Curriculum

Concepts, importance and the scope of Agronomy. Agricultural Geography of Bangladesh, classification of field crop. Weather and climate. Soil and water. tillage, sowing, planting and transplanting. Intercultural practices. Fertilizer and manure management. Agricultural implements. Farm mechanization, crop rotation, Nutrient and Water management.

AGR 101 Identification of crops, soil, seeds, farm implements, Fertilizer and manure, observation of weather related instruments, trend of weather data. Preparation and preservation of manure, compost, silage and Practicing of farm operations.

Primary Concepts of plant physiology, study of plant water relationship. Absorption of water, Ascent of sap, Nutrient up take, transpiration, Photosynthesis, Respiration, plant productivity, plant growth regulators, Hormones, Photoperiodism, Vernalization,  Seed physiology, and Stress physiology.

Practical classes of different physiological processes like Osmosis, Plasmolysis,  Absorption of water, Ascent of sap, Transpiration, Respiration, Photosynthesis. Seed Physiology and Stress physiology.

Basic Fundamentals of Irrigation, History, Factors involving Irrigation, Water sources, Soil water movement and Retention, Soil Water Management, Mechanisms of water intake., Field capacity, Wilting point, Principles of evapotranspiration, Measuring irrigated water, Irrigation efficiencies, Irrigation engineering: Machines and Tools, Farm power machineries, Irrigation frequency, Velocity-area method, Advantages and disadvantages of irrigation. Types of Irrigations: Surface Irrigation, Sprinkler Irrigation, Micro-irrigation, Sub-irrigation, Furrow Irrigation, Center Pivot Irrigation

Scope, importance and history of irrigation. Soil water relationship. Irrigation practices. Water flow measurement.  Modern irrigation equipment.  Drainage.  Field visits to irrigation projects and report writing.

Introduction to farm management, Application of Economic principle in farm management. Concept and principles of business diminishing return, substitution, opportunity cost, Farm accounting, survey, cost accounting, Measure of efficiency, Budgeting and planning, Linear programming for planning. Project analysis. Undiscounted and discounted measure of physical worth. Sensitivity analysis. Farm management research techniques.

Definition, Criteria and Classification of essential plant nutrients, source of plant nutrients, essential elements and their functions, deficiency symptoms, Factors affecting availability, Forms of nutrients used by plants, Occurrence of N. P. K. Ca, Mg, S, Zn, Bo, Mo, in Soil, Transformation of commonly used fertilizer. Chemistry of Urea, TSP, MP micronutrients components. Industrial preparation methods of commonly used fertilizer. Assimilation of nitrogen by plants and biological nitrogen fixation. Azola, Blue-Green Algae, Rhizobium inoculum, Bio-fertilizer.

Laboratory experiment Based on AGR 321.

Concepts, Importance of crop production Factor affecting crop production, diversified cropping, Crop environment. Soil moisture and organic matter management, Mechanization and production technology of crop, Climate and soil factors: status, importance, production inputs, post-harvest operation, methods of production, cost calculation of major crops, crop estimate, Crop calendar, weed management, Quality control of crop, Cropping system: concept, utility procedure, Crop production in rain fed irrigated and flooded land.

Practical experiments and observations based on AGR 351

Concepts of plant pathology, Significance of plant diseases and their symptoms, Causes of plant diseases, parasitism and pathogenesis, Epidemiology and dissemination of plant pathogen, principles and methods of plant disease management. Crop loss assessment and disease forecasting.

Symptom and control measures of majors diseases of field crops, Horticultural crops and stored products, Seed pathology.

Preparation of culture media for isolating fungi and nematodes, Technique for the preparation of slides for microscopic study. Study of important genera of fungi.

Field survey and laboratory studies of plant diseases of different crops. Control of some important diseases, preparation of diseases herbarium. Seed health testing : Dry inspection and incubation methods.

Concepts of entomology. Arthropods: general characters, Classification and study of important families of insects and their importance in agriculture. Different morphological structure of insects’ population; Embryonic and post-embryonic development of insects.

Concepts of pest and pest management. IPM, its basic principles, guidelines and tools, Influences of environmental factors on insect’s population; growth forms, polymorphism in insects.

Bio-ecology, nature of damage and control measure of major insects and mite pests of field crops. Horticulture crop and stored produce. Industrial insects culture, Transmission of insects-borne diseases in plants.

External and internal morphology of a typical insects. Methods of collection, preparation and preservation of insects. Identification of economically important insects and different types of antennae, mouthparts, legs and wings of insects. Techniques for the preparation of permanent slides. Field survey and laboratory studies of economically important insect-pests of different crops.

Laboratory experiments based on AGR 411

Present status and trend of horticulture crops. Principles of Tropical fruit and vegetables production. Landscape horticulture. Propagation techniques. Spices and plantation crops. Industrial horticulture. Processing, preserving and Marketing of Horticulture produces. Export of horticultural produces.

Propagation technique of fruits. Ornamental and vegetables. Grafting, Budding, Cutting, Layering of major fruit crops. Tissue culture, propagation of horticultural crops. Micro-propagation of fruits and ornamentals. Seedling-raising techniques. Seed production of vegetables and flowers.

Prospect of flower industry in Bangladesh. Flower businesses and its export from Bangladesh. Landscape horticulture. Winter and summer season flowers. Orchid and rose production. Cacti and other succulents. Commercial flowers like tuberose, gerbera, anthurium and jasmine production. Technique of lawn making. Bonsai and its impact in human mind. Ikebana and flower show.

Contents same as BUS 201 with addition of one module involving agricultural communication process. Organizational communication. Technology transfer process. Category of technology. Models of technology transfer. Means of technology transfer. Training. Extension services.

Economic importance of livestock, domestic animal. Livestock population history of domestication. Zoological classification of livestocks. Introduction to animal psychology and behavior, importance of livestock and its economic impact on farming system of Bangladesh, terminology and glossary of animals, livestock production in Bangladesh compare with that of the world, types and breeds of livestock, feeding and housing, products and by-products. Selection of livestock, animal health management and diseases.

P: AGR 401. Approaching animals, methods of different body measurements and live weight of livestock, identification and marking of animals, dentition, ageing and different management of livestock. Livestock feeds and product.

Purpose of soil survey, importance of soil survey, kinds of soil survey, mapping scales, methods of soil survey, interpretation of aerial photography and preparation soil maps. Soil forming factors, parent materials of soil, soil forming processes, relief and drainage and identification and nomenclature of soil horizons, plotting soil boundaries on map, identification of soil type and soil series, collection and examination of soil samples, soil correction and inspection.

Taxonomy. Fishery biology. Freshwater aquaculture. Capture fishery. Processing. Fisheries management. Hatchery operation. Marketing and cooperatives.

Laboratory experiments based on AGR 411

P: AGR 401, AGR 406. History of poultry domestication and development of poultry production. Terminologies. Origin, Classification and characteristics of different poultry species. Structure, composition and formation of eggs. Poultry feeds and feeding, layer and broiler production, incubation and brooding. Pigeon and quail production, poultry-cum- fish production. Poultry meat and egg. Project preparation for broiler and layer farm. Poultry diseases.

P: AGR 421. Handling of poultry, external body parts of chicken. Identification of poultry breeds, chicken, ducks, geese, and pigeons. Selection of males and females. Introduction to housing and housing system of poultry. Poultry equipment. Egg structure and formation, Vaccination of poultry, poultry feeds and balance ratio formulation. Daily work schedules of poultry farm.

P: AGR 401 and 402. Importance of dairy, beef and draught animal production. Breed characteristics and beef. Limiting factors and favorable conditions related to dairy, beef production. Principals of feed and feeding dairy animals and their management. Status of dairy cattle in Bangladesh and their possible improvements, selection and judging of dairy cows, dairy cattle management, factors affecting the quality and quantity of milk. Dairy record-keeping. Composition and properties of milk, nutritional properties of milk, sources of contamination of milk, milk marketing, buying and assembling the milk, milk processing.

P: AGR 431. Identification of dairy breeds, judging of dairy cows and bulls, identification of dairy feeds, ration formation for dairy beef and draught animal. Practice of milking and dairy farm work. Sampling of milk. Platform taste for milk, detection of adulteration, milk test for quality, pasteurization, homogenization and bottling of milk. Project preparation of dairy farm.

Introduction to postharvest physiology and technology. Concept of post harvest quality. Packaging of fruits, vegetables and tuber. Drying. Post-harvest losses. Role of environmental factors in post-harvest deteriotion of fruit and vegetables. Post-harvest handling, transportation and storage. Storage pest and loss assessment of other crops. Sociological, economical and institutional implication of preventing of post-harvest food losses.

P: AGR 441. Assessment of quality and grading. Study of deterioration of fruits and vegetables. Sampling of fruits and vegetables from market, assessment of post- harvest deterioration. Study on packaging and controlled storage systems.

Topics include Ecology, Environmental Impact Assessment and Monitoring, Sustainable Agriculture, Population Weather, Climate, Air Pollution, Wastewater Treatment Technologies, Hydralogical Cycle and Water Quality, Organic load for water pollution, Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) design, Activated sludge, Aerobic treatment mechanisms and Lagoons process,  Solid waste disposal and treatment technologies, Anaerobic treatment mechanisms, Classification of Pollutants, Carbon cycle and Carbon budget, Nitrification and Dinitrification process, Biomass conversion into Bio-energy, Ethanol production from Agricultural bi-products and use of Bio-fuel, wastewater treatment technology, Integrated process for waste management, Global environmental Issues.

Concepts of marketing and market structure, analysis of marketing functions, channels, costs and margins, efficiency and institution. Marketing of Agricultural inputs and major agricultural products including livestock, fisheries etc, in Bangladesh. Government Intervention in Agriculture marketing.

Establishment of fruit orchard, planting plans. Orchard management practices. Bearing habit and its implications. Unfruitfulness – causes and remedies; use of growth regulators in fruit production.

Organic Farming: Concept, protecting physical properties of soil, micorrhizal management, pest and disease management. Principles of organic production, methods of composting. Biodynamic preparation, constraints to organic farming technology.

Physiological and anatomical aspects of vegetative propagation. Stionic relationship and incompatibility. Micro propagation and its principles, storage and techniques.

Physiology of flowering, fruit set and fruit development: Factors influencing flower bud initiation, differentiation, pollination, fertilization, parthenocarpy.

Pomology: Subject, scope, importance, classification, area, production and factors affecting distribution of fruits in Bangladesh. Major fruit growing regions of the world.

Production technology quick growing and orchard fruits of Bangladesh: Banana, Papaya, Pineapple, Mango, Jackfruit, litchi, Guava, Jujube, Citrus. Important minor and exotic fruits.

This course is designed to expose students to real life situation in agricultural production, processing, marketing, organization, extension and related aspects. The student will be placed in relevant organization or situation to gather experience and to generate a problem-related report. The report will be graded. There is an oral examination.

Introduction to botany, general concept of crop botany, branches of botany, importance of botany. The anatomy, ultra structure and functions of cell and cell organelles, tissue, tissue system, primary plant body, secondary growth in plant, external morphology and anatomy of different important crop plants, embryology, taxonomy of plants economic botany and study of different important plant families.

Practical classes: Study of different important families. Study of external morphology of different important crop plant anatomy of root, stem, leaf of different important crop plants etc. preparation of temporary and permanent slides, structure of ovules, spores, pollen grains.

Cytogenetics: Cell division, karyotype, chromosomal aberration, cytogenetics of wheat. Genetics: Introduction, physical basis of heredity, Mendel’s law of inheritance, gene, linkage and crossing over, sex determination and sex linked inheritance, mutation, extra-nuclear inheritance. Plant breeding: Introduction, evolution of crop plants and genetic resources, reproductive systems, breeding of self and cross pollinated crops.

Introduction of different stages of cell division, karyotype analysis, observation of Mendel’s law of inheritance and observation of reproductive systems.

Crop climatology: Introduction to climatology, weather and climate, climate classification in relation to the world and Bangladesh and their influence on crops, effect of height, temperature, water and wind on crops. Micro climate and its effect of crop plants.

Plant Ecology: Introduction, ecosystem, population, community, adaptation, phytogeography, plant conservation and preservation, biotic relation, atmospheric gases, environmental pollution and biodiversity.

Adaptation (hydrophytes, mesophytes, xerophytes, heliophytes, halophytes, sciophytes, auntrophs, epiphytes, simbionts, heterotrophs, parasites, saprophytes, etc.) and different ecological survey and field strategies. Measurements of the range of climatological elements by using different instruments, biodiversity expedition.

IUBAT has a long term vision to establish and/or facilitate to establish an Agriculture-cum Agro Tourism Service Center in each of the 30 Agro Ecological Zones of Bangladesh. In addition to that it has a plan to establish On-Farm Research Sites (OFRS) in the diversified landscapes of the country. To start with CAS now has seven OFRS which are mentioned below:

OFRS, Naikhongchhari (100 acres) since 1996  ( Hill Agriculture)

Biotechnology: Introduction, scope and importance, plant tissue culture, haploid cell culture, isolation, culture and genetic manipulation of plant protoplast, selection of plant cell for desirable characters embryogenesis, organogenesis, and plant generation, use of tissue culture, tissue culture methods in phyto-pathology and genetic engineering.

Plant Breeding: Effect of hybridization, heterosis, plant breeding and quantitative genetics, concept of heritability and progress, polyploidy  and crop improvement, mutation breeding, techniques of artificial hybridization, breeding for disease and insect resistance, hybrid seed production, breeding for other stress factors.

The main objective of the course is to provide knowledge on organic chemistry with special emphasis on fertilizer and pesticide chemistry. The course includes introduction to organic chemistry, aliphatic compounds, hydrocarbons, alkyl radicals, asters, aldehydes, ketones and organic acids, reaction of organic acids, organic salts, asters and amines. Cyclic compounds. Hydrocarbons, aromatic compounds, alcohols, aldehydes, acids, asters, carbohydrate, monosaccharide, polysaccharides, lipids, proteins, amino acids, enzymes, fundamentals of inorganic fertilizer, bio-fertilizer, fertilizer manufacture, phosphate fertilizer, urea, potassium fertilizers, mixed fertilizers, fertilizer control and regulation, fundamentals of fertilizer application. Fundamentals of pesticides, application of pesticides, toxicology of pesticide, environmental chemistry, chemical toxicology.

Introduction to geology, soil forming rocks and minerals, definition of soil, scope and branches of soil science, components and functions, soil genesis and formation, soil particles, texture structure, density, fertility and productivity of commonly used fertilizers and manures. Introduction of soil microbiology.

Method of collection and preparation of samples of water and soil for planting crops. Determination of bulk density, particle density, porosity, particle size analysis (mechanical analysis) and pH of soil. Organic carbon in soil, collection of nodules.

Soil Survey: Purpose of soil survey, importance of soil survey, kinds of soil survey, mapping scales, methods of soil survey, interpretation of aerial photography and preparation soil maps. Soil forming factors, parent materials of soil, soil forming processes, relief and drainage and identification and nomenclature of soil horizons, plotting of soil boundaries on map, identification of soil type and soil series, collection and examination of soil samples, soil correction and inspection.

Soil Classification: Preparation of soil survey reports.