An adaptation strategy to climate change effects in the West African region is to implement demand-driven scientific crop improvement and seed enterprise development. Demand driven crop improvement ensures delivery of innovative crop varieties that responds to productivity challenges like biotic and abiotic stresses, as well as socio-economic demands. Special teaching and research emphasis will be given to breeding and agronomy of varieties with tolerance to major biotic and abiotic stresses and delivery of seeds and other technological inputs to crop producers in the region. The crop focus shall be commodities of economic importance within the region, as demanded by collaborating agro-industries. The proposed option has a total of 36 unit courses including 10 units of Centre courses, 12 units of compulsory and 6 units of elective option courses. Research projects thesis and internship reports carry 4 Units each. Minimum of 32 unit credits including all compulsory courses will be required for the award of the M. AgSE degree in Crop option. The course synopses are:
CRP 701: Cropping Systems (2 Units, 1st Semester)
CRP 703: Seed Production (2 Units, 1st Semester)
CRP 704: Seed Production Enterprise Analysis and Development (2 Units, 2nd Semester)
CRP 705: Crop Breeding and Biometrical Genetics (2 Units, 1st Semester)
CRP 706: Crop Biotechnologies (2 Units, 2nd Semester)
CRP 707: Research methods (2 units, 1st Semester)
Electives (maximum of 2 elective courses of 2 units each)
CRP 702: Crop Improvement, ideotyping and modelling under climate change (2 units)
CRP 709: Organic Farming (2 units, 2nd Semester)
CRP 710: Crop Protection and Productivity (2 units, 2nd Semester)
CRP 798: Internship Reports, Seminars (4 units)
CRP 799: Research Projects, Seminars and oral examinations (4 units)
Total Option Units = 36 Units
SYNOPSIS OF OPTION 1
CRP 701 Cropping Systems (2 Units)
Land tenure systems in West Africa, Soil and water conservation, Mechanized farming for various cropping systems e.g Agroforestry, Alley farming, Mixed vs sole cropping systems, Mixed farming, Zero-tillage farming (Conservation agriculture), Plantation agriculture and Organic Agriculture. Greenhouse (controlled environment) crop production, Agronomy of specific crops of importance to African food security. Crop protection, Crop nutrition. Thematic term papers and seminars on regional cropping systems of West Africa, developing resilient farming systems in West Africa etc. Tractor operation ande licencing practicals under AMS 700.
CRP 702 Crop Improvement, ideotyping and modelling under climate change (3 units)
The concept of ideotypes in crop improvement, breaking yield ceilings through ideotype breeding: examples of different crops. Ideotyping, genotyping and phenotyping. Modelling: plant architecture for varying niches, physiological modifications, functional genomics, gene targeting/mapping QTLs governing complex traits, Ideotyping softwares and platforms. Modelling envronmental influence and agronomic practices for crop improvement, Deploying ideotypes: G X E / QTL x E modelling. Thematic term papers and seminars. Practicals on crop modelling and testing ideotypes in silico using a simulation model for a wide range of future climate scenarios predicted by global climate models will be done jointly with HCC 708 in hydrology option.
CRP 703 Seed Production (2 Units)
National and regional variety release systems in West African countries; ECOWAS Harmonized seed laws, Conditions for seed production, Controlled seed multiplication, Evaluating and maintaining genetic purity during seed production; Seed Certification; Principles of seed processing, Design of seed processing plants, Seed Pre-cleaning, conditioning, grading and sizing equipment and operations, Commercial seed treatments, Seed testing, storage, packaging and branding. Hybrid seed production: Genetic basis of hybrids, Population genetic analysis in hybrid production, Hybrid purity and GMO testing. Thematic term papers and seminars on specialised seed industries like organic seed production, Seed cooperatives, Public-private partnerships (PPP), National and regional seed business incentives and other topical seed enterprise development issues etc.
CRP 704 Seed Production Enterprise Analysis and Development (2 Units)
Crop research and seed market intelligence. Seed surveys and analysis: Descriptive statistics, Business and scientific tests of hypothesis, factor analyses and prediction modelling. Seed production economics: input vs output, export and import, contract production, price control. Seed quality control, Seed value addition (hybrid/open pollinated, seed treatments etc). Marketing devices: branding and promotions, Trade associations. Commercialising innovations: Intellectual property rights, Plant Breeder’s Rights, Farmers’ Rights. Agricultural trade policies and incentives in West African countries. Term papers and seminars on Agricultural cooperatives, Public-private partnerships (PPP), National and regional seed business incentives and other topical agricultural enterprise development issues.
CRP 705 Crop Breeding Objectives and Biometrical Genetics (3 Units)
Breeding for tolerance to abiotic stresses e.g drought and other climate effects, Breeding for resistance to biotic stresses and Breeding for added nutritional value (bio-fortification). Classical breeding methods, Bi-parental progenies, North Carolina, Irandil, Diallel and partial diallel analyses. 3-way and double cross hybrids, Line x tester analysis, classification analyses. Mutagenesis in plant breeding, Polypoidy, Tissue culture and breeeding clonally propagated plants. Integrated Plant Breeding Management Systems. Term papers and seminars on priority breeding objectives of different ecological zones of West Africa and fomulating theoretical breeding models for them
CRP 706 Crop Biotechnologies (2 Units)
Plant genetic resources and gene banks, Marker assisted plant breeding, Molecular fingerprinting, In situ hybridization (FISH and GISH), Karyotype analysis. Genomics and genomics resources, Genetic engineering and transgenic technologies, GMO production. Gene pyramiding, gene silencing, TILLING, microarray, transcriptomics and proteomics. Double haploid production, Tissue Culture, Micro-propagation, TIBs. Precision and high throughput phenotyping. Practical aspects during internships at collaborating institutions. Thematic term papers and seminars on roles of GMOs in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
CRP 707 Research methods (2 units)
Hypothesis testing, Experimental designs: Completely Randomized Design (CRD), Randomized Block Design (RBD), Latin Square Design, Factorial experiments, Split plots designs, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Mean comparisons. Regression and correlation. Mixed models, confounding variables, Use of statistical package programmes.
CRP 709 Organic Farming (3 units, Electives)
Organic seed production and management: Environmental factors affecting organic seed multiplication, Pollination systems (wind, insect, human intervention), fertilization and formation of seed, Seed multiplication ( indigenous fruits, spices, ornamentals, vegetables, cereals, pulses, oil seeds, forage and pasture species) and determinants of seed quality, Production of seed for farmers and contract seed production, Organic Seed standards, legislation and certification, Seed marketing, field inspection, test for cultivar authencity, marketing, branding and distribution of organic sedes, Organic seed storage and seed quality management. Breeding methods in Organic Agriculture: Techniques and principles of organic germplasm collection, conservation and evaluation, Significance of reproductive systems in organic crops (sexual and asexual), Selection methods in breeding of organic crops, Maintenance of organic breeding stock, Role of plant breeding in pest and disease management in organic crops production, Role of environment in breeding organic crops, Multiplication and distribution of improved organic crop varieties
CRP 710 Crop Protection and Productivity (2 units, Electives)
Pests and pathogens in crop protection and productivity. Plant-nematode relations or interactions; population dynamics of nematodes; methods of nematode control in agricultural soils. Definition and categorization of insect pests; development of pest status. Economics of insect pest attack; forecasting Insect pest outbreak. Fungi diseases of national and international importance. Classification and nomenclature of plant parasitic fungi. Morphology, Biology and Ecology of fungi. Classification and properties of plant pathogenic bacteria. Growth, reproduction and genetics of plant pathogenic bacteria. Kinds of inoculum produced and dissemination. Bacteria diseases of national and international importance. The nature of viruses’ growth and reproduction. The genetics of viruses. Kinds of inoculum produced. Dissemination, Virus diseases of national and international importance. Control measures, quarantine, cultural, chemical, host plant resistance, etc.in crop protection and productivity.
Practicals:– Sampling for nematodes and nematodes extraction from soil and plant. Isolation, purification and identification of major plant pathogens (bacteria and fungi). Creation of insect museum of agricultural importance. Identification of insect body parts. Virus isolation and transmission. Virus purification. Application of molecular and plant tissue culture techniques in plant disease diagnosis.
CRP 798 Internship Reports (4 units)
CRP 799 Research Project (4 units)
