Course Gaps at Umaru Musa Yaradua University

Classification and ecology of crops in Nigeria. Nutrient requirements and mineral nutrition of plants. Manures and fertilizers. Plant growth and development. Growth stages. Tillage and weed control. Other cultural practices. Cropping sequences and rotation. Farming systems. Production practices for specified crops. Conservation agriculture and sustainability in tropical agriculture.

Automation: Introduction to automation. Control systems: open-loop and closed-loop, feedback control, logic control, on-off control and linear control systems. Control actions: discrete control (on/off); PID controller; sequential control and logical sequence or system state control; computer control. Automation tools: artificial neural network (ANN); distributed control system (DCS); human machine interface (HMI); robotic process automation (RPA); supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA); programmable logic controller (PLC); instrumentation; motion control; robotics. Programming languages: introduction to programming language; Matlab programming, R programming, C, C# and C++ programming, Java and Java Script programming and Python programming. Sensors and actuators: introduction to sensors, types and applications. Design and selection of sensors. Introduction to actuators, types and applications. Design and selection of actuators. Drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): Introduction, types and classification of drones. Architecture (components) of a drone: flight controller; electronic speed controller (ESC); battery; radio transmitter/receiver; antenna; propellers; electric motor; camera and its accessories.; ground station; intelligent sensors; intelligent battery; GNSS and RTK module. Advantages and disadvantages of drones. Design and selection of drones. Working principles of a drone. Performance considerations criteria of a drone. Application of drones in agriculture. Robots: Introduction, types and characteristics of agricultural robots (Agribot). Primary areas of robotics: operator interface; mobility or locomotion; manipulators and effectors; programming; sensing and perception. Advantages and disadvantages of robots. Robot design process. Design of components of agricultural robots: end effectors; grippers; manipulators. Operating principles of an agricultural robot. Performance evaluation of robots: productive time, overhead time and working efficiency index. Accuracy and repeatability of a robot. Application of robot to agriculture.

Intensive studies of the factors affecting the abundance and distribution of animals in tropical terrestrial ecosystems (lowland forests; savanna; deserts and montane systems); Community structure; functions and dynamics; Adaptation of animals to different tropical environments and the effect of human activities on tropical ecosystems; Ecology of coastal and tropical inland waters like estuaries; lagoons; rivers; natural and artificial lakes; The inter-relationships of fauna and flora; Man's influences on the aquatic environment

Basic anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract of the Monogastric animals; Digestion and absorption of carbohydrates; proteins and fats in monogastics; Nutrition and metabolism in monogastric animals

Review of the anatomy of digestive system of the ruminant animals; Patho-physiology of the ruminant digestive tract; traumatic reticulitis; tympani and torsion; Nutrition and metabolism of ruminants

Types of forests including their differences. Plantation establishment including types of nursery and mechanisation of nursery and plantation practices. Site preparation methods such as the use of manual, chemicals, fire and mechanised methods including their advantages and disadvantages. Processes relating to planting of trees and tending operations including beating-up, thinning, pruning, weeding, etc.

Nigerian forest wildlife and conservation policies; traditional land use practices, changes-in land- use practices, population growth and land use practices. Management planning of forest reserves, gene banks (Gene plasm), game reserves and national parks. Wildlife management needs. Problems related to wildlife conservation and management; Models and techniques for the production and analysis of forest recreation management plans. Evaluation of Wildlife Conservation and Land Use practices in the country.