The objective of this unit is to integrate fundamental aspects of agricultural plant production (pastures, crops and horticultural species) into sustainable management systems that optimise yields and quality of the products. The course involves normal lectures, laboratory and field activities, and a two-day tour that forms part of the practicals and which the students pay for. The following three broad areas will be covered in this unit: (a) Horticulture: horticultural geography; principles of orchard and vineyard management; horticultural production systems covering fruit trees, vegetables and flowers; nursery practices and management; (b) Field Crops: major Australian crops; constraints to yields; strategies for optimising yields in winter and summer cereals, oilseeds, pulses, fibre crops and sugar; broadacre cropping systems in Australia; (c) Pastures: principles of the production establishment and utilisation; seed production; grazing management; pasture nutrition; pasture and forage conservation; computer modelling of grazed ecosystems; pasture assessment skills.