# HORT20070
**Source**: https://hub.ucd.ie/usis/!W_HU_MENU.P_PUBLISH?p_tag=MODULE&MODULE=HORT20070&TERMCODE=202500&ACYR=2026
**Parent**: https://hub.ucd.ie/usis/!W_HU_MENU.P_PUBLISH?p_tag=COURSE&MAJR=ESS1&AUDIENCE=
Academic Year 2025/2026
Print
#### Agricultural Botany (HORT20070)
Subject:
: Horticulture
College:
: Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
: Agriculture & Food Science
Level:
: 2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
: 5
Module Coordinator:
: Dr Aisling Reilly
Trimester:
: Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
: On Campus
Internship Module:
: No
How will I be graded?
: Letter grades
Curricular information is subject to change.
This module integrates our understanding of basic plant science with the objectives of agricultural plant production systems. Knowledge of fundamental plant biology and physiological processes allows manipulation of factors that are key to plant growth and development; and which underpin good husbandry practice, and improved yield and quality in both crop and livestock production systems.\
\
The module focuses on the following topics:\
1) The role of plants in food production, and as regulators of air, soil and water quality.\
2) The basic requirements of plant growth and development.\
3) Plant morphology: roots, stems, leaves, fruits and seeds.\
4) Major plant groups of agronomic importance, including forage grasses, cereals, legumes and other important field crops. \
5) Biology and ecology of weed species.\
6) Environmental and physiological regulation of plant growth and development.\
7) Plant relationships with beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms.\
8) Introduction to selective breeding of crops\
## About this Module
Open All
Close All
### What will I learn?
###### Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: \
\
1) Detail the basic requirements of plant/crop growth and development.\
2) Identify plants of agronomic-importance, including major arable, horticultural and forage crops, and weed species.\
3) Understand plant structure and function.\
4) Understand how plant physiology impacts crop productivity.\
5) Understand how beneficial and pathogenic micro-organisms impact crop production.\
6) Understand the basic principles of plant genetics as they underpin plant/crop breeding.\
###### Indicative Module Content:
This module introduces students to the function and ecological significance of plants in agricultural systems. It explores the fundamental requirements for plant development, with a focus on the environmental and physiological factors that regulate plant growth. Students will examine plant morphology, including the structure and function of roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds; key features of agriculturally-important plant groups such as cereals, legumes, and weed species. The module will also introduce the concept of plant-microbe interactions, with both beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms as examples.
### How will I learn?
###### Student Effort Hours:
| Student Effort Type | Hours |
| --- | --- |
| Lectures | 24 |
| Practical | 18 |
| Specified Learning Activities | 23 |
| Autonomous Student Learning | 60 |
| | |
| --- | --- |
| Total | 125 |
\
###### Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The approaches to teaching and learning used in this module include: lectures; practical and task-based learning; scientific writing of lab reports; case-based learning; and reflective self-assessment.\
\
The majority of this module is taught through in-person lectures and on-hands practical experience. The use of AI tools is not permitted for any assessments.
### Am I eligible to take this module?
###### Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
**Learning Requirements:**\
None
**Learning Exclusions:**\
None
**Learning Recommendations:**\
None
\
###### Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
\
\
### How will I be assessed?
###### Assessment Strategy
| Description | Timing | Component Scale | Must Pass Component | % of Final Grade | In Module Component Repeat Offered |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Exam (In-person): End of trimester MCQ. | End of trimester Duration: 1 hr(s) | Graded | No | 75 | No |
| Report(s): Lab reports are submitted at the end of each lab session. If a lab is not attended, a report may not be submitted by the student. | Week 3, Week 7, Week 9 | Graded | No | 15 | No |
| Individual Project: Digitized herbarium report: As part of one practical session, students will be shown how to digitize prepared herbarium samples. | Week 6 | Graded | No | 10 | No |
\
###### Carry forward of passed components
No
\
### What happens if I fail?
| Resit In | Terminal Exam |
| --- | --- |
| Spring | Yes - 1 Hour |
*Please see [Student Jargon Buster](https://www.ucd.ie/students/services/ucdstudentjargonbuster/) for more information about remediation types and timing.* \
### Assessment feedback
###### Feedback Strategy/Strategies
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment\
###### How will my Feedback be Delivered?
Not yet recorded.
### Associated Staff
| Name | Role |
| --- | --- |
| Dr Linxi Jiang | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
| Dr Sujit Jung Karki | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
| Dr Cathal McCabe | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
| Dr Seema Seema | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
| Assoc Professor Helen Sheridan | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
| Dr Noeleen Smyth | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
| Dr Saoirse Tracy | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
### When is this module offered?
**Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.**
| | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Autumn | Lecture | Offering 1 | Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks | Thurs 10:00 - 10:50 |
| Autumn | Lecture | Offering 1 | Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks | Tues 10:00 - 10:50 |
| Autumn | Practical | Offering 1 | Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 | Mon 15:00 - 17:50 |
| Autumn | Practical | Offering 2 | Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 | Tues 15:00 - 17:50 |
| Autumn | Practical | Offering 3 | Week(s) - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 | Thurs 15:00 - 17:50 |
[Print this page](# "Print this page")