Lehre

4905-211 - Ökozonen und Kulturpflanzen der Tropen - Vorlesung

Die Studierenden erlangen grundlegende Kenntnisse über die globale Verteilung und Charakteristika von Ökozonen, mit Fokus auf die Tropen und deren Vielfalt an Agrarsystemen und Kulturpflanzen. Wechselbeziehungen und Regulationsmechanismen biotischer und abiotischer Faktoren in Agrarökosystemen und deren Umwelt (Agrarlandschaften, Biodiversität) werden hier berücksichtigt.

Die Studierenden erlangen grundlegende Kenntnisse, warum Agrarökosysteme in den Tropen an die Regenerationsfähigkeit und Belastbarkeit der Umwelt angepasst werden muss, um hinsichtlich des globalen Wandels (z.B. Klimawandel, Bevölkerungsdruck, Ernährungssicherheit) nachhaltig sichere Ertragsleistungen erwirtschaften zu können.

Die Studierenden werden in die Lage versetzt, die mit der landwirtschaftlichen Produktion verbundenen Umweltprobleme in den Tropen zu beurteilen und ökologisch orientierte Lösungskonzepte zu bewerten.

4905-411 - Weltwirtschaftspflanzen und Weidewirtschaft in den Tropen und Subtropen - Vorlesung mit Seminar

Weltwirtschaftspflanzen
Die Studierenden erhalten einen Überblick über weltwirtschaflich bedeutende Kulturpflanzen. Neben genussmittel-, stärke- und öllierfernden Pflanzen werden tropische Wurzel- und Knollenfrüchten sowie technisch nutzbare Pflanzen vorgestellt. Darüber hinaus werden einige Vertreter aus der ernährungsphysiologisch wichtigen Familie der Körnerleguminosen behandelt. Die Studierenden erwerben Kenntnisse über die wirtschaftliche Bedeutung, Herkunft, Botanik, Verbreitung, ökophysiologische Ansprüche, Anbau, Ernte und Verarbeitung der behandelten Kulturpflanzen und können diese in der Praxis anwenden.

Weidewirtschaft

• Einführung: Bedeutung der tropischen Weidewirtschaft; Tropen als weidewirtschaftlicher Produktionsraum; weidewirtschaftliche Produktionssysteme mit Problemanalyse
• Weide- und Futterpflanzen: Allgemeines; Gräser, Leguminosen, Futterbüsche & -bäume
• Genressourcen und Züchtung
• Versuchsmethodik
• Bodenverbesserung durch Futterpflanzen
• Krankheiten und Schädlinge
• Saatgutproduktion
• Weideanlage
• Düngung
• Weidenutzung und -management
• Futterkonservierung

4905-421 - Crop Production Systems - Vorlesung mit Übung und Seminar

• Introduction: potentials and constraints of intensification in world food production, principles of plant production in the tropics.
• Crops and Nutrition: importance of cereals and root crops for human nutrition, importance of minor crops and plant genetic resources for a sustainable development.
• Cropping Systems: Crop rotation and mixed cropping; Interactions in multiple plant component systems.
• Methods of quantifying plant growth.
• Plant Growth and Resource Use: Eco-physiology of rice and cassava.
• Plant Improvement: Plant adaptation mechanisms to stress.
• Soil Fertility and Conservation Systems: Principles of soil fertility and degradation;
  • Legumes - source of food security and sustainability;
  • Nutrient management and environmental services;
  • Resource protection on sloping land.

• Alternative Plant Production Systems: Fibers; Biofuel and industrial applications.
• Crop Modelling: Concepts; Application in crop production.
• Tools for evaluating integrated Systems: Integrated modelling approaches - LUCIA;
  • Case studies;
  • Group computer modelling exercises.

• Interdisciplinary case studies: Students seminar.

3000-821 - Methods of Scientific Working - Vorlesung mit Seminar

Overall Objectives:
- Scientific and interdisciplinary competence
- Awareness of the wider scientific related environment
- Acquisition of basic tools for a PhD study and scientific career
- Excellent qualification and preparation for future challenges

Specific topics:
- Scientific Environment (relationship with society, organisation and cooperation in research projects, ethic issues, intelectual property rights)
- Toolbox for thesis writing (literature search and databases, special cases in statistics, writing up and presentation)
- How to publish? (where to publish, citation index, writing guidlines)
- Funding in Science (funding bodies, proposal writting)
- International organisations
- Survival strategies (coping with stress)

4905-431 - Integrated Agricultural Production Systems - Vorlesung mit Seminar

INTRODUCTION: Socioeconomic aspects of integrated agricultural production systems; Biological and technical aspects of integrated agricultural production systems; The role of legumes. AGROSILVOCULTURAL SYSTEMS: Rationale, history, regional importance, and examples; Shrub and tree species for agrosilvocultural systems; Tree/crop interactions; Improved Fallows, Alley cropping; Homegardens; Modelling approaches in agroforestry (examples/practical (if possible)). AGROPASTORAL SYSTEMS: Rationale, history, regional importance and examples; Ley-farming (case study); Animal/crop interactions; Crop residues quality and utilization; Forage plant/crop interactions; Forage species for agropastoral systems: grasses and legumes. SILVOPASTORAL SYSTEMS: Rationale, history, regional importance, and examples; Animal/tree interactions; Forage quality of tree foliage; Forage plant/tree interactions; Forage species for silvopastoral systems. BEE PRODUCTION IN THE TROPICS: Principles and local excursion (if possible) RESOURCE USE: Integrated Plant Nutrient Management (IPNM); Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM); Methods to assess interactions and impact in integrated production systems. PLANT PROTECTION IN IAPS. General principles, system interactions with pests and diseases. Examples: Push-Pull, biological control of Striga (parasitic weed). SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS: Sociological methods related to development and adoption of integrated production systems production technology. Cost-benefit analysis and sustainable use of natural resources. Lectures, discussions. Student seminars; Powerpoint & PDF presentations, videos. Practical part: Hands on the Water, Nutrient, and Light Capture in Agroforestry Systems (WaNuLCAS) model (if possible)

Info text

4905-461 - Modeling of Agroecosystems - Vorlesung mit Übung und Praktikum

Modeling
Introduction to principles of crop models and development of own model modules by the students. We will jointly develop a base model on photosynthesis and assimilate partitioning in annual crops using Stella, a user-friendly visual software. During individual or group-wise work students will build own modules that can be plugged into the base model. The course will be held in an interactive manner and we will use our models to discuss topics like feedback loops, competition, model calibration / validation and others as they arise during the practical work. Students will present their models at the end of the course, including quantitative assessment (plausibility) of outputs.

Ecophysiology and Analysis of Growth and Development
This lecture provides knowledge on growth and development of four tropical crops (rice, cassava, oil palm and cowpea) and the concept of crop growth analysis. The impact of temperature, day length, photoperiodism and solar radiation will be discussed.
In the practical part, students apply field methods to determine crop growth rates, leaf area index and light transmission.
V (50%), P (50%)

4905-471 - Biodiversity and Genetic Resources - Vorlesung mit Seminar und Exkursion

This module gives an overview of fundamental aspects of biodiversity in natural and agricultural ecosystems. These include patterns of global species diversity and the determinants of biodiversity at different scales, species-area relationships, abiotic and biotic factors affecting biodiversity, methods of diversity analysis. It also includes the various threats to biodiversity. Agricultural diversity is considered regarding crop diversity, diversity of agroecosystems, species interactions, effects of management on biodiversity and pollination, as well as plant genetic resources and their maintenance including seed storage. In addition, a focus is given to natural and agricultural diversity of the tropics. Lectures and discussions, seminars and handouts prepared by students, field trips and small excursions are included.