Achim Walter: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2024 |  |
| Name | Prof. Dr. Achim Walter |
| Field | Crop Science |
| Address | Professur für Kulturpflanzenwiss. ETH Zürich, LFW C 54.1 Universitätstrasse 2 8092 Zürich SWITZERLAND |
| Telephone | +41 44 632 32 72 |
| achim.walter@usys.ethz.ch | |
| URL | https://kp.ethz.ch/people/person-detail.MTc0NzU0.TGlzdC8xODg0LDExMzQ4NjQxMzg=.html |
| Department | Environmental Systems Science |
| Relationship | Full Professor |
| Number | Title | ECTS | Hours | Lecturers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 751-3700-00L | Plant Ecophysiology  | 2 credits | 2V | N. Buchmann, A. Walter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | The general theme of this course is the effect of environmental factors (such as light, temperature, relative humidity, CO2 concentrations, etc.) on plant physiology: water uptake and transport, transpiration, CO2 gas exchange of plants (photosynthesis, respiration), growth and C allocation, yield and production, stress physiology. Working with measurement data and Jupyter Notebooks is included. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | The students will understand the impact of environmental factors on plant physiology and will learn the theoretical basis and terminology of plant ecophysiology that is necessary to analyze yield potentials in agriculture. The students will learn about classical and latest studies in plant ecophysiology. Students will check and implement their knowledge and understanding of ecophysiology using measurement data. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | Das Ziel vieler landwirtschaftlicher Managemententscheidungen, d. h., das Erhöhen der Produktivität und des Ertrages, basiert häufig auf Reaktionen der Pflanzen auf Umweltfaktoren, z. B. Nährstoff- und Wasserangebot, Licht, etc. Daher werden in diesem Kurs der Einfluss von Umweltfaktoren auf die pflanzliche Physiologie behandelt, z. B. auf den Gaswechsel von Pflanzen (Photosynthese, Atmung, Transpiration), auf die Nährstoff- und Wasseraufnahme und den -Transport in Pflanzen, auf das Wachstum, den Ertrag und die C-Allokation, auf die Produktion und Qualität der produzierten Biomasse. Anhand der wichtigsten Pflanzenarten in Schweizer Graslandökosystemen werden diese theoretischen Kenntnisse vertieft und Aspekte der Bewirtschaftung (Schnitt, Düngung, etc.) angesprochen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecture notes | Handouts stehen online. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literature | Larcher 1994, Lambers et al. 2008, Schulze et al. 2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | This course is based on basics of plant identification and plant physiology. It is the basis for the courses Plant Production, Part Forage Production and Grassland Systems. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 751-4104-00L | Alternative Crops | 2 credits | 2V | A. Walter, K. Berger Büter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | Few crops dominate the crop rotations worldwide. Following the goal of an increased agricultural biodiversity, species such as buckwheat but also medicinal plants might become more important in future. The biology, physiology, stress tolerance and central aspects of the value-added chain of the above-mentioned and of other alternative crops will be depicted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | During this course, students learn to assess the potential of different minor or alternative crops compared to the dominant major crops based on their biological and agronomical features. Each student will assess and present a specific alternative crop of his or her choice based on information from scientific articles and Wikipedia. Wikipedia-entries will be generated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 751-4107-AAL | Introduction to Crop and Forage Production Enrolment ONLY for MSc students with a decree declaring this course unit as an additional admission requirement. Any other students (e.g. incoming exchange students, doctoral students) CANNOT enrol for this course unit. | 2 credits | 4R | A. Walter, N. Buchmann | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | This course provides an introduction into crop and forage sciences - with a focus on sustainable management methods in Switzerland and Europe. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | The students know the basic processes and management methods of arable and forage production in Switzerland and Central Europe. They know the most relevant arable crops. Students can assess the influence of environmental factors and management not only on individual plants, but also on meadow and pasture plant communities and on their yields. They understand the relevance of crop rotation measures and can make recommendations for the establishment of land management methods. The students are familiar with sustainable, climate-friendly and biodiversity-conserving or biodiversity-enhancing management measures and understand the value of species-rich vegetation for the provision of ecosystem services. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | The lecture is divided into two parts, i.e., Arable Crop and Forage Production, supervised by different lecturers. The part 'Arable Crop Production' deals with the most relevant arable crops and with basic steps of arable field management such as soil tillage, sowing and plant protection. Effects on soil structure, different tillage measures for different crops as well as differences in the intensity of intervention in comparison of conventional and soil-conserving tillage (e.g. no-till) are explained. The most important differences between conventional, integrated and organic production are addressed. Special emphasis is placed on the establishment of crop rotations taking into account the farm context. In the part 'Forage Production', important plant functional groups and representative plant species as well as different types of grassland systems, i.e., most important mixtures as well as natural plant communities in Central Europe are presented (sward assessment). Based on the ecophysiology of individual plants, the reactions of plant stands to changing environmental conditions are elaborated. Different types of management are presented (e.g. fertilisation, grazing, cutting) and their effects on stand composition and yields are discussed. Feedback mechanisms between environment and grassland systems are addressed. The role of biodiversity is addressed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecture notes | Available on moodle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 751-4108-00L | Startup for Smart Sustainable Farming  Number of participants limited to 16. All students interested should come to the first lecture (23.9.). There, details of this year’s format will be explained. In case students are then still interested to visit the class, they have to write a motivational letter of max. 100 words and send it via email to achim.walter@usys.ethz.ch until (25.9.). Participants will be selected according to the following criteria: 1.) Convincing motivational letter 2 a) Agricultural science students of the BSc program, 5. Semester 2 b) Students of other semesters or study programs, who will be selected with a view to forming four interdisciplinary and diverse teams. The definitive acceptance to the course will be communicated to students by (27.9.). The definitive inscription will subsequently been done by the study secretariate. | 3 credits | 2G | A. Walter, M. Binggeli | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | Agriculture needs to become more sustainable via innovative approaches. This course allows students to explore in group work, how this could be realized. There are short impulse talks on 'Smart Farming' given by experts on technology, sustainability and entrepreneurship. Most importantly, students elaborate the first steps to create a startup company in this field. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | During the course, the students generate their own ideas. They explore e.g., which technologies provide possibilities for a more sustainable agriculture. They simulate the creation of a startup company in a team. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Maximum number of students: 16 (four teams will be formed) All students interested should come to the first lecture (25th September). There, details of this year’s format will be explained. In case students are then still interested to visit the class, they have to write a motivational letter of max. 100 words and send it via email to Achim.Walter@usys.ethz.ch until (27th September). Participants will be selected according to the following criteria: 1.) Convincing motivational letter 2 a) Agricultural science students of the BSc program, 5. Semester 2 b) Students of other semesters or study programs, who will be selected with a view to forming four interdisciplinary and diverse teams. The definitive acceptance to the course will be communicated to students by (29th September). The definitive inscription will subsequently been done by the study secretariate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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