Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- Gatton
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- Gatton
- Coordinating unit
- Agriculture and Food Sustainability School
Industry operation, botany, growth cycles and cultural and management practices for a range of flower, fruit, nursery and vegetable crops.
This course is designed for students wanting to study the science and technology of producing nursery, fruit, vegetable and flower crops. Your studies will include the operation of the various industries and aspects of the botany, growth cycles and cultural practices of a range of horticultural crops.ﾠIt is suitable for people interested in diverse careers in horticulture including allied industries (agribusiness, services and agricultural supplies providers)ﾠand research as well as production management.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Recommended pre-requisites are courses in Plant Biology, Plant Physiology and Horticultural Science. Some knowledge of basic plant biology including plant structure and function, classification, reproduction, physiology,ﾠnutrition and the influence of climatic variables and soil characteristics on plant growth may be assumed.ﾠStudents without this background should still be able to succeed in the course but should seek guidance from the lecturer during the course where they find they lack the background.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
HORT7002 (co-taught)
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
Co-taught with HORT7002. Lectures and field trips are shared.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Guest lecturer
Dr Guta Bedane
Dr Sundar Kalaipandian
Demonstrator
Dr Guta Bedane
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
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The course runs concurrently with HORT7002 (post-graduate course).
Students enrolled in internal mode will be expected to attend face-to-face lectures and field trips.
ﾠ
Aims and outcomes
To develop an understanding of the vegetable, floriculture, nursery crop and fruit production systems. To apply the understanding of horticultural science to horticultural technology and practice, and crop improvement. To gain a global perspective of horticultural production including the cultural and management practices, product distribution (postharvest) and marketing.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Describe various practices used to manage commercial nursery crop production.
LO2.
Outline the pre-harvest production principles of perennial fruit and nut trees.
LO3.
Outline the pre-harvest production principles of field grown vegetable crops.
LO4.
Outline the pre-harvest production principles of protected and field grown floriculture crops.
LO5.
Describe the positive and negative interaction of invertebrates with horticulture crops.
LO6.
Describe key postharvest factors that influence fruit and vegetable quality and shelf life and the techniques used to reduce fresh produce losses/wastage.
LO7.
Communicate scientific information clearly in both written and spoken forms to a general audience.
LO8.
Propose solutions for contemporary challenges relating to production horticulture.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Robotics (automated technology) to solve horticultural challenges | 20% |
23/08/2024 2:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Introduction of a new crop | 30% |
13/09/2024 2:00 pm |
| Presentation | Oral presentation | 10% |
16/10/2024 11:00 am
During class time |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
40% |
End of Semester Exam Period 2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Robotics (automated technology) to solve horticultural challenges
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
23/08/2024 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L08
Task description
Interest in robotics (automated technology) is increasing in the horticulture sector due to a number of reasons, but particularly due to challenges associated with sourcing human labour for repetitive tasks. Students are to prepare a report that compares and contrasts the use of robotics (automated technology) with traditional practices/methods for a contemporary challenge related to a task/process. To complete this assignment, you may find it useful to first explore the definition of robotics (automated technology) and how to effectively write using ‘compare and contrast’, then select a horticulture industry of your choice (e.g., nursery, floriculture, vegetables or fruit) and for a particular enterprise (e.g., stone fruit orchard, hydroponic strawberry farm), research a production task/process where robotics (automated technology) could be used to overcome a contemporary problem.
Note, selecting a production task/process where robotics (automated technology) are not already commonly used will demonstrate a higher level of critical thinking. For example, equipment that is used to sort individual fruit by weight and colour are commonly used in packing sheds, however, you may find equipment designed for packing lines with new capabilities that enhance shelf life and would be appropriate for this assignment.
Guide for preparing the report
Introduction
Outline your chosen horticulture industry and the importance/purpose of the task/process you have selected. Explain the traditional practice/methods for the horticulture task/process you have chosen, including the contemporary challenge(s), and the robotics (automated technology) that could be used to solve the problem. (200 words)
Body
Compare and contrast traditional methods and the use of robotics (automated technology) for your chosen horticultural task/process. Ensure that you include scientific, plant/crop physiology, literature when comparing the differences and similarities. For example, if your task is pruning fruit trees, you would include the scientific reason for how much wood to remove and from where. (1200 words)
Conclusion
Restate the importance/purpose of the horticulture task and the challenge that could be solved by using robotics (automated technology). Summarise several key points resulting from the compare and contrast process. (150 words)
References
The majority of your papers should be published within the last 10 years. You are welcome to use any referencing style, provided you are consistent, or you may use the style set by the American Psychological Association style (APA). The most recent version of APA is the APA 7th style. https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/apa7
General Presentation
Compare and contrast reports can be challenging to structure. It is recommended that you use either the block method, alternating method or similarities and differences method. Useful tips for these methods and using a Venn diagram to collate a list of similarities and differences to help organise your points can be found at https://www.grammarly.com/blog/compare-contrast/ You are welcome to include a diagram (e.g. Venn) in your report.
Your assignment should contain headings and subheadings for clarity, and images (with sources referenced). Links to videos will not be suitable as the marker will not access content contained in web links.
Length: 1550 words +/- 10%, not including in-text references, reference list and figure captions.
Machine Translation (MT) may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of MT in each instance.
Use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this task is prohibited.
A failure to reference MT use and / or the use of generative AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (http://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Introduction of a new crop
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
13/09/2024 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L08
Task description
Students are to prepare a proposal for the introduction of a new crop for cultivation under Australian climatic conditions. As a horticulture consultant working for a medium to large enterprise in Australia, you are tasked to explore a potential new horticultural crop that could be suggested to growers, as an alternative to existing commodities crops (such as avocado, citrus, table grapes, mango, etc.), for those that would like to diversify their production base. This crop should be resilient and be adapted to unpredictable climates, particularly dominated by increased temperature and water scarcity. The fresh produce should have the potential to be marketable to consumers that demand sustainably produced high-quality products, and export potential would be a definite advantage.
Guide for preparing the report
Introduction
The background information sets the scene for your report and it must be concise and relevant to the crop you have chosen. In the introduction, you identify and state the importance and benefits associated with the production of the proposed crop. You will need to search the literature, and ideally include statistics and scientific from the literature to provide a justified and clear argument for growing the new crop you have selected. In the final paragraph, restate why the crop should be introduced, including how the new crop will benefit the horticultural industry.
Body
Describe the environmental and general production requirements of the new crop, such as the growth cycle, critical management practices, soil types, thermal and water requirements for growth and development. When compiling this information, consider how well these growing conditions can be met in Australia and suggest the growing regions that would be most suitable. Also, highlight any challenges that you foresee with the introduction of the crop and provide potential solutions. For example, could the crop become a weed, does it have a long juvenile phase, is it difficult to propagate.
Conclusion
Select and summarise the main points covered in your report, including the benefits of your proposed crop to the horticultural industry.
Reference list
The majority of your papers should be published within the last 10 years. You are welcome to use any referencing style, provided you are consistent, or you may use the style set by the American Psychological Association style (APA). The most recent version of APA is the APA 7th style. https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/apa7
General Presentation
Your report should be prepared with headings and subheadings to provide structure and clarity. The case study should be typed using 12-point Times New Roman / Calibri /Arial and 1.5 line spacing.
Length: 2000 words +/- 10%, not including figures, tables, and reference list.
Machine Translation (MT) may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of MT in each instance.
Use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this task is prohibited.
A failure to reference MT use and / or the use of generative AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (http://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Oral presentation
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 10%
- Due date
16/10/2024 11:00 am
During class time
- Learning outcomes
- L07
Task description
Students are required to prepare a 5-minute PowerPoint presentation based on your 'Introduction of a new crop' assignment. In this assessment task, you will give a mock presentation to your company CEO or Board of Directors stating the crop you have identified, the benefits of introducing the new crop for the company, production requirements, growing regions, challenges and potential solutions. Conclude by restating the benefits of the new crop to the company, the horticulture industry.
The presentation will be given during the scheduled class lecture/practical in person (face-to-face).
Skills in giving oral presentations are important because during your career as you are likely to present at work meetings, industry gatherings, and conferences. You will find that every time you present, it will become easier, and presenting on a regular basis helps ease any nervousness you might have.
Guide for preparing the presentation
For a 5-minute presentation (plus 2 mins for questions), aim to have no more than 5 slides, excluding a title slide and a reference slide. Your slides should include the following:
Introduction
Provide a concise overview of the topic and outline the main sections you will be covering in your presentation.
Body
For your new crop, you should include new scientific findings - such as current technologies, new developments, and recent research. Research data should be presented clearly using graphs and/or tables. You should critically review the data you present and compare the results to other studies, where possible. Include in-text references to acknowledge sources where necessary.
Conclusion
Summarise the main points of your presentation and restate the benefits of the new crop.
Reference list
Include a list of references, on a separate slide, at the end of your presentation using the American Psychological Association style (APA). The most recent version of APA is the 7th edition. https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/apa7
General advice
Your presentation should be reportable in a 7-minute time slot. Within this period, you should talk for 5 minutes and answer questions for 2 minutes.
PowerPoint presentations should be visually attractive and use images to explain your points rather than typed words. Keep word use to a minimum and use a clear font, such as Arial or Courier. Avoid reading directly from slides as it prevents you from connecting with your audience.
Practice your presentation beforehand. Use language that is listener-friendly and scenarios that people can easily relate to. Pretend that you are describing your work to your parents or your best friend who is not necessarily a horticulturist but is educated and interested. Add a little humor to keep the presentation entertaining and interesting. Use voice tone and hand gestures to transmit information.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Save your Powerpoint presentation to a USB and bring it to class.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Internal students that receive an extension will need to record and then submit their presentation via Blackboard using the task description and marking criteria for HORT3003 (External).
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Final Exam
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
The exam will be an on-campus exam. Have your UQ student ID card available for all your exams. Students enrolled in In Person delivery must attend the exam in person.
Students are expected to write detailed answers in response to the exam questions on the paper. The exam can cover any content in this course, including guest lectures.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Students must receive a passing grade in the End of Semester Exam to pass the course.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series or UQ approved , labelled calculator only |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score of 0% - 34% for all assessment items |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score of 35% - 46% for all assessment items |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: A cumulative score of 47% - 49% for all assessment items |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score of 50% - 64% for all assessment items |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score of 65% - 74% for all assessment items |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score of 75% - 84% for all assessment items |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score of 85% - 100% for all assessment items |
Additional course grading information
Course Grading Hurdles:ﾠ
To pass the course students must (1) achieve a passing mark in the final exam, and (2) achieve an overall mark for the entire course assessments of 50% or greater.
If a student obtains an overall percentage greater than the cut-offs set to achieve a 4 or higher for the course based on marks from a combination of progressive assessment and the final exam and the student does not score a passing mark in the final exam, they are unable to achieve a grade higher than a 3 (failing grade) for the course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
TurnItIn Assignments
TurnItIn Assignments that are required to be submitted through TurnItIn, must only be uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site.ﾠ If you submit any version of your assessment item to any alternative Turnitin link, this is considered cheating and you will be held liable for this action. ﾠ
Please note the following when writing your assignmentsﾠ
You must not re-use past work from previous assessments in your assignments.ﾠ
Results
Unless specifically indicated by the lecturer involved, every attempt will be made to have the results for progressive assessment tasks available within 3 weeks of submission. For items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will be available before the day of your end of semester examination in the course, unless otherwise indicated by the Course Coordinator. Results and feedback availability for progressive assessment will be announced via the course Blackboard site.ﾠ
Feedback
Studentsﾠwill beﾠencouraged to complete the course evaluation questionaire at the end of the semester.
Re-mark Applications – refer to theﾠUniversity's Re-mark Policyﾠto check your eligibility
- Before applying for a remark, students should consider the following:
- You have consulted the course coordinator for feedback
- Your academic grounds for remark have been discussed and are valid
- Wanting a higher grade is not grounds for a remark. A remark can decrease your grade.
- Remark applicationsﾠwill notﾠbe considered without first having contacted your course Co-ordinator
Deferred and Supplementary assessment (including Deferred Mid-Semester Examinations)
Deferred and Supplementary information can be located on the my.UQ website
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Other course materials
If we've listed something under further requirement, you'll need to provide your own.
Required
| Item | Description | Further Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| HORT3003/HORT7002 Blackboard site | http://learn.uq.edu.au |
Additional learning resources information
There is a shared Blackboard site for HORT3003 and HORT7002. However, assessment information and submission links will be specific for each course.
Useful references/resources:
- IBISWorld (industry statistics available via UQ Library)
- http://agnet.com.au/biglist.html
- http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu/
- http://growcom.com.au
- https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/
- http://horticulture.com.au
The departments responsible for Agriculture/Horticulture in the various Australian states carry a wide range of publications on horticulture and related topics.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Course introduction General introduction to horticultural production systems & discussion of assessments. Lecturer: Robyn Cave; No field trip |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Nursery production Overview of nursery production practices. Lecturer: Robyn Cave. Learning outcomes: L01 |
Practical |
Pohlmans nursery Field trip to observe industry nursery practices. Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Fruit industry Overview of the fruit industry. Lecturer: Sundar Kalaipandian; No Field trip |
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Fruit tree production Fruit tree production practices. Lecturer: Tahir Khurshid, NSW Department of Primary Industries. |
Practical |
Fruit orchard (Date TBC) Field trip to view fruit orchard practices, TBC Learning outcomes: L02, L06 |
|
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Lecture |
Berry production Berry production practices. Lecturer: Louise Wheatley, Costa Group; No Field trip Learning outcomes: L02, L06 |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
Vegetable Industry Overview of the vegetable Industry. Lecturer: Robyn Cave; Guest lecture on vegetable production in the Lockyer valley. No Field trip Learning outcomes: L03, L06 |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
Vegetable production Vegetable production. Lecturer: Clinton McGrath, Dept. Agriculture and Forestry. |
Practical |
Lockyer valley vegetable production (Date TBC) Field trip of the Lockyer Valley vegetable growing region, including sweetpotato research, TBC |
|
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
Pest and diseases Pest and disease management. Lecturer: Kayvan Etebari; No Field trip Learning outcomes: L05 |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Lecture |
Pollination Pollination in horticulture crops. Lecturer: Kayvan Etebari; No Field trip Learning outcomes: L05 |
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-semester break |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
Precision agriculture Technology used in horticulture practices. Lecturer: Guta Bedane; No Field Trip Learning outcomes: L03 |
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Lecture |
Floriculture Floriculture production systems. Lecturer: Robyn Cave. Learning outcomes: L04 |
Practical |
Cut flower production (Date TBC) Field trip to a cut flower farm/greenhouse, TBC Learning outcomes: L04 |
|
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Seminar |
Student presentations Student oral presentations during class time. No Field trip Learning outcomes: L07 |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
General contact hours |
Revision Exam information session; No Field trip |
Revision week (28 Oct - 03 Nov) |
Not Timetabled |
Revision period Independent study |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.