DEPARTMENT OF CROP/SOIL SCIENCE

PHILOSOPHY
The philosophy of the Department is to train high level manpower who will be equipped in the challenges of a changing Nigeria in the application of science and technology for the welfare of the citizenry. It will also equip the student with the ability to sustain himself in the environment.

OBJECTIVE
(i) The objective of the Department is to produce trained manpower to effectively mobilize the rural communities for increased agricultural productivity.

(ii) Engage in production and research that would provide relevant and appropriate solutions to the country's agricultural and rural development problems and improve agricultural productivity in general.

(iii)  Produce manpower to take up employment anywhere in the world and particularly Nigeria in any aspect of agriculture and related areas.

(iv) Produce agriculturists who can profitably put their skills into operation by establishing and operating their own farming enterprises.

The programme to be known as Bachelor of Agriculture General agricultural programme for the first four years with specialization in the final year in

•  Crop Science and

•  Soil Science

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

The students on graduating will:

•  Be employed to tutor new initiates in the arts of crop husbandry.

•  Be capable of managing crop production farms.

•  Be employed in teaching and research in Universities and research institutes and environment – based companies / ministries and parastatals.

•  Be employed as a technologists in soil / plant / water and fertilizer testing quality control laboratories.

•  Be self – employed in crop production or related matters and environmental management.

•  Be capable of establishing and maintaining Biodiversity and conservation effects.

DURATION OF PROGRAMME

The normal duration of the B. Agric. with options in (Crop Science, Soil Science respectively) is a minimum of five sessions (10 semesters) comprising class room Lecture, practicals and supervised industrial work experience SCHEME (SIWES) in the Fourth year of the 5 years programme.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1. University Requirement

(a) J. M.E. Entry Requirements ( year 1 ) SC/GCE ‘O' Level/SSC with credit passes in 5 appropriate subjects including English language and Mathematics obtained in not more than two (2) sittings;

(b) Direct Entry Requirements

(i) HSC/GCE ‘A' Level passes in two (2) subjects plus SC/GCE ‘O' Level/SSC credit passes (including English Language) in three (3) Other subjects at not more than two (2) sittings.

(ii)  HSC/GCE ‘A' Level passes in three (3) relevant subjects Plus SC/GCE ‘O' Level/SSC credit level passes ( including English Language) in two (2) sittings.

(iii) OND/ND, UD. (Upper CREDIT RSUST) certificates, provided that the requirements for admission through J. M.E. are also satisfied.

2. Faculty/Departmental Requirements

a) J.M.E. Entry Requirement

In addition to an acceptance pass in J.M.E. candidates must have;

•  SSC with five credit passes in English language, Biology or Agric. Science, Chemistry, Geography, Mathematics.

•  WASC/GCE ‘O' Level five credit passes in English Language, Chemistry, Biology or Agric Science, Mathematics or Physics, Economics, and any other subject. At least a pass in Physics and English Language are also required. For Tourism/Wildlife Management, a pass in Mathematics is required.

b) Direct Entry Requirements

(i) To be eligible for direct entry admission, candidates must have met matriculation requirements in the relevant subjects plus two (2) HSC/GCE ‘A' Level passes in Chemistry and Biology:

OR

•  OND holders with credit passes in Biology or Agric. Science and Chemistry may be admitted into year one.

(iii) NCE and HND holders with credit passes in Biology or Agric. Science may be admitted into second and third years.

c) Waivers and special considerations/other qualification

(i) General : in exceptional cases, a pass in English Language or Mathematics may be accepted. Credit in Agricultural Science to be backed by a pass in Biology.

•  Admission to Year I: OND/ND, UD (UPPER CREDITS UST) in related discipline. In addition to the above such candidates must also satisfy the J. M.E.

•  Admission into year II: NCE in related discipline.

•  Admission into year III:

•  HND in related discipline.

•  B. Sc. degree in science discipline. In addition to the above, such candidates must also satisfy the J. M. E. entry requirements.

•  J. M.E. Subjects:

English Language, Chemistry, Biology or

Agricultural Science and Mathematics.

 

POST – GRADUATE PROGRAMME 

PHILOSOPHY

OBJECTIVES

The programme is designed to deepen the students grasp of crop science and introduce the student to the techniques and tools of research, develop the spirit of enquiry and generally prepare him/her to solve the problems militating against increased crop production. The students will be equipped with enough knowledge to enable them train additional manpower in the art of crop husbandry, be engaged in nature conservation and environmental consultancy.

A. SPECIFIC FIELDS:

I) Crop Husbandry (Ecology Physiology), Production and Management

The Department offers advanced studies in the Husbandry of crops starting from seed bed preparation through planting, fertilizing to harvesting, increasing productivity per unit area of land and means of increasing the total area under cultivation.

II) Farming Systems:

This entails the farming systems concept, approach, research techniques, diagnostic surveys, on – farm adaptive research, data analysis procedures, etc.

III) Crop Breeding

Entails advanced training in crop breeding selection, crop introduction, crop hybrization including genetic engineering.

iv) Crop Protection

Includes the protection of the crops from weeds, entomological and pathological problems.

•  Environment : Includes environmental analysis, stresses and quality measurements.

B. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

The students on graduating will:

•  Be capable of managing well

•  Work in crop Research Institutes

•  Properly tutor new initiatives in the arts of crop husbandry

•  Serve as consultant in crop production and environmental problems to public and private sectors.

C. PRORGRAMMES

The Department of Crop Science offers the following programmes a fulltime and part-time basis:

•  Post-graduate Diploma (PGD) in Crop Science or Environ. Crop Science or Environ. Crop Science

•  Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Crop Science, or Environ. Crop Science.

•  Doctor of philosophy (Ph.D) Crop Science, or Environ. Crop Science.

E. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

I) Postgraduate diploma in crop science, or environmental crop science

In addition to other University requirements, the candidate must possess either in 2 nd Class (Lower Division) Bachelor's degree or a third class degree in Soil Science or a lower credit HND/NND or equivalent qualification in Botany, Biology, Biochemistry, Geology and other relevant fields earned from this University of Science and Technology.

•  Master of Science Degree

•  Candidates must have obtained at least a second class (Lower Division Degree) honours in Crop Science of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology or any other recognized University.

•  A Postgraduate Diploma in Crop Science of this University or any other recognized institution with at least a B graduate average pass is acceptable.

•  Doctor of Philosophy

Candidates with good relevant Masters Degree of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and from other recognized Universities may be considered for admission.

•  DURATION OF PROGRAMMES

•  Postgraduate Diploma in Crop Science, or Environmental Crop Science.

The postgraduate Diploma programme in Crop Science will normally take a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 18 units of prescribed courses per semester.

Candidates will be expected to complete a project of at least 4 units before graduation. Candidates admitted for the part – time programme will complete the programme in a minimum of four semesters. The prescribed courses to be determined by the supervisory committee will take into account the field of qualification of the candidate and make up deficiencies

ii) Master of Science (Course-Work with Project)

Master of Science (Course work with project ). The course shall be a one calendar year programme which would involve two semesters of course works carrying 6 units. Candidates admitted for the part time programme shall carry a minimum of 6 units per semester (i.e. total of 18 units per year). The course work must be completed in not more than twenty – four (24) calendar months.

iii) Master of Science (Course Work with Thesis)

The course shall run for at least 2 semesters. Candidates shall take the prescribed courses for 2 semesters and shall spend an additional 12 months for research. A thesis of acceptable standard shall be written up following completion of the research component. The thesis shall carry 12 units. The minimum course load for a full time student shall be 18 units per semester. This implied that candidates must take a minimum of 24 units and a maximum of 36 units of relevant graduate level courses to graduate. Candidates enrolled for the part-time programme shall fulfill the above requirements and complete the course work in not more than twenty – four (24) Calendar months.

iv) Doctor of Philosophy Programme

The Ph.D programme will take a minimum of a 4 semesters. Course work required as a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 36 units per session. Candidate will be required to present a dissertation based on original research work. The volume of the research involved will be equivalent to a maximum of 18 course units.

G. LIMIT OF DURATION

The University regulations on the maximum length of time to complete all requirements for the award of diploma and degrees shall apply.

H. Course of Duration

The Departmental courses are numbered according to Senate curriculum and Instruction Committee recommendation on course numeration. The first digit indicates the course level, while the middle digit is numbered according to the specialty divisions as listed below. The last digit indicates the sequence of the course within the specialty.

SPECIALITY DIVISION MIDDLE LIST OF COURSE

DIGIT CSC 610, 611, 612,

1. Crop (Ecology/Environment 1 613, 622 623, 624 Management) 641,614,664,631,625

2. Crop Physiology 2 CSC 620, 621, 722

3. Crop Breeding 3 CSC 630, 731

4. Farming Systems 4 CSC 640, 741

5. Field experimentation 5 CSC 750

6. Crop Production 6 CSC 660, 661,662,663,664, 665 666,667,668, 669

7. Research methodology 7 CSC 670

8. Seminar 8 CSC 680

9. Project/thesis 9 CSC 690, 791

CROP SCIENCE PROGRAMME

COURSE FOR M. SC. DEGREE IN CROP SCIENCE 

YEAR ONE SEMESTER 1

S/NO	COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	LECT TUT	PRACT	UNITS
1.	CSC 610	Arable Crop Production	2	3	3
2.	CSC 613	Advances in Agronomy	2	-	2
3.	CSC 620	Advanced Crop Physiology I	2	3	3
4.	CSC 630	Advanced plant Breeding	2	3	3
5.	CSC 640	Advanced Farming Systems	2	3	3
6.	CSC 660	Advanced Crop Entomology	2	3	3
7.	CSC 662	Advanced Weed Science	2	3	3
8	CSC 661	Phytopathology I	2	3	3

9	CSC 670	Research Methodology	2	-	3

TOTAL	=	=	=	=	26

M.SC. AND Ph.D PROGRAMMES IN

ENVIRONMENTAL CROP SCIENCE

CORE COURSES

FIRST SEMESTER

S/NO	COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	UNITS
1.	CSC 620	Advanced Crop Physiology	3
2.	CSC 622	Environmental Pollution and Crop Growth	4
3.	CSC 623	Advanced Physiology of Crop Under Environmental Stresses	3
4.	CSC 624	Advanced Environmental analysis	3
5.	CSC 650	Soil/Water Plant Relations	3
6.	CSC 600	Plant/Soil analysis and Instrumentation	3
7.	CSC 641	Farming Systems and the Environment	3
TOTAL			23

SECOND SEMESTER

S/NO	COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	UNITS
1.	CSC 750	Advanced Field Experimentation	3
2.	CSC 614	Advanced Phytogeography	3
3.	CSC 666	Advanced Rhizosphere and Phyllosphere studies	3
4.	CSC 631	Ecological Crop Improvement	3
5.	CSC 670	Research Methodology	3
6.	CSC 625	Landforms and Agriculture	3
7.	CSC 680	Seminar	1
8.	CSC 681	Project	1
9.	CSC 791	Thesis	3
TOTAL			19

ELECTIVE COURSES

S/NO	COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	UNITS
1.	SSC 640	Advanced Soil Microbiology	3
2.	FOR 731	Tropical Forest Ecology	3
3.	FOR 610	Productivity of Forest Stands	3
4.	4. CSC 664	Post-Harvest Pathology	3
5.	CSC 665	Plant Nematology	3

COURSE FOR P.G.D. CROP SCIENCE, OR
ENVIRONMENTAL CROP SCIENCE FIRST SEMESTER

S/NO	COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	LECT	TUT	PRACT	UNITS
1.	CSC 500	Crop Husbandry(Field & Plantation Crops)	2	0	3	3
2.	CSC 550	Horticulture(Veg & HorticultureCrop Production)	2	0	3	3
3.	CSC 560	Statistics & Field Experimentation	2	0	2	3
4.	CSC 540	Crop protection	2	0	2	3
5.	CSC 530	Crop Physiology	2	0	2	3
6.	CSC 531	Soil & PlantAnalysis & Instrumentation	2	0	4	4
7.	SC 511	Environmental Analysis	2	0	2	3
TOTAL			14	0	17	22

SECOND SEMESTER

S/NO	COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	LECT	TUT	PRACT	UNITS
1.	CSC 512	Environmental Pollution Remediation	2	0	2	3
2.	CSC 501	Farming Systems in the Tropics	2	0	2	3
3.	CSC 502	Forage Pasture& Fibre Crops	2	0	2	3
4.	CSC 520	Plant Breeding& Seed Production	2	0	2	3
5.	CSC 541	CSC 541	2	0	2	3
6.	CSC 531	Post-Harvest Physiology &Products Storage	2	0	2	3
7.	CSC 580	Seminar	-	-	-	-
8.	CSC 581	Student Research Project	0	0	12	6
TOTAL			14	2	22	25

ELECTIVES

S/NO	COURSE CODE	COURSE TITLE	LECT	TUT	PRACT	UNITS
1.	SSC 560	Soils in Humid tropics	2	0	2	3
2.	SSC 550	Fertilizer Tech.	2	0	0	2
3.	AEX 531	Agric Extension Method	1	2	0	2
4.	SSC 540	Soil Genesis, Morph & Classification	3	0	2	4
5.	SSC 551	Soil Fertility& Plant Nutrition	2	0	2	3
TOTAL			10	2	6	14