Course CodeBAG309Fee CodeS2Duration (approx)100 hoursQualificationTo obtain formal documentation the optional exam(s) must be completed which will incur an additional fee of £30. Alternatively, a letter of completion may be requested. Learn to grow cereals, pulses and pseudo grains Grow grain crops on a small or large scale. Learn production methods, from soil preparation and planting to harvest and post harvest treatment of the grain. This course is an ideal foundation for farmers, farm workers and anyone supporting agricultural grain production or marketing. Lesson Structure There are 9 lessons in this course: Introduction to Grains Production of Crops in Different Climates and Ecological Zones Climate Soil Aspect and Altitude Crop Growing Periods and Growing Degree Days. Cropping Season as Affected by Moisture Availability World Cropping Cereal Crop Growth Stages Jointing Stage Booting Stage Grain Fill Stage Zadok Scale Grain Types Wheat Barley Sorghum Oats Rice Corn Canola Pulses Production Systems Crop Rotation Cover Crops Crop Islands Grain Growing and Processing: Infrastructure and Machinery Equipment Requirements Choosing A Tractor and Accessories Equipment and Tools Used in Different Crop Production Operations Tillage Seed Certified and Saved Seed Seed Production Planting Other Crop Production Operations Irrigation Equipment Crop Lodging Harvest Cereal Harvesting Equipment Threshers/Combined Harvester Thresher Cleaning Grain Storage Silos Silo Bags Bunkers Insect Pest Control in Grain Storage Wheat, Spelt, Triticosecale, Oats, Barley, Rye Wheat and Spelt Cultivars Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Zinc Crop Health Crown Rot Stripe Rust Leaf Rust Stem Rust Yellow Leaf Spot Nematodes Harvest and Uses Tritosecale Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Harvest and Uses Cultivars Oats Cultivars Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Harvest and Uses Barley Cultivars Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Nitrogen Phosphorus Aluminium And Boron Toxicity Crop Health Crown Rot Net Blotch Spot Blotch Powdery Mildew Harvest and Uses. Rye Winter and Spring Rye Cultivars Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Harvest and Uses Maize, Sorghum and Millet Maize Cultivars Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Nitrogen Phosphorous Potassium Sulphur Iron Crop Health Boil Smut (Ustilago Maydis) Rust (Puccinia Sorghi) Stalk and Cob Rots Harvest and Uses Sorghum Cultivars Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Ergot (Claviceps Africana) Insect Pests Heliothis Sorghum Midge Harvest and Uses Millet Cultivars Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Grey Leaf Spot Charcoal Rot Pests Harvest and Uses Rice Rice (Oryza Spp.) Cultivars Commonly Cultivated Varieties of Rice Grain Type - Colour: Brown Vs White Different Varieties for Eating Cultivation Environmental Overview Altitude Water Irrigating Rice Rainfed - Terrace Systems. Crop Health and Diseases Bacterial Blight Bacterial Leaf Streak Blast, Leaf and Collar Red Stripe Harvest Ratooning Rice-Wheat Systems Pulse Crops Soybeans Crop Health Pidgeon Peas (Congo Beans) Appearance Cultivars Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Harvest Lima Beans Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Harvest Cowpeas Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Harvest Mung Beans Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Harvest Chick Peas Soil and Fertility Crop Health Lentils Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Harvest Faba Beans Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Harvest Field Peas (Green Peas) Growing Conditions Propagation Soil Fertility Crop Health Pseudo Cereals Chia Quinoa Appearance Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Harvest Amaranth Appearance Cultivars Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Harvest Buckwheat Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Sesame Seed Cultivars Cultivation Soil and Fertility Crop Health Harvest Processing Grains for Human Consumption Post-Harvest Processing Drying Morphologically Determining Moisture Content Portable Moisture Meters Simple Drying Test to Determine Moisture Laboratory Testing Types of Drying Natural Drying Heat-Drying (Hot Air Drying) When Is It Dry? Storage Aerating and Cooling Moisture Content in Stored Grain Treatment During Storage Mechanical Treatments Grain Processing for Consumption Hulling Wheat Processing Cleaning and Scouring Tempering Grinding/Milling of Wheat Bleaching the Flour Blending and Final Production of Flours Extraction Rate Processing Maize (Corn) Corn Refining Processing Rice Processing Oats Processing Pseudo grains Quinoa and Amaranth Fortifying Foods Grains for Livestock Consumption Differences Between Crops for Human Consumption and Those for Animal Consumption C3 And C4 Grasses - C3 Plants - C4 Plants - Legume Forage - Mixed Grass and Legume Forages Nutrient-Dense Forages and Forage Quality Forage Maturity and Nutritional Value Forage Quality Palatability and Taste Intake Digestibility Nutrient Density Anti-Nutritional Factors Livestock Performance and Growth Specific Forage, Feed and Grass Types Feeding and Ration Calculations Aims Classify important existing and emerging grains or cereals grown around the world and explain the production systems both large and small scale, used for growing, harvesting and storing grains in different countries. Describe important farm structures, equipment, vehicles, supplies and natural resources required for successful production of cereal/grain crops Describe and compare the properties and production systems of the major ‘cool season’ cereals, namely: wheat, triticale, spelt, barley, oats and rye. Describe and compare the properties and production systems of the major ‘warm season’ cereals, namely: maize, sorghum and millet Describe the four main broad habitats where rice is grown and explain the variety of production systems used within these different habitats. Explain and compare the production systems and uses of important cool and warm season pulse crops grown around the world. Describe production of ‘non-grasses’ that are existing or emerging as important‘cereals’, such as chia, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat. Explain post harvest storage and processing methods used for cereals for human consumption and examine the various sales procedures used. Describe the production of important warm and cool season grasses used for forage and stock feed Describe the storage, processing and sale of cereals used for livestock and demonstrate the calculation of some sample stock rations Grain and Pulse Production Involves More Than Just Growing Successful production of a grain crop starts with an ability to select an appropriate cultivar and know how to grow it and ends with knowing how to harvest, treat and store the grain once the crop has matured. After Harvest the Next Step is Usually Drying The crops discussed in this course are grown to produce either forage or grain. Forage is food for livestock, where the vegetative part of the plant itself is an important component of the crop. Grain, on the other hand, is the seeds from these crops used for human consumption. In this case, the grain is removed from the rest of the plant, then readied for eating. The type of consumption and amount of processing required varies according to the grain type and use. A combine harvester is a machine that harvests grain crops and it usually combines three separate operations: reaping, threshing, and winnowing into a single process. These processes can also be done by separate machines or by hand in smallholder farming systems. A thresher can also be a standalone piece of equipment on smaller farms without harvesters. It works by beating the plant to make the seeds fall out. Winnowing separates the loosened chaff from the grain, often by a process of lifting the grains up and allowing them to fall with a current of fair which carries away the lighter chaff allowing the heavier grain to fall downwards. Once winnowed, the grain can be dried and stored. It can then be processed when required. When the grain reaches primary processing, the steps may vary some – rice, for instance, is often hulled then sold without milling. Although crop regulations vary from country to country, drying is a government requirement in most places. This is because some level of drying is usually necessary for safe storage. Determining how much drying is required means the moisture content of the grain must first be assessed. This can be done by several methods ranging in their accuracy and cost: Morphologically With a moisture meter With a simple drying test Laboratory tests (NIR, Microwave) WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS COURSE? Farmers Farm Contractors Agricultural suppliers Farm Produce agents and marketers Agricultural students Other agricultural professionals, from writers and educators to research scientists, seedsmen and plant breeders. Small farm or hobby farm owners considering new "niche" crops Livestock owners/managers, wanting to produce animal feeds HOW TO ENROL Click box below on left hand side -follow instructions. IF YOU NEED ADVICE - click here to use our FREE ADVISORY SERVICE