Course Description

50101        Agriculture in Palestine

Agriculture in Arabic world. Geographical & climatic factors affecting agricultural in Palestine. Modern history of agriculture development in Palestine, water resources, plant production sector, animal production sector, beekeeping, food processing and agricultural marketing.

50102        Principles Of Agricultural Machines

Machines & equipments used in agricultural production: importance, structure & function & uses of machines, hydraulic power & efficiency of use of machines. Tractor & tools used for soil preparation, sowing & plantation, harvesting, spraying & fertilizer application.

50106        Landscaping & Engineering Design

Introduction to today's landscaping;  Design analysis;  Areas & Circulation; The walls & Ceilings; Principles of Planting Design; Planting & Architecture; Matching Plant Materials to Design Criteria; Covering the ground; Embellishments; Special landscape problems; The role of the Designer; Landscape trees: Deciduous, Broad-& Narrow-leaved Evergreen;  Ornamental shrubs: Deciduous, Broad-& Narrow-leaved Evergreen; Herbaceous Ornamentals: Bedding Plants; Lawns & Turf grasses.

51100        House Gardening                               

The importance of house gardening, principles of planning, garden divisions, landscaping, garden components, soil preparation, plants used including: fruit trees, vegetables, medicinal and aromatic plants, timber trees, shrubs, hedges, climbing plants, lawns, annual flowers, thorn plants, and watery plants), plants environmental requirements, managements, propagation, and main principles of landscape design

51110        Introduction to Botany                      

The origin of life; the cell; mitosis and meiosis; DNA; photosynthesis; respiration and fermentation; plant classification; tissues; gymnosperms; angiosperms; hormones; plant nutrition; stems; roots; leaves; flowers; fruits and seeds.

51111        Botany Lab.                                        

Identify representative plant cells, tissues and organs.  Have a basic understanding of chemistry and plant metabolism. Understand the basics of taxonomy and how it applies to the plants.  Have a basic understanding of genetics. Describe plant reproduction and know the parts of a flower. Know the differences between the bacteria, viruses, fungi and plant phyla. Identify the major plant families.

51201        Principles of Plant Production          

The fundamentals of plant production, since   it covers the following:  relationships between humans and plants, the development of plant usages, the structure and functions of different plant parts, methods of plant propagation, plant classification, growth regulators, environmental factors (soil, temperature, water, and light) and its effects on plant production, photosynthesis, respiration and translocation.  The effects of pests and weeds.  The plant productions systems.

51202        Principles of Plant Protection           

This course include two sections:

Plant. Diseases: Agriculture, plant diseases and human history. Causes of plant diseases. Development of plant diseases. Management of plant diseases. Chemical control of plant diseases. Integrated pest management. Biotechnology.

Plant pests: Naming & classification of living things, arthropods.  Insects. Pest. Agricultural ecosystem.  Pest status development, pest damage to crop plants. Methods of pest control.  Forecasting pest attack.

51203        Plant Physiology                                

Fundamental knowledge of plant physiology:  water absorption and diffusion, transpiration and translocation, mineral nutrition, photosynthesis and respiration, and the effect of hormones on plant metabolism.

51204        Plant Physiology Lab.                        

Seed viability testing, permeability of cell membranes, water potential, photosynthesis and respiration, transpiration and hormones

51205        Modern Genetics                               

Basic concepts of genetics and organism, mendelian analysis chromosomes theory and inheritance, constancy and variation of DNA. DNA structure, function and regulation, extrancuclear genome, principle of gene mapping, population genetics, quantitative genetics, cytogenesis.

51206        Mycology                                           

Fungi in respect to its characteristics, nutrition, reproduction, importance and classification according to different parameters, it includes studying a wide group of fungi in details including biology, life cycle and classification.

51207        Mycology Lab.                                    

Mycology lab. Culturing includes learning all basic techniques in dealing with fungi in respect to culming,. Isolation and looking at morphology and classification of a wide group of fungal examples.

51301        Plant Breeding                                   

Plant propagation particularly by seeds, plant breeding methods and techniques, principles of genetic that related to breeding practice and relationship between breeding and biotechnology.

51302        Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering                               

Recombinant DNA technology and application tools of genetic engineering:  Biological material and general techniques molecular biology PCR, enzymes, hybridization, vectors, gel electrophoresis of DNA,  probes,  cloning,  sequencing,  modification of DNA.  Genome analysis, gene expression analysis, transgenic plants and animals: principles, procedures, and examples. Objectives, hazards on human & environment laws & ethics.

51303        Plant Propagation & Nurseries         

Basic methods for propagation of fruit trees, ornamental plants, and vegetative propagation (i.e. cutting, layering, and using different plant organs for tissue culture).  The course also covers the agricultural structures such as the greenhouses and the different agricultural media that used for plant propagation. 

51307        Plant Taxonomy                                 

Study and scope of plant taxonomy, general characters of organisms, plant identification and naming, flora, taxonomic characteristics, development of systems of plant taxonomy, kingdom plantae, seed plants (angiosperm and gymnosperm), origin and revolution of flowering plants

51308        Green Forages                                   

Definition of forage crops, composition and nutritive value, types of forage crops, forage crops description and classification,  the cultural practices for the most important forage crops,  and uses of forage crops.

51310        Storage and Handling of Fruits and Vegetables                

Pre-harvest factors on post-harvest life. Assessment of crop maturity. Harvesting and handling methods. Pre-cooling. Packaging. Post-harvest treatment. Storage. Fruit ripening conditions. Marketing and transport. Post harvest technology of fruits and vegetable.

51311        Vegetable Production                        

The economic importance and the nutritive value of vegetable crops,  the suitable environmental conditions,  the different agricultural practices that includes:  land preparation,  fertilization,  pest and weed control,  irrigation,  seeding production,  protected agriculture and planting in the open field,  for the most important vegetable crops that include roots, stem, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Crop rotation and intercropping, harvesting, storage and marketing.  This course includes labs that cover vegetable classification and description of plant structure.

51321        Field Crops Production                      

Aspects of cereals, legumes, industrial crops, oil crops and forages, including their economic importance, production areas, environmental requirements, nutritive value,  methods and techniques to increase the productivity of field crops under rain fed and irrigated conditions. Lab includes: classification and plant description.

51322        Seed Production                                

Subjects related to seed production technology including importance of seeds, development of seed industry, principles of seed production, cultural practices, rouging and isolation processes. Seed harvesting, handling and storing. In addition this course addresses factors affecting seed quality. Also, this course covers methods of seed production for most important horticultural and field crops grown in Palestine.

Lab.: lab sessions are needed to practice the Germination. Viability composition & storage.

51331        Fruit Trees Production                      

Economic importance, morphological description and production requirements of major tree fruit: evergreens (olive, citrus, banana, date palm, guava, and loquat), deciduous (pome fruits, stone fruits, nuts, fig, and pomegranate), and small fruits (grapes and strawberry).

The lab (equal to one credit hour) covers fruit trees classification, plant description, fruit trees propagation.

51332        Deciduous Fruit Trees                       

Environmental requirements for deciduous fruit trees, methods of planting, cultivation and training, pruning, groups of deciduous fruit trees: grape, pome fruits, stone fruits, fig and mulberry, persimmons, deciduous nut trees.    

51333        Evergreen Fruit Trees                       

Planting, cultivation and management of evergreen fruit trees, groups of evergreen fruit trees: dicotyledonous orchards; citrus, olive, evergreen nut trees, papaya, annanas, mango and cashew. Monocotyledonous orchards; palm, banana, and pineapple.

51341        Floriculture & Landscape Of Gardens                                

Indoor and outdoor ornamental plants. The first part covers cut flowers and flowering pot plants,   in addition to foliage pot plants for different plant species.  Studying flowering plants which are propagated by bulbs, corms, and tubers.

The second part covers establishment and maintenance of ground covers, producing trees and shrubs which used in garden landscaping, some general garden landscaping systems such as  aquatic garden,  rock garden and others.

51346        Medicinal & Aromatic Plants             

Classification of medicinal and aromatic plants; Ecology of medicinal and aromatic plants; Cultivation and processing of medicinal and aromatic species. Cultivated species. Wild species.

51351        Forestry                                             

The history of forestry development and other related sciences, the aims and principles of forestry, the classification of forest trees, identify and study the different varieties that suitable to Palestine.  Also the  course cover the forest ecology, the ecological factors and its effects on forest growth, the principle of forest development, forest nurseries and methods of a forestation,  forest measurement, forest protection, and the natural forest in Palestine. 

51361        Entomology                                        

Insects as arthropods and their inter-relationships with other members of the phylum Arthropoda.  Characteristics of insects, features of insects that have enhanced their success. Importance of insects to agriculture. Morphology of insects; Anatomy and physiology of organ systems.  Locomotion in insects, and some aspects of insect behaviour. Insect development & life histories. Insect - plants relationships..

51362        Economic Entomology                       

Study insect pests of field crop, fruit trees & vegetables: life cycle, damage, method of control.  It cover pests from the following orders: Homoptera, Hemiptera, Thysanoptera, Diptera, Coleopteran, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera.

51363        Principles Of Biological Control        

Pests, pesticides and biological control.  Natural enemies. Biological control ecology. Maximizing biological control through research, utilization by public, other biological control methods.

51364        Pests Of Field Crops                          

Insect pests of corn; wheat and small grains; and legumes: Identification, lifecycle, symptoms of damage and management.

51365        Entomology Lab.                                

Field Trips & Lab Sessions. Insect taxonomy of the most common insects to the order. Emphasis is placed upon identification of adult insects and important aspects of their biology such as life cycles, habitat preference, feeding habits. The student will learn how to collect, preserve, pin, label and identify insects, Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to identify basic morphological characters of adult insects, identify common insects to family on sight, and using taxonomic keys and microscope. 

51366        Economic Entomology Lab.                

Practical work consists of at least 14 field &/or lab periods. In each lab period, samples about the insect pest or its symptoms will be exposed. Small insects will be mounted on glass slides by each student. At least 20 samples about the symptoms of the economic, insect are needed to be submitted by each student at the end of the course.

51371        Plant Pathology                                 

Study of parasitism and diseases development, mechanism of disease development and plant’s defense system, genetics of plant disease, influence of environmental conditions on disease initiation and development, plant disease epidemiology and control strategies.   Part two includes the study in details of a wide range of infections and non-infectious diseases mainly caused by fungi, bacteria, mycoplasma, parasitic highly plants, viruses, nematodes and protozoa.

51375        Plant Pathology Lab.                         

Includes studying all basic techniques in dealing with plant diseases in respect to isolation of causal agents and major tools of disease diagnosis.

51391         Pesticides                                             

General consideration, pesticide formulations, metabolism, toxicity. Insecticides: organo-phosphorous, carbomates, organo-chlorine, pyrethroids & other related compounds.  Fungicides, herbicides.  Pesticide in the environment.

51402        Field Practices In Plant Production And Protection (I)    

51409        Plant  Tissue Culture                         

This course consists of several concepts:  types of in vitro culture, micro propagation, methods and technologies, genetic manipulation and transformation, factors affecting success of these techniques particularly growth regulators and relationship between tissue culture & genetic engineering.

This course requires 3 hours lab per 2 weeks:  to provide information about the equipment, media preparation and methods of sterilization.

51411        Protected Agriculture                        

The importance of protected agriculture, types of structure and protection materials (glass houses, wood houses, plastic houses, and plastic tunnels). The design, materials and components, arrangement, and maintenance of these types.  Methods of controlling the environmental factors inside the protected houses. The different cultural practices and the new developed techniques and its effects in increasing the productivity and improving the quality of crops.  The cultural practices under protected conditions for the most important crops (tomato, cucumber, and others.)

51461        Bee Keeping                                       

Basic facts about bees, starting beekeeping, working the colony, the bee year, honey plants, bee diseases & predators, bee poisoning, extraction of honey, feeding & taking care of honey bee.

51463        Integrated Pest Management           

Definition of pests, history of pest control.  Economics of pest control.  Philosophy of pest control.  Natural ecosystem. Agricultural ecosystem.  Plant resistant, natural enemies, insecticide attractants, repellents, sampling & statistical analysis. Strategies of integrated pest management.

51464        Economic Mites                                  

Mites & its relations to arthropods. External anatomy, internal anatomy. And physiology.  Classification of mites.  Biology & ecology of economic mites attacking fruit trees.  Vegetables & field crops.  Their life cycle, damage & methods of control.

51471        Plant Diseases Management             

Introduction, diagnosis, disease epidemiology, damage assessments, methods of disease control including legislative, cultural, physical, biological, chemical methods and plant disease resistance.

51473        Fruit Trees Diseases                         

Introduction; diseases of pome fruits, stone fruits, grape, fig and olive trees.  Every section includes studying major diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, phytoplasma and viruses, remades and a biotic diseases and their control.

Practical pant includes field trips for collection and diagnosis of fruit diseases in addition to lab. Examination of specimens.

51474        Vegetable Diseases                           

Introduction, diseases of solanaceans crops, cucurbits, crucifers, legumes, onion & garlic, and lettuce.  Every section study diseases caused by fungi. Bacteria, viruses, nematodes, in addition to noninfectious diseases and their control.

Practical part includes field trips for collection and diagnosis of vegetable diseases both in the open field and under protected system in addition to lab. Examination of specimens.

51501        Seminar In Plant Production & Protection

This course provide opportunity for the student to use the journals and other scientific sources in his field of study, and to learn the scientific method of research writing, summarize the information, and make presentation about certain subject in plant production or protection.

51504        Special Topics                                    

This course aims to give the student a specialized scientific material, that was not included in the study plan, and the department found it important for the students.  The course taught by invited teacher or by one of the faculty members.

51505        Research In Plant Production & Protection                       

This course is given to the senior students to conduct a research about certain subject during one semester, and it should be an applied research.

51572        Plant Virology

Introduction, detection, diagnosis and purification of plant viruses, virus structure, replication, dissemination, symptom logy, virus vectors, ecology, economic damage and control.

Major plant viruses and classification.  Practical part includes learning various methods of virus transmission, isolation & purification, in addition to looking at virus morphology,  structure and diagnosis.

51573        Plant Nematology                              

Introduction, biology, morphology and classification of plant-parasitic nematodes, ecology, damage, and control of major diseases.

Practical part includes the study of major plant-parasitic nematodes in respect to morphology, isolation and clarification; in addition to diagnosis of diseases caused by plant-parasitic nematodes.

51574        Bacterial Plant Diseases                   

Introduction, morphology, structure and composition of bacterial cell; taxonomy, nutrition, genetics.  Pathogenesis, infection and disease development, major bacterial diseases and its control.

Practical part includes basic bacterial methodologies in respect to isolation, culturing and classification in addition to inoculation and diagnosis of major bacterial diseases.

51581        Weeds & Weeds Control                    

Weeds & their effect on plant growth, development & yield.  Classification of weeds, dispersal & distribution, methods of weed control including chemical, cultural & biological control methods.  Machines used for application of herbicides.  Chemistry & application of herbicides.  Weeds & their control of important crops.

Lab.: field trips & practices. Identification of weeds & application of methods of control. Elaboration of sparing machine.