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Available courses

horticulture

Upon successful completion of the course, the trainee should be able to;

       i.          Define key terms used in horticulture;

     ii.          Discuss the roles and various challenges hindering horticultural industry in Kenya;

   iii.          Identify and classify the various horticultural crops;

   iv.          Appreciate and describe the effect of environmental factors on production of horticultural crops;

     v.          Identify and explain the roles of growth hormones and essential elements;

   vi.          Demonstrate skills involved in nursery establishment and management practices;

  vii.          Demonstrate and describe the techniques of propagating horticultural crops;

viii.          Discuss the various management practices carried out on horticultural crops;

   ix.          Appreciate and familiarize themselves with propagation structures especially the Green house; and

     x.          Demonstrate the skills and techniques involved in post-harvest handling and marketing of the horticultural crops;

 

A.    Course content

Week

Topic

Contents

1-2

Introduction

Definition of key terms; history, scope, roles, challenges and factors favoring horticultural industry in Kenya; roles of HCDA and FPEAK

3

Classification of horticultural crops

Types and basis of classification and its

Importance

3-4

Effects of environmental factors on production of horticultural crops

 

Effects of temperature, light, RH, wind, moisture and soil and how they can be manipulated.

5

Plant growth substances

Effects of auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins and ethylene

5-6

Methods of propagating horticultural crops

 

Definitions, methods and techniques of propagation; their advantages and disadvantages; principles for successful propagation.

7

Nursery establishment and management practices

Site selection, nursery bed preparation, seed establishment, maintenance practices and transplanting procedure.

7

Propagation structures

Roles and advantages of a Green house, lath house, hot beds and cold frames

8

Nutrition of horticultural crops

 

 

Types of fertilizers; methods and principles of application

9-11

Management practices

Principles and methods of pruning, mulching, irrigation, weed control, pest and disease control

12-13

Harvesting, post-harvest handling and marketing of horticultural produce

Principles of harvesting, sorting, grading, curing, storage, packaging, transportation and marketing.

 

SOIL SCIENCE

SOIL SCIENCE

COURSE   UNIT SUMMARY AND TIME

 ALLOCATIONS THEORY 41 HOURS                                                  

 

 

TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

HOUR

SOIL GENESIS AND

CLASSIFICATION

.Introductory Geology

.Fundamental concepts of soil genesis

.Soil formation.

.Weathering of soil.

.Soil profile.

.Introduction to soil classification

.Land capability and irrigation suitability.

.Taxonomy or classification.

. Important soils of East Africa.

.Salt affected soils.

.Hydromorphic soils.

 

20

SOIL PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY

.Soil constituents

.Nature of mineral particles

.Soil moisture characteristics

.Soil aggregates

.Soil colloids

.Clay fractions of soils

.Occurrence and properties of iron (fe) and .Aluminium(Al)oxides

.Mineral colloids solution relationship

.Ions in the soil solution

.Soil acidity

21

HORTICULTURE

 

A.    Course content

Week

Topic

Contents

1-2

Introduction

Definition of key terms; history, scope, roles, challenges and factors favoring horticultural industry in Kenya; roles of HCDA and FPEAK

3

Classification of horticultural crops

Types and basis of classification and its

Importance

3-4

Effects of environmental factors on production of horticultural crops

 

Effects of temperature, light, RH, wind, moisture and soil and how they can be manipulated.

5

Plant growth substances

Effects of auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins and ethylene

5-6

Methods of propagating horticultural crops

 

Definitions, methods and techniques of propagation; their advantages and disadvantages; principles for successful propagation.

7

Nursery establishment and management practices

Site selection, nursery bed preparation, seed establishment, maintenance practices and transplanting procedure.

7

Propagation structures

Roles and advantages of a Green house, lath house, hot beds and cold frames

8

Nutrition of horticultural crops

 

 

Types of fertilizers; methods and principles of application

9-11

Management practices

Principles and methods of pruning, mulching, irrigation, weed control, pest and disease control

12-13

Harvesting, post-harvest handling and marketing of horticultural produce

Principles of harvesting, sorting, grading, curing, storage, packaging, transportation and marketing.

 

B.    Suggested Readings

Adams C. R et al (2008). Principles of Horticulture. 5th edition. Butterworth- Heinemann, Burlington. USA.

Edmond J. B et al (1977). Fundamentals of Horticulture. 4th edition. Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd. New Delhi.

Edward Edward E. and Carrol S. Jr (1997). Introductory Horticulture. 5th edition. Delmar Publishers. New York, USA.

Grounds R. (1977). Practical Pruning. Ward Lock Ltd. Great Britain.

Prasad S. and U. Kumar (1999). Principles of Horticulture. Agrobios (India). New Delhi.

 

HORTICULTURE

Week

Topic

Contents

1-2

Introduction

Definition of key terms; history, scope, roles, challenges and factors favoring horticultural industry in Kenya; roles of HCDA and FPEAK

3

Classification of horticultural crops

Types and basis of classification and its

importance

3-4

Effects of environmental factors on production of horticultural crops

 

Effects of temperature, light, RH, wind, moisture and soil and how they can be manipulated.

5

Plant growth substances

Effects of auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins and ethylene

5-6

Methods of propagating horticultural crops

 

Definitions, methods and techniques of propagation; their advantages and disadvantages; principles for successful propagation.

7

Nursery establishment and management practices

Site selection, nursery bed preparation, seed establishment, maintenance practices and transplanting procedure.

7

Propagation structures

Roles and advantages of a Green house, lath house, hot beds and cold frames

8

Nutrition of horticultural crops

 

 

Types of fertilizers; methods and principles of application

9-11

Management practices

Principles and methods of pruning, mulching, irrigation, weed control, pest and disease control

12-13

Harvesting, post-harvest handling and marketing of horticultural produce

Principles of harvesting, sorting, grading, curing, storage, packaging, transportation and marketing.

HORTICULTURE

Week

Topic

Contents

1-2

Introduction

Definition of key terms; history, scope, roles, challenges and factors favoring horticultural industry in Kenya; roles of HCDA and FPEAK

3

Classification of horticultural crops

Types and basis of classification and its

importance

3-4

Effects of environmental factors on production of horticultural crops

 

Effects of temperature, light, RH, wind, moisture and soil and how they can be manipulated.

5

Plant growth substances

Effects of auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins and ethylene

5-6

Methods of propagating horticultural crops

 

Definitions, methods and techniques of propagation; their advantages and disadvantages; principles for successful propagation.

7

Nursery establishment and management practices

Site selection, nursery bed preparation, seed establishment, maintenance practices and transplanting procedure.

7

Propagation structures

Roles and advantages of a Green house, lath house, hot beds and cold frames

8

Nutrition of horticultural crops

 

 

Types of fertilizers; methods and principles of application

9-11

Management practices

Principles and methods of pruning, mulching, irrigation, weed control, pest and disease control

12-13

Harvesting, post-harvest handling and marketing of horticultural produce

Principles of harvesting, sorting, grading, curing, storage, packaging, transportation and marketing.