PLSC 412 - NURSERY PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

Course Syllabus

Spring Semester, 2007
3 credits
 
Instructor: Dr. Wenhao (David) Dai
374C Loftsgard Hall
Phone: (231-8473)
Email: wenhao.dai@ndsu.edu
 
Class: 1:00 - 1:50 p. m. Mon, Wed, and Fri in Loftsgard Hall 102.
 
Office Hours: 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Mon. and Fri.
Appointmants or Drop-Ins welcome 8:00 - 5:00 Mon - Fri
 
Textbook
Nursery Management, Administration and Culture by Davidson, H., R. Mecklenburg, and C. Peterson, 4th edit., Prentice Hall, 2000, 530 pp.
Supplementary Reference (W): Production of Landscape Plants II (in containers) by Whitcomb, C.E. Lacebark Inc., 2003, 1129 pp.
Course Description
Overview of nursery industry, concepts and principles in development,
production, management practices, facilities/equipment, nursery stock standards, storage and over-wintering.
Objectives
  a) To acquaint students with the history, scope, commercial value and career opportunities in the nursery industry.
  b) To expose students to nursery classification, nursery crop production (field/container), harvesting and storage, nursery facilities, and nursery management and marketing.
  c) To motivate students to set goals towards management level positions in the nursery industry.
Educational Philosophy
Various opportunities are provided in this course to expand student learning potential. Students are expected to attend all lectures. The textbooks are available for student purchase. Additional lecture handout, research papers, and other relevant materials will be provided in the class.
     
Course Content and Schedule:
Part I. General Introduction
Chapter 1. The past and the future
  1. History of the nursery industry
  2. A changing industry
Chapter 2. Nursery Classification
  1. Ownership
  2. Function
  3. Production system
  4. Product
Chapter 3. Nursery Administration and Organization
  1. Allied areas and related associations and organizations
  2. Determining goals
  3. Planning
  4. Organization
  5. Leadership and Coordination
  6. Motivation, Evaluation, and Rewards
Chapter 4. Establishment of Nursery
  1. Selecting a nursery site
  2. Organization and development of the nursery site
Part II. Nursery Production
Chapter 5. Nursery Crop Production
  1. Production planning
  2. Propagation
  3. Liner production
  4. Field production
  5. Container production
Chapter 6. Soil and Nutrition Management for Field-Grown Plants
  1. Soil
  2. Essential elements
  3. Soil improvement
  4. Plant nutrition and fertilization
  5. Soil conservation
Chapter 7. Media and Nutrition Management for Container-Grown Plants
  1. Functions and Criteria
  2. Ingredients
  3. Container Media
  4. Chemical Supplements
  5. Testing and Modifying
  6. Media treatment
Chapter 8. Irrigation of Nursery Crops
 
1. Water source and quality
2. Soil moisture determination
3. Estimation of water requirement
4. Distribution systems
5.

Watering nursery crops

6. Purification of recycled water
Chapter 9. Modifying Plant Growth and Development in the Nursery
 
1. Plant phenotype
2. Shoot modification
3. Root modification
Chapter 10. Harvesting and Storage
  1. Harvesting methods
  2. Nursery stock grading
  3. Nursery storage facilities
Part III. Nursery Management
Chapter 11. Inventory Management
  1. Plant inventory
  2. Equipment inventory
  3. Supplies
Chapter 12. Nursery Marketing and Financial Management
  1. Laws and regulations
  2. Codes
  3. Pricing
  4. Warranty
  5. Shipping and nursery stock
     
Tentative Lecture Schedule
DATE LECTURE TOPIC READING ASSIGNMENT
Jan. 10 Course introduction Handout
Jan. 12 Chapter 1 Chapter 1
Jan. 15 No class - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday  
Jan. 17, 19 Chapter 1 Chapter 1
Jan. 22, 24, 26 Chapter 2 Chapter 2
Jan. 29, 31 Chapter 3 Chapter 3
Feb. 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 3
Feb. 5, 7, 9, 12 Chapter 4 Chapter 4, 5
Feb. 14 (1:00-1:50 pm) Exam 1
Feb. 16 Chapter 5 Chapter 11
Feb. 19 No class-Presidents' Day Holiday
Feb. 21, 23, 26 Chapter 5 Chapter 11
Feb. 28 Chapter 6 Chapter 12
Mar. 2, 5, 7, 9 Chapter 6 Chapter 12
Mar. 12, 14, 16 No class - Spring Break Week
Mar. 19, 21 Chapter 7 Chapter 13
Mar. 23 (1:00-1:50 pm) Exam 2
Mar. 26, 28, 30 Chapter 8 Chapter 14
Apr. 2, 4 Chapter 9 Chapter 15
Apr. 6, 9 No class-Holiday/Recess
Apr. 11, 13, 16 Chapter 10 Chapter 11, 17
Apr. 18, 20, 23, 25 Chapter 11 Chapter 9
Apr. 27, 30 Chapter 12 Chapter 6, 7
May 2, 4 Chapter 12 Chapter 8, 10
May 11 (1:00-3:00 pm) Final Exam
 
Part VII. Student Evaluation:
Quiz: There are seven 10-point pop-quizzes throughout the entire semester. No makeup of quizzes will be allowed except for a doctor-excused illness, funeral, etc. Only the 6 highest quiz scores will be counted.

Examination: Two non-cumulative exams and one cumulative final exam will be given. Each non-cumulative exam is worth 100 points. The final exam is worth 150 points. Examinations may cover lectures, assigned reading materials, and class discussions. Any exceptions will be announced in the class.

Field trip: Participation in each field Trip will obtain 10 points.

 
Part VIII. Grading:
      Points Grading Scale Grade
  Six quizzes 60 90-100% A
  Exam 1 100 80-89% B
  Exam 2 100 70-79% C
  Final exam 150  60-69% D
  Field trip 10  

<60%

 F
  Total 420    
 

Part XI. Cancellation:

A university cancellation of a class meeting time automatically delays all scheduled activities (lecture or exam) to the next regularly scheduled meeting time.

Part X. Special Needs:
Any students with disabilities or other special needs (special accommodations) in the class are invited to share these concerns or requests with the instructor as soon as possible.

Part XI. Dishonesty:

The College of Agriculture operates under “The Honor System” which believes that a student has the privilege and the obligation to perform honestly and responsibly. An indication of dishonesty will be referred to The Honor Commission governed by students. Students must sign the College of Agriculture Honor Pledge at the end of each exam.