Overview
In this unit, you will be introduced to the foundations of plant science including introductory plant physiology (structure and function), and taxonomy related to agricultural cropping. You will investigate a range of crop production systems including dry-land, irrigated, intensive vegetable cropping, broad acre grain and fibre cropping, horticulture and orchard cropping. You will develop knowledge of crop nutrition, crop protection, agri-tech, environment impacts and legislation relevant to cropping, which will provide you with the foundations from which you will extend your learning in future units in this course.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Self reflection.
Feedback on assessments needs to engage the student so it is useful for future improvement.
Students will be requested to provide information on how they would like to receive feedback. Where possible these requests will be met to improve student learning.
Feedback from In class.
Face to face and online tutorial sessions were extremely helpful.
Face to face sessions will continue including a range of practical demonstrations and activities.
- Explain the fundamentals of plant science including plant physiology (structure and function), and taxonomy related to agricultural cropping
- Identify key technologies that improve the productivity and environmental sustainability of cropping
- Develop a crop management plan for a crop production system
- Critique and explain the environmental and legislation requirements of crop management systems.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | ||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 30% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 30% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 30% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
Additional Textbook Information
A computer or laptop with Microsoft or similar programs and access to the internet is required to facilitate engagement in tutorial activities during class time.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Camera and microphone for attending Zoom tutorials
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
t.trotter@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Plant Morphology
Chapter
There is no prescribed text book for this unit. Readings and additional material will be provided each week on the Moodle site and in the eReading list.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Plant Physiology
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Plant Development
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz 1 Open: Week 3, Wednesday (24 July, 2024) 5:00 am AEST. Close: Week 4 Tuesday (30 July, 2024) 5:00 pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Taxonomy
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Crop Production Systems
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Agronomic Practices
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz 2 Open: Week 6, Wednesday (21 August, 2024)5:00 am AEST. Close: Week 7 Tuesday (27 August, 2024) 5:00 pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Residential School
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Nutrition
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Crop Protection
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Agri-Tech
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Environmental Impacts and Legislation
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Biosecurity, Harvest and Post-Harvest
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Online Quiz(zes)
Quiz 1 (15%) will assess your understanding of content delivered during lectures and tutorials in Weeks 1 to 3. The quiz will consist of a variety of questions which might include short answer, multiple choice, matched pairs and calculations.
Quiz 2 (15%) will assess your understanding of content delivered during lectures and tutorials in Weeks 4 to 6. The quiz will consist of a variety of questions which might include short answer, multiple choice, matched pairs and calculations.
2
Other
Opens: Week 3 Wednesday (24 Jul. 2024) 5:00 am AEST. Closed: Week 4 Tuesday (30 Jul. 2024) 5:00 pm AEST. Week 6 Wednesday (21 Aug. 2024) 5:00 am AEST. Closed: Week 7 Tuesday (27 Aug. 2024) 5:00 pm AEST.
Results returned when the quiz is closed.
The quiz will consist of a variety of questions which might include short answer, multiple choice, matched pairs and calculations. The responses to these questions will be assessed according to their completeness and correctness.
- Explain the fundamentals of plant science including plant physiology (structure and function), and taxonomy related to agricultural cropping
- Identify key technologies that improve the productivity and environmental sustainability of cropping
- Critique and explain the environmental and legislation requirements of crop management systems.
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
2 Portfolio
This assessment task requires you to undertake practical activities and a field trip on the compulsory two day residential school. You will write up your findings in a practical book template which can be found on the Moodle site. You will receive instructions and guidance during the residential school which will help you to undertake the practical tasks. You will collate data and evidence and complete the worksheets in the practical book template.
You will also undertake a field trip where you will visit a property and will be required to record a short (60 - 90 second) TikTok style video, that identifies a key technology or practice that could be used on the farm to improve productivity or environmental sustainability of the cropping system. A guideline for the required content will be shared on the Moodle site and explained in detail on day one of the residential school. Time will be given in the field to make the recording on day two of the residential school.
Both the practical book (20%) and video (10%) will be submitted online after the residential school.
Week 8 Friday (6 Sept 2024) 5:00 pm AEST
Week 10 Friday (20 Sept 2024)
- Presentation of data in appropriate diagrams, tables, graphs and statistical formats.
- Detail, accuracy and quality of answers, results and discussion.
- Content of video including a demonstrated understanding of the production system and identification of an appropriate technology or practice.
- Quality, innovation and practicality of the chosen technology or practice highlighted in the video.
- The clarity of English expression, spelling and grammar.
- Presentation skills, language used and professionalism of video recording.
- Explain the fundamentals of plant science including plant physiology (structure and function), and taxonomy related to agricultural cropping
- Identify key technologies that improve the productivity and environmental sustainability of cropping
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
3 Written Assessment
This assessment requires you develop an agronomic grower guide which would be suitable for distribution to crop producers. The agronomic grower guide should be of a quality and standard suitable for distribution from a private agronomic consultant business or government advisory department. You are required to produce the grower guide on the one crop in one region. The crop and region will be provided on the Moodle site. An agronomic grower guide is a short communication which provides summarised information on how to grow a crop in a specific region. The agronomic grower guide should present as an easy to read, instructive manual which is attractive to the reader and includes appropriate photographs and data in tables and graphs. The agronomic grower guide will include the following:
- Name of crop and growing region including a map of the growing region.
- Recommended varieties for the region identified.
- Calendar of operations from planting to harvest presented in a visual/graphic format.
- Best agronomic practices including cultivation, tillage, planting and harvest.
- Nutrition and fertiliser requirement for the crop and application recommendations.
- Crop protection - including one weed, one pest and one disease with recommendations for management.
- Post-harvest cleaning, grading and storage practices.
- Environmental and legislative considerations.
The agronomic growers note will be a maximum of 5 pages excluding references and appendices.
Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024) 5:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (18 Oct 2024)
The agronomic grower guide will be assessed on:
- Content detail, accuracy and quality of the information outlined in the task description.
- Presentation of information, images and data in appropriate figures, tables and graphs.
- The clarity of English expression, spelling and grammar.
- The appropriate use of references.
- Page length.
- Identify key technologies that improve the productivity and environmental sustainability of cropping
- Develop a crop management plan for a crop production system
- Critique and explain the environmental and legislation requirements of crop management systems.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
