)

MCS722 Integrated Agricultural Systems & Rural Development 24

MCS723 Crop Simulation Modelling 24

 

Level 1 Semester 2

Core Modules:

MCS701 Advanced Experimental Design and Analysis 24

MCS705 Advanced Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition 24

MCS706 Advanced Soil Plant Water Relations 24

 

ELECTIVES: Choose any one from

MCS704 Entrepreneurship and Agribusiness Management 24

MCS707 Advanced Horticultural Technologies 24

MCS709 Advanced Seed Biology and Technology 24

MCS724 Practical Applications of Climate Smart Agriculture 24

 

CROP IMPROVEMENT OPTION

Core Modules:

Level 1

MCS702 Advanced Crop Physiology 24

MCS709 Advanced Seed Biology and Technology 24

MCS711 Quantitative Genetics in plant breeding 24

MCS701 Advanced Experimental Design and Analysis 24

MCS712 Population Genetics in plant breeding 24

MCS 714 Plant Biotechnology 24

MCS715 Plant Genetic Resources Conservation 24

MCS721 Plant Breeding for Stress & Nutritional Quality 24

Level 2 Semester 1 and 2; Semester 3 level 1

MCS 870 Dissertation 192

 

MODULE SYNOPSIS

MCS 701 Advanced Experimental Designs and Analysis

Methods of research and experimentation in Crop Science and Production. Data Collection and Organisation. Experimental designs and data analysis in crop production. Regression models and analysis. Intensive practicals on use of statistical software for data processing. Principle component analysis. Survey Methodology and Scientific Communication.

MCS 702 Advanced Crop Physiology

Effects of environmental factors (temperature, photoperiod, rainfall, etc.) on crop growth and development. Adaptation of crop plants to stress factors. Analysis of growth and development. Maximisation of crop yield through optimisation of photosynthetic potential: C3, C4and CAM plants. Photosynthate partitioning in relation to yield, modification of yield potential by chemical and cultural means. Phytohormones and plant, growth regulators in crop production. Physiological role of mineral nutrition. Crop geometry and competition. Photosynthesis, phototropism and photo-morphogenesis; and their relationship with photo-synthetically active radiation (PAR). Artificial lighting and light quality for crop production.

MCS 703 Advanced Crop Protection

Cultural, physical, chemical, biological, host-plant resistance, genetic and biotechnological methods of pest, disease, nematode & weed control. Environmental aspects of chemical control of pests; Economics pest control, Pest scouting; Integrated Pest Management. Applications of molecular methods in crop protection.

MCS704 Entrepreneurship and Agribusiness Management

Role of entrepreneurship in agricultural development and the economy. Theories of entrepreneurship. Processes of establishing a business. Sources of funding. Feasibility studies. Planning production and marketing of enterprise. Entrepreneurship and public policy. Characteristics, nature and problems of small agricultural ventures. Advantages and disadvantages of big versus small enterprises management techniques. The agri-business finance function; financial statements. Financial analysis; financial control; cash budgeting; capital budgeting; credit management; financial planning and management; short–term financing; long term financing; capital markets. Mergers and acquisitions.

MCS705 Advanced Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition

General concepts of soil fertility; Factors affecting soil fertility; soil reactions. Essential plant nutrients: forms, functions, deficiency symptoms, transformations; Techniques of evaluating soil fertility: deficiency symptoms, yield responses, plant tissue analyses; Approaches to managing and maintaining soil fertility: cropping systems, organic fertilizers, organic matter decomposition and theories of humus formation, organic fertilizer sources, soil amendments, fertilizers-types, manufacturing, formulation, methods of application and management; Fertilizer recommendations for crops; Biological management of soil fertility and rhizosphere effect. Fertilizer pollution,

MCS706 Advanced Soil Plant Water Relations

Concepts of water potential and movement in soil – plant – atmosphere continuum; water and nutrient uptake by plant roots; water budgets; effects and measurement of water in soil and plants, research techniques in studies on soil plant water relations and their applications. Irrigation planning and design; management of  irrigation water; control and management of salts in irrigation; agronomic and socio-economic factors in irrigation management; evaluating irrigation systems; use of industrial and urban effluent for irrigation; selected irrigation problems with special reference to Zimbabwe.

MCS707 Advanced Horticultural Technologies

Greenhouse and other types of structures for protected agriculture. Production under protected structures permanently or for crop season extension. Greenhouses designs and their operation: permanent or retractable structures. Plastic and net-houses. Hydroponics production. Plasticulture: low tunnels, walk-in tunnels and plastic mulches. Hydroponic media and hydroponic production systems. Nutrient film and other techniques. Plant culture in hydroponics. Fertigation techniques in protected agriculture: pH, EC, macronutrient and micronutrient optimization. Postharvest handling of fresh produce, and their processing. Pollinating agents in greenhouses. Transplant production in protective structures. Bio-control of pests in greenhouses.

MCS708 Agro-Climatology and Environmental Issues

Definition and concepts of agro-climatology. Economic significance and importance of weather; Introduction to agro-meteorology: greenhouse effect, energy budgets; Atmospheric moisture and precipitation; weather teleconnections, Global climatic change and variability and agriculture, vulnerability, adaptation and mitigation. International conventions on climate Weather patterns over Zimbabwe. Extreme weather events and management. Use of weather data for irrigation scheduling. Weather effects on pest and disease incidence. Crop weather modelling. Environmental impact assessment, agricultural pollution.

MCS709 Advanced Seed Biology and Technology

Principles of seed production, seed processing, quality control and storage. Seed treatment (protection) and seed physiological enhancement. Seed development, maturation, dormancy and germination. Seed anatomy and germination physiology. Seed composition. Environmental and endogenous factors affecting dormancy and germination. Primary and secondary dormancy. The harvesting processes, seed cleaning, conditioning, testing, seed certification and quality control. Seed vigour test methods. Viability test methods. Seed health testing and seed borne diseases. Factors affecting seed demand and demand forecasting, marketing and distribution. Formal and informal seed production systems, seed industry development, varietal registration and plant breeder’s rights. Seed Regulations and the Zimbabwe Seed Certification Notice, Site selection and isolation standards, Inspections.

 

MCS710 Advanced Plant Breeding and Genetics

Goals of plant breeding. Plant breeding organizations in Zimbabwe. International breeding organisations Patterns of evolution in crop plants. Hybridization, mutation in crop improvement. Ideotype concept in crop improvement. Breeding for quality. Breeding for abiotic and biotic stresses. Varietal development, Varietal adaptation and model, application of Biotechnology to conventional breeding, Future of plant breeding

 

MCS711 Quantitative Genetics in Plant Breeding

Mating systems, mating designs, genotype X environmental interaction, Inbreeding depression and heterosis, genetic variance, heritability, biometrical techniques in plant breeding, assessment of variability, aids to selection; quantitative trait loci analysis in plant breeding, choice of parents and breeding procedures, varietal adaptation

 

MCS712 Population Genetics in Plant Breeding

Introduction to Population Genetics; Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium Genetic Variation Linkage Disequilibrium, Population Subdivision, Inbreeding, and Gene Flow The binomial coefficient and binomial equation. Application of binomial equation to HWE, LD, and drift. The Poisson distribution and the impact of variance in reproductive success and the effective population size. Gene Flow and Population differentiation, fitness, migration, founder effect, mutation, selection theory, breeding values, linkage relationships. Theory of selection, testers and combining ability

 

MCS714 Molecular Plant Breeding

Students will learn the application of the latest and emergent biotechnology options in crop improvement such as application of molecular markers in plant breeding, and principles of genetic engineering and modification, molecular tools for seed quality assessment such as genetic finger printing. It will also cover bioinformatics for crop improvement and production.

MCS715 Plant Genetic Resources Conservation

Centres of origins, domestication and plant introduction. Importance of germplasm conservation. Germplasm conservation organisations, role of national, regional and international bodies in germplasm conservation. Selection, collection and conservation of germplasm including in-situ, ex-situ and invitro conservation. Maintenance of germplasm.

MCS 720 Plant Breeding for stress & nutritional Quality

The module will have an in-depth concepts and procedures for breeding for abiotic stress, biotic stress and nutritional quality. The student should be able to Initiate a breeding programme; and – Formulate strategies for stress and quality breeding in selected crops.

MCS 721 Statistical Analysis for Plant Breeders

Students will learn methods of research and experimentation in plant breeding. Data Collection and Organisation. Experimental designs and data analysis in plant breeding. Regression models and analysis. Stability analysis models, augmented designs and incomplete designs. Principle component and cluster analysis.  Intensive practicals on use of statistical software for managing plant breeding programme and data processing. Scientific Communication.

MCS722 Integrated Agricultural Systems and Rural Development

Students will learn concepts of various agricultural systems integrating cropping production systems i.e intensive, semi-intensive, semi-extensive, extensive, shifting cultivation, livestock production, agroforestry systems, organic farming, conservation farming and agroecological farming practices for sustainable agricultural development. Analysis of case studies on sustainable development initiatives at local, national, regional and international level will be done. 

MCS723 Crop Simulation Modelling

Students will learn the practical method for integrating the effects of soil, weather, management and genetic factors for sustainable crop production, using crop simulation models. They will analyse biological and environmental aspects of crop production using these models, evaluate the results/outputs of the models and use them for making management decisions. Selected growth and crop systems models (e.g. APSIM, DSSAT; FAO Aqua Crop) will be used.  Laptops and data sets of soil, crop and weather are essential for execution of this module.

MCS724 Practical Applications of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)

Students will acquire practical knowledge and skills needed to inform interventions and innovations to address challenges of climate change and food insecurity. Topics covered include:  Climate change and Agriculture (Contribution of Agriculture to GHG emissions; climate change adaptation and resilience; climate change and agrobiodiversity) and Definition and importance of CSA. CSA practices and technologies to mitigate, adapt and become resilient to climate change; Application of GIS in CSA.  CSA applications apply to crop production, water management, soil and land management.

MCS 870 Dissertation

The dissertation provides an opportunity for the students to undertake and contribute to a piece of original research work, in an area related to crop science. The students are required to design an experiment (or investigation, survey or other means) to test a hypothesis or proposition, to plan and execute the research work, to evaluate the outcomes and draw valid conclusions. The research work is carried out individually, under guided supervision.