Teaching

4907-021 - Ökophysiologie und Anbau rohstoffliefernder Pflanzen der Tropen und Subtropen - Vorlesung

Es werden Interaktionen zwischen Pflanzen und ihrer Umwelt am Beispiel von rohstoffliefernden Pflanzen erläutert. Abiotische Stressfaktoren werden bezüglich ihrer naturräumlichen und standortbezogenen Wichtigkeit mit Beispielen für die pflanzliche Entwicklung und das pflanzliche Wachstum erklärt. An Beispielen wichtiger rohstoffliefernder Pflanzen und ihrer Standortansprüche werden Anbau und Wertschöpfungsketten verdeutlicht.

4907-211 - Reaktionen und Anpassungen von Pflanzen unter Wasserstress - Vorlesung

1. Einführung, Stressdefinition, Stresstypen
2. Morphologie von Wurzel, Sprossachse und Blatt
3. Wasseraufnahme und -leitung
4. Transpiration, Stomata, Photosynthese, Respiration
5. Was ist Wasserstress? Dürre, Sättigungsdefizit der Luft, Überflutung, Anoxie
6. Anpassungen an Dürre: Wasseraufnahme, -leitung, - abgabe
7. Saisonalität und Lebenszyklen, Phänologie
8. Kohlenstoffpartitionierung, Sorten und Artunterschiede9. Dürre und Ertrag
9. Wassernutzungseffizienz. Komponenten der Wasserbilanzgleichung,
10. Stabile Isotope
11. Anpassung an Überflutung
12. Zusammenfassung
13. Prüfung

4907-411 - Natural Resource Use and Conservation in the Tropics and Subtropics - Vorlesung

1. Introduction - module requirements - module links within the compulsory moduls - Ilias - exam mode and requirements - expectations
2. Systems thinking - multidisciplinary approaches - Resources - functions - links between resources - concepts of use and conservation
3. Weather - Climate - global circulation - wind systems - ocean currents - global energy distribution - precipitation patterns - agro-ecolgical zoning - agri-ecological zones -examples
4. Precipitation patterns - agro-ecological zoning - agri-ecological zones -definitions- Length of growing period - Köppen-Geiger-vegetation zones -examples
5. Global water cycle - precipitation - evaporation - transpiration - run-off - surface pools - kondesation - movement - immobilisation - water table recharge - drainage - percolation
6. Water as a resource - global water issues- virtual water - Green -Blue -Grey - Water Concepts - rain water harvesting - field water management - water and soil -soil degradation and withering -tropical soils = problem soils
7. General definitions, soil functions and global soil degradation
8. Soil description and systematics
9. Soil diversity at variable scales
10. Problem soils and their management
11. Exercise: Calculation of site characteristics
12. Soil management in Sahelian subsistence farming systems
13. Major land usetypes of the tropics and subtropics and ecosystems services
14. Crop production systems, crop management and resource use in the tropics and subtopics: Potentials and constriants
15. Land use change, LUC assessement: tools and approaches
16. Matter flows in landscapes, interconnectivity of landscapes
17. Land degradation: types, extent, human impact, consequences and mitigation options at landscape level
18. Global diversity of vascular plants, Role of the tropics and subtopics: origin of most food crops, Agricultural threats to biodiversity
19. Natural resource use in tropical livestock systems: - System classifications - Resource use by livestock - efficiency of nutrient and water conversion - examples
20. Tropical feed resources: - Feed evaluation systems - Nutritional value of tropical feed resources
21. Tropical feed resources: - Nutritional value of tropical feed resources (cont.) - Feed management and conservation - examples of livestock feeding in different production systems
22. Grassland-based livestock production: - Grassland ecotypes - Spatio-temporal availability in resource availability - Pastoral livestock systems
23. Grassland-based livestock production: - Grassland degradation processes -
24. Grassland-based livestock production: Rangeland concepts - Management strategies
25. Plant Genetic Resources (PGR), Roles and functions of crop and varietal diversity in the production system (including linkage with nutrition), PGR conservation (ex situ, in situ - farmer management of diversity), Use of PGR : legal framework (CBD, ITPGRFA, SMTA, benefit sharing)
26. Use of PGR and crop improvement targeting sustainable production systems and sustainable use of natural resources (P, N efficiency)
27. Use of PGR and crop improvement to cope with climate variability and change
28. Use and breeding of minor crops

4907-491 - Excursion to the Tropics and Subtropics - Seminar mit Exkursion

The Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute for Tropical Agricultural Sciences organizes every 2 years excursions to the Tropics for advanced students interested in development oriented agricultural research in the Tropics and Subtropics. The excursion provides the students a guided on-site experience in a developing country and the opportunity to complement theoretical knowledge obtained during lectures with practical experience in the field. Destinations are chosen along natural and agro-ecosystems and agricultural production, livestock husbandry, and farming systems. Excursions are designed in close co-operation with partner networks in the target countries. The students - gain a detailed and embracing insight into the natural resource endowment, the agricultural and food-sector and the related extension, research, and teaching systems on-site. - discuss and evaluate relevant issues with local research, government and non-governmental institutions, with farmers and extension officers - participate in preparatory seminars - prepare group presentations to selected topics related to the country of destination and its main agricultural activities - give individual oral presentations - write reports during and after the field trip - combine the different reports to a joint excursion report.

4907-811 - Water - People - Agriculture - Seminar

A038 - Graduiertenseminar Plant Production and Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics - Seminar

3000-811 - Spezialkurs: "Water for life" (PhD) - Vorlesung

This module will be structured by the individual needs and interests of the PhD students in the area of water issues related to the research topic of the PhD candidate. It needs to be an international module on a PhD level at a center of excellence, a University or an international enterprise.

The module can therefore be completed by an individually arranged (and graded!) internship with another scientific institution meeting the standards for modules of the University of Hohenheim. The content of the module should be defined at latest 18 months after the beginning of the PhD study program in consultation with the supervisor or the supervising team and the management of the WPA Research Training Group. A description of the module content confirmed by the hosting institution should be presented to the person in charge of the module for approval.

Professional skills will be related to one of the following research themes:

water as a resource

water and climate

water and health

water productivity

water as a societal challenge

4907-421 - Ecophysiology of Crops in the Tropics and Subtropics - Vorlesung mit Übung

The module comprises three parts after a general introduction to the topics and structure of the module

1. knowledge acquisition through lectures (5 afternoons)
2. practical exercises on plant parameters related the plants physiological responses to their environment (6 afternoons)
3. working with data (3 afternoons)
4. Seminar presentations and discussions (3 afternoons)

1. the lectures will cover in-depth climatic and ecophysiological aspects of cropping systems and crops in the Tropics and Subtropics. Emphasis will be put on plant x environment interactions and abiotic stresses.
2. In greenhouse exercises all plant parameters related to physiological responses of plants to sub-optimal conditions will be studied. Exercises include root hydraulic properties, salinity stress, light and photosynthesis, plant sampling procedures and plant water relations. Data collected from the exercises will be used for exemplary data analyses.
3. Students will prepare seminar topics based on important tropical crops or cropping systems. Focus will be on ecophysiological requirements of specific crop plants. Subjects will cover legumes, C3 and C4 species, oil crops, fiber crops, cereals and plantation crops

The grade will be composed of quality and content of the oral presentation, quality and comprehensibility of the handout, application of acquired knowledge and participation in the discussion and the results of the final written exam.

4907-431 - Crop Production Affecting the Hydrological Cycle - Vorlesung mit Übung

The module comprises three parts after a general introduction to the topics and structure of the module

1. knowledge acquisition through lectures (6 afternoons)
2. practical exercises on plant parameters related to the hydrological cycle (5 afternoons)
3. Seminar discussions (5 afternoons)

1. the lectures will cover in-depth in an interactive, seminar-like structure all aspects of the hydrological cycle related to crops and crop management. The Penman-Montheith formula will be investigated and applied in a high resolution. An introduction to modeling may be included.
2. In greenhouse exercises all plant parameters related to the hydrological cycle will be studied. Experiments will cover water acquisition by the plant, water transport and transpiration from leaves and canopies and bare soil evaporation. Data collected from the exercises will be used for exemplary data analyses.
3. Students will prepare discussion topics within predefined overarching subject areas. They will identify a clearly defined topic, find 2-3 journal papers dealing with that topic from different angles, share these papers with their fellow students, prepare an impulse talk to set the scene for discussion and lead/moderate the discussion. The entire group will have prepared the papers to fully participate in the discussion.

The grade will be composed of quality and content of the impulse talk, relevance of the handout for the discussion, relevance of the journal papers to the topic, performance during the moderation, application of acquired knowledge, and participation in the discussion.

4907-441 - Interdisciplinary Practical Science Training - Praktikum mit Übungen

Students will work in groups of 4. Each group will cover all exercises. Exercises comprise seed science, plant cultivation, phenology and plant growth, determination of agronomic and physiologic traits, plant growth analysis, and feed value determination. Basic experimental methods will be introduced and exercised with the appropriate tools. Data will be analysed by the students and written up as a report.

4907-811 - Water - People - Agriculture - Seminar

A038 - Graduiertenseminar Plant Production and Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics - Seminar