SYNOPSIS OF DEPARTMENTAL COURSES

CSP 201: GENERAL AGRICULTURE THEORY (1 UNIT)
Importance and scope of agriculture. Land and its uses with particular reference to agriculture. Introductory Crop Production Agricultural ecology of Nigeria. Agronomy of some arable crops. Land preparations. Farm tools and machinery. Basic Farm Management Techniques. Fisheries and Wildlife Production. Forest Products. General Introduction to Livestock Production and Health.

CSP 202: BASIC SOIL SCIENCE ( 2 UNITS)
Soil formation rocks and minerals, physical composition of soils, soil texture, soil structure. Soil water section, soil moisture retention curve, concept of available water, movement of water in soil, measurements of dynamic soil physical properties. Importance and characteristics of aluminosilicate clays and organic colloids, cation and anion exchange, sources of charge in soil colloids, cation exchange capacity, soil pH, exchange and reserve acidity:, principles of liming, soil organisms. Laboratory exercises.

CSP 203: CLIMATOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY (3 UNITS)
The principles, aims and scope of climatology and biogeography. The elements and controls of climate and weather and the dynamics of the earth’s atmosphere. Radiation and heating of the atmospheric systems, atmospheric moisture. The dynamics of pressure and wind systems. Condensation and precipitation processes. Seasonal variations in temperature, day length, radiation rainfall and evapotranspiration. Equipment and maintenance of standard meteorological stations. The tropical climate, relation between agriculture and climate with reference to crops, livestock, irrigation, pests and diseases.

CSP 204: BOTANY OF ECONOMIC CROPS (2 UNITS)
Plant structure and function including the cell, tissue and organs, the stem, roots, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds; photosynthesis and respiration, and translocation of materials. Plant growth and development. Plant classification. Agriculturally important plant families.

CSP 210: GENERAL AGRICULTURE PRACTICAL ( 2 UNITS)
This will involve field planting. Each student will be allocated a field plot for the planting and management of an arable crop. They will be exposed to practical work in animal production and health and fisheries.

CSP 301: AGRONOMY OF TUBER AND FIBRE CROPS ( 3 UNITS)
Origin, distribution, taxonomy, botany, ecology and methods or cultivation, harvesting, processing, storage, marketing and use of major tuber and fibre crops of Nigeria – yams, cocoyams, cassava, potatoes, ginger, cotton, sisal, hibiscus, jute etc.

CSP 304; AGRONOMY OF CEREAL AND LEGUME CROPS ( 3 UNITS)
Origin, distribution taxonomy, botany, ecology and methods of cultivation of major cereal and legume crops of Nigeria (West Africa) – maize, rice, guinea corn, wheat, millet, cowpeas, groundnuts, the various beans, Cajanus cajan, Bambara groundnuts, soyabeans, and the legume covers, Detailed study of the methods of harvesting, processing, storage and the use of the products of each crops.

CSP 305: WEED BIOLOGY (2 UNITS)
The weed concept: importance of weeds, classification of weeds, survival and persistence characteristics: reproduction and seed features; weed succession; organic, chemical and integrated agriculture; weed-crop association; competition, allelopathy; importance of weed biology; biology and identification of major tropical weeds; preparation of weed album; weed reproduction and growth studies.

CSP 306: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE ( 2 UNITS)
Principles, practices and techniques in tropical horticulture Tools, equipment and materials. Landscaping. Origin, Distribution, taxonomy, botany principles of cultivation, harvesting, processing storage, marketing and use of major fruits and leafy vegetables and ornamental plants of Nigeria.

CSP 307: INSECT MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY ( 2 UNITS)
The arthropod plan, the external structure of insects: the integument, tagmosis – the head, thorax and abdomen, the internal structure of insects: consideration of the various body system, insect growth development, insect dispause and other mechanisms of survival.



CSP 308: ENTOMOLOGY INSECT TAXONOMY AND ECOLOGY ( 2 UNITS)
Insects classification – importance of classification; various insect orders - their principal features for identification and agricultural or medical significance. Insect population dynamics including factors regulating insect abundance. Insect behaviour. Insect communication.



CSP 309: LAND/SOIL MANAGEMENT (3 UNITS)
Need for soil conservation practices. Effects of deforestation, soil problems affecting crop production, methods of land clearing, effect of bush clearing. Tillage implements, soil tillage and tillage techniques; effects of tillage methods on soil and crop. Soil structure formation and improvement, structure deformation and measures to prevent it. Maintenance and improvement of soil fertility-natural and artificial processes. Irrigation methods, drainage methods, erosion control . Application of Global positioning system (GPS) in Topographical mapping. Field trip.

CSP 310: WEED MANAGEMENT (2 UNITS)
Principles of weed management; general methods of weed control including mechanical, cultural, biological, legislative and chemical. Classification and chemistry of herbicides, their residual effects on crop plants, soil flora and fauna. Methods of herbicide use safety precautions.

CSP 311: INRODUCTORY PLANT PHYSIOLOGY ( 2 UNITS)
Principal life processes of higher plants e.g. water relation mineral absorption, translocation and utilization, photosynthesis and respiration. Agricultural and ecological significance of life processes. Pre-requisite to CSP 515.

CSP 313: CROP MYCOLOGY AND BACTERIOLOGY (2 UNITS)
Disease concept in plants. Importance of plant diseases in history Symptoms and signs and other basic terminologies. Features, isolation and identification of the fungi and bacteria causing disease in plants. Pathogenesis, procedures for plant disease diagnosis specifically those incited by fungi and bacteria.

CSP 314: CROP NEMATOLOGY & VIROLOGY (2 UNITS)
Importance of nematodes and virus as disease causing agents in plants. Features, isolation and identification of plant nematodes and viruses. Pathogenesis, procedures for plant disease diagnosis specifically those incited by nematodes and viruses.

CSP 315: VERTEBRATE PEST OF CROPS AND CONTROL ( 1 UNIT)
Different animal: pests of crops apart from microorganisms and arthropods. Molluscs and their damage and control. Birds and their damage and control. Rodents and their damage and control. Mammals and their damage and control.

CSP 316: CROP ECOLOGY ( 2 UNITS)
Basic factors in ecological classification. Major ecological zones in West Africa and their agricultural activities, including ecological crop distribution. Ecological factors of Crop Production. Plant interference. Population growth and regulation; evolutionary strategies in plants. Community composition and structure, dominance and diversity. Ecosystem functioning.

CSP 401: CROP PRESERVATION, PROCESSING AND STORGAE (3 UNITS)
Meaning and importance of crop preservation, processing and storage. Factors causing crop deterioration in storage. Types of storage losses in crops. Traditional methods of storing crops. Modern improved methods of storing crops. Storage pathology and entomology.

CSP 403: PLANT DISEASE CONTROL (2 UNITS)
Principles of plant disease control: general methods of plant disease control including mechanical, cultural, biological use of host plant resistance, legislative and chemical. Classification, chemistry and modes of action of fungicides. Formulation of fungicides and methods of use and safety precautions.

CSP 407: SOIL FERTILITY AND PLANT NUTRITION ( 3 UNITS)
Organic matter decomposition, the nitrogen cycle to include biochemistry and microbiology of nitrifications, phosphorus cycle, microbial transformations of sulphur, iron and other minerals, transmission of hydrocarbons and pesticides. The soil as a plant nutrient medium, soil reaction, chemistry and utilization of water logged soils, redox potential. Crop growth and response to soil nutrients, major, secondary and trace elements in crop nutrition. Fertilizers and fertilizer management-sources, application methods rates and timing. Methods of Chemical analysis of soils.

CSP 409: PLANT GENETICS ( 3 UNITS)
Eukaryotic cells, structure and components. Mitosis and meiosis chromosome structure and variations in structure and number. Biochemical nature of genetic material. Genefunction and mutation. Basic concepts of Mendelian and polygenic inheritance Genetic interaction. Linkage and crossing over. Qualitative inheritance. Chimeras Polyploidy. Genetic basis of breeding. Pre-requisite to CSP 502.

CSP 402:STUDENTS INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME (10 UNITS)
Students to be posted to different farms or agro-allied industries for on the job experience. Students’ performances are to be monitored and graded by a site supervisor (CSP 402) and School supervisor (CSP 404) following established guidelines. Students are to present seminars and comprehensive reports about work undertaken during the period which will be graded (CSP 406).

CSP 500: STUDENT SEMINAR (2 UNITS)
Instructions on the preparation, presentation and discussion of critical reviews of topics important to agriculture. This is to be followed by students presentation of reviews prepared by them.

CSP 501: SOIL WATER MANAGEMENT ( 3 UNITS)
World water resources, nature of soil water-potential capillary rise and infiltration, movement in saturated and unsaturated soil. Forms of irrigation, assessment of water requirements for crops and critical stages for water, time of irrigation and agronomic management of irrigated crops. Maintenance of irrigation equipment. Soil erosivity and erosion control. Soil drainage. Evaporation and control. Soil water-plant-atmosphere relationships.

CSP 502: PLANT IMPROVEMENT (3 UNITS)
Centres of origin of major tropical crops; land races; introduction of plant breeding materials. Genepools (gemplasm pools): Sexual and asexual reproduction; inbreeding; cross-breeding; hybridization; back-crossing; Polyploidsation and aneuploid techniques induction of variability in plants: selection methods including progeny testing. Synthetic varieties.

CSP 503: AGRONOMY OF TREE CROPS ( 3 UNITS)
Origin, distribution, botany, taxonomy, ecology and methods of cultivation of the major tropical tree and fruit crops – cocoa cola, coffee, latex producing plants, cashew, oil palm, coconut, mango, tea, citrus, pawpaw, pineapples. Their cultivation, processing, preservation, marketing and uses.

CSP 504: SEED PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY ( 2 UNITS)
A review of seed structure, formation and development. Seed availability, vigour, dormancy and deterioration. Technology for seed production, processing, drying treatment, packaging and storage. Evaluation and seed quality, seed certification. Seed marketing. Seed legislation and law enforcement, seed programme in Nigeria, Components of an effective seed industry.

CSP 505: CROP PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY ( 3 UNITS)
Crop pests and diseases: their principles and methods of control; selectivity and selective use of pesticides; pesticides toxicology; pesticides and application technologies – their efficacies; cost/benefit relationships in respect of small and large scale farms; impact of pesticides on components of the agro-ecosystem other than the target species. Integrated pest management.

CSP 506: FARMING SYSTEM (3 UNITS)
Tropical farming systems – mixed farming, shifting cultivation and fallowing, alley cropping, crop rotation, relay cropping, multiple cropping and intercropping. Livestock production in tropical farming systems. Potentials for integrated livestock and crop farming in Nigeria. Alley cropping of fodder for livestock feeding. Ruminant animal production in permanent crop farming. Homestead gardening using crops comparable with livestock rearing.

CSP 507: PROJECT (6 UNITS)
Supervised study on an identified problem requiring both oral and written presentation. Students must attend tutorials on research techniques and scientific writing as well as oral presentation relating to students projects in the School.

CSP 508: FERTILIZER USE TECHNOLOGY (3 UNITS)
Need for fertilizer, soil and fertilizer nitrogen, soil and fertilizer phosphorus, soil and fertilizer potassium, magnesium calcium and sodium. Sulphur and micro elements in soil and fertilizer. Fundamentals of the manufacture of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. The manufacture and properties of mixed fertilizers. Liming. Fundamentals of fertilizer application Global positioning system (GPS) Application in soil fertility investigation.

CSP 509: SOIL SURVEY AND CLASSIFICATION ( 3 UNITS)
Factors of soil formation. Soil survey methods, definition of mapping units, clasiffication systems, soil description, classification of Nigeria soils. Soil survey interpretations for potential uses of soils, land capability classification. Introduction to Geographic Information System (GIS) Field and Laboratory exercises.

CSP 511: BIOTECHNOLOGY IN CROP/PEST MANAGEMENT ( 3 UNITS)
Introduction to Agricultural Biotechnology, Micropropagation. Production of pest resistant varieties. Improvement of crop yields; nitrogen fixation, nutritional quality and chemical composition. Mutation Biofertilizers, Molecular markers.

CSP 514: CROP/PEST MANAGEMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT (2 UNITS)
Crop production and protection activities that are beneficial to the environment. Crop production and protection activities that adversely affect the environment. Environmental quality indicators. Environment impact assessment.

CSP 515: PLANT PHYSIOLOGY (3 UNITS)
Crop growth and development. Environmental influences on crop growth, development and yield. Seed dormancy and germination. Crop growth indices and forms of crop growth analysis. Distribution and accumulation of dry matter.