Master of Science degree in Horticulture Sciences (MHORT)
Programme Overview
- Develop an understanding of the disciplines related to Horticulture Sciences; 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, and protection problems.
- Develop their leadership, communication, and technical skills in crop sciences.
- 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 a good first degree in Agronomy, Horticulture or Crop Science or related fields from a recognised University.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Employability: Research and Academia: Research Scientist, Professor/Lecturer, Postdoctoral Researcher, Agronomist, Crop consultant, Policy Analyst, Extension specialist
Further Studies: Doctoral studies in plant breeding, genetics, agronomy, plant pathology, soil science, and sustainable agriculture.
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
MODULES
Level 1 Semester 1
MHORT 701 Advanced Research Methods and Scientific Communication 24
MCS 702 Advanced Crop Physiology 24
MHORT 703 Advanced Vegetable and Fruit Production 24
Optionals (choose 1)
MHORT 704 Horticulture Business, Trade and Logistics 24
MHORT 705 Herbs, Spices and Traditional Vegetables 24
Level 1 Semester 2
MHORT 706 Advanced Crop Protection 24
MHORT 707 Postharvest Physiology, Processing and Value Addition 24
Optionals (Choose 2)
MHORT 708 Horticulture Biotechnology 24
MHORT 709 Aquaponics, Greenhouse and Irrigation Technology 24
MHORT 710 Genetics, Seed Production and Breeding of Horticultural Crops 24
MHORT 711 Viticulture and Oenology 24
Level 2 Semester 1 and 2 and level 3 semester 1
MHORT 870 Dissertation 192
MODULE SYNOPSIS
MHORT 701 Advanced Research Methods and Scientific Communication
Students will learn methods of conducting research in horticulture and related crop science disciplines. The module will help students understand statistical principles, designs of experiments and surveys in agriculture. Experimental design principles, randomisation, replication, error control. Simple designs, randomised designs, randomised complete block designs, factorial designs, split plot designs, Latin square designs, incomplete block designs. Survey methodologies, questionnaire design and sampling methods (random, stratified, purposive sampling), data analysis. Proper techniques of writing a scientific publication. Data analysis techniques and soft wares.
MCS 702 Advanced Crop Physiology
The module will cover the following; 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, and 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.
MHORT 703 Advanced Vegetable and Fruit Production
Students will learn the following; Global production and consumption of vegetables. Physiology and biochemistry of vegetable and fruit tree production. Controlled environment and outdoor production. Soil and soilless culture. Nutrient requirement and fertility management. Global Good Agricultural Practices (Global GAP).
MHORT 704 Horticulture Business, Trade and Logistics
The module will introduce students to concepts of running horticultural business at the local and international levels. The module will introduce students to concepts of horticulture product distribution, methods of transportation and traffic management. Supply chain strategies, global transportation, warehouse management, international logistics, and horticulture product handling. Students will study packaging, palletisation, transportation, refrigeration of horticulture products. Students will also familiarise with international rules, regulations and requirements for importing and exporting horticulture products. International trade regulations and phytosanitary considerations in agricultural trade, technical trade barriers, world trade organisation (WTO), Doha agreement. National plant protection organisations, codex standards, industry standards.
MHORT 705 Herbs, Spices and Traditional Vegetables
The module will cover; an introduction to herbs, spices and indigenous vegetables and their contribution to food and income security. Case studies of utilisation of herbs, spices and indigenous vegetables [Tiens, Herbalife, Forever Living, Robertsons Spices, etc]. Propagation of herbs, spices and indigenous vegetables. Utilisation and value addition of herbs, spices and indigenous vegetables. Growing herbs and spices in controlled environments and hydroponic cultures. Postharvest handling of spices, herbs and indigenous vegetables (drying, grinding, packaging, preservation and value addition). Marketing of herbs, spices and indigenous vegetables.
MCS 703 Advanced Crop Protection
Students will learn 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.
MHORT 707 Postharvest Physiology, Processing and Value Addition
The module will cover principles and practices of harvesting, handling, grading, packaging and marketing horticultural produce and food crops. Preservation methods and drying. Pre-cooling, controlled and modified atmosphere storage, mechanical refrigeration, construction of cold rooms. Packaging and product innovation. Issues to do with package designs, functions of packaging, packaging materials and controlled atmosphere packaging. Fruit, vegetable and flower packaging. Physiology of freshly harvested produce. Postharvest diseases and pests of horticultural products. Technology for handling harvested produce.
MHORT 708 Horticulture Biotechnology
This module will cover; social and ethical issues in biotechnology. Policy issues around biotechnology. Use of modern biotechniques to improve quality of horticulture plants and products. In this module students will be exposed to techniques such as tissue culture, genetic engineering, molecular diagnostic techniques, molecular markers and the development of beneficial microbes. Identification and introduction of genes for resistance to diseases and pests, as well as improvement of quality (eg transgenic tomato with reduced pectin methyl esterase). Case studies of genetic biotechniques. Techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, gene amplification.
MHORT 709 Aquaponics, Greenhouse and Irrigation Technology
The module will expose students to understand production of crops in soilless cultures and controlled environments. Students will study principles of controlled environment, hydroponic production systems, greenhouse design and construction, greenhouse materials, irrigation systems in greenhouses, planting mediums used in greenhouses, the physiology of plants grown in controlled environments, planting mechanisms and trellising systems in greenhouses. The module also exposes students to irrigation methods used in greenhouses and the practical design and construction of the irrigation. Water quality and greenhouse irrigation application and scheduling.
MHORT 710 Genetics, Seed Production and Breeding of Horticultural Crops
Learners will appreciate genetics, breeding and seed production of horticultural crops. Seed production and technology. Harvesting, drying of processing of vegetables, ornamentals and fruit trees. Routing and advanced methods of seed testing. Seed certification and legislation. Breeding for disease tolerance and pest resistance. Breeding rights and regulations. Procedures for variety selection. Breeding vegetatively propagated plants (controlled crosses between clones, gene introgression and marker assisted selection). Conventional and novel methods of fruit breeding (in vitro protoplast culture, pollen culture, somatic embryogenesis). Selection and maintenance of scions. Problems in fruit breeding (juvenility and precocious flowering). Seed production of ornamental crops. Students to appreciate the global horticultural seed industry.
MHORT 711 Viticulture and Oenology
The module will cover basic grape morphology and production directions. Wine grape cultivars. An introduction to the composition of grapes, must and wine, as well as micro-organisms in winemaking. The fundamentals of alcoholic fermentation, cellar equipment and production methods. An introduction to wine styles and wine evaluation. Fining and clarification of wine: fining trials, filtration of wine. Bottling principles. Wine faults. Blending of wines and evaluation.