This course consist of basic knowledge and skills related to plant sciences focusing on various agricultural techniques in Soil Science, Horticulture, Agronomy, Industrial Entomology, Aquaculture, Farm management, and Extension.
Objectives
Part : One 40 Marks
Acquire basic knowledge and skills related to plant science.
Identify different technological problems in production with their solutions.
Introduce basic knowledge about the management practices of crops, and marketing system of the products as well as agricultural extension in Nepal.
1. Agronomy
Introduction to Agronomy.
Climate of Nepal.
Cropping system in Nepal
Field Preparation and tillage .
Farm mechanization and farm power.
Irrigation and drainage system.
Seed technology of agronomical crop.
Common pests and diseases of Agronomical cropscrops
Post-harvest management of agronomical crop.
Production Technology of agronomical crop (Cereal, Legumes, oil seed and Industrial crops).
2. Soil Science
Introduction to soil types
Geology and soil formation.
Soil properties in relation to crop production
Plant Nutrition and soil fertility. 2.5 Soil and plant analysis.
Organic matter, manures and chemical fertilizers
Soil fertility and productivity and their sustainable management
Soil erosion,conservation and watershed management
3. Aquaculture and Fisheries
Introduction of Aquaculture
Management of fish pond
Farming of common exotic and indigenous fish species.
Fish breeding Techniques
Fish disease and parasite management
4. Horticulture
Introduction to horticulture.
Nursery and orchard management.
Plant growth and regulator.
Training & Pruning.
Plant propagation in fruit crops
Kitchen garden, off season vegetable farming and organic farming.
Scope and importance of vegetables seed and seed technology
Cultivation practices of common horticultural crop ( Fruits, Vegetables, and Flowers)
Major insect pest and disease of horticultural crop ( Fruits, Vegetables, And Flowers)
Post-Harvest Technology of horticultural crops
5. Extension
Introduction to Agriculture Extension in Nepal.
Common practices in agriculture extension in Nepal.
Group formation and group dynamics in farming communities
Leadership development in extension
Adoption and diffusion process in extension: F to F and FFS, LF approaches.
Program planning, monitoring and evaluation in extension
Gender and social mobilization in farming communities.
6. Farm Management
Introduction to farm management, its scope and importance
Basic economic concept in farm planning
Cost & benefit analysis
Planning of farm system 6.5. Budgeting and record keeping
Role of Agricultural Marketing and its opportunities and limitations in Nepal.
Type of market and marketing systems
Concept of cooperative
International trade and role of WTO in Nepalese economy
7. Industrial Entomology and Mushroom
Introduction to the course
Cultivation practices of common edible mushroom.
Insect pest and disease of cultivated mushroom.
Introduction to bee keeping.
Introduction to sericulture.
Part: Two 25 Marks
8. Curriculum Related Knowledge
Space of plant science in secondary school curriculum.
Breadth/Depth of the content
Knowledge of competences and learning outcomes
Resource materials of plant science in secondary level.
9. Classroom Teaching Skills
Class room management skills
Effective Presentation Skills/Exposition
Problem Based Learning Strategies
Small Group/Whole Class Discussion
‘Observation’ as an instructional strategy
10. Use of ‘Projects’ and ‘Field Works’ in Instruction
Project Planning
Implementing and Communicating
Learning by doing practices
Reporting/Presentation
Exhibition
11. Assessment in Teaching
Knowledge of assessment plan and specification grid in school curriculum
Developing test and appropriate tools for student assessment.
Authentic assessment to measure performance. (Use of rubrics)
12. Use of ICT
ICT as content enhancement (Use of various ICT tools to explore different topics of plant science and terminologies)
ICT as delivery tool (Mobile, Multimedia software, online materials, games in classroom for specific contents)