There are many products grown from oil crops that serve various purposes, from food production to biofuels and cosmetics. These oils are in high demand globally, with more than 200 million metric tons of edible oils produced every year! This agronomy course is ideal for farmers, as well as farm suppliers and service providers.
Certificate of Agronomy – Oil Crops is an online professional development course that will show you how edible and industrial oils are extracted from crops.
In this agronomy course, you will learn the fundamentals of how to grow successful oil crops, diversify farm crops, and farm canola, rapeseed and olives for oil production.
You will also learn agronomic farming and production of edible oils, cosmetic and medicinal oils, industrial and biofuel applications, and how to formulate a plan for developing and managing a plant oil production enterprise.
On completion of this course, you will have a foundational understanding of how to farm oil crops.
Course Structure
Unit - Agronomy V - Oil Crops
Unit 1 – Nature and Scope of Oil Crops
- What are plant oils?
- Essential oils
- Plant oil crops & uses
- Vegetable oil uses
- Edible vegetable oils
- Other edible oils
- Industrial vegetable oils
- Essential oil uses
- Economic value of oil crops
- What crops can be grown where?
Unit 2 – Oil Extraction
- Oil seed processing
- Pre-treatment
- Processing Steps
- Mechanical processing
- Cold press extraction
- Chemical processing
- Solvent Extraction
- Enzymatic extraction
- Other processing methods
- Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE)
- Ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE)
- Distillation
- Simple distillation
- Steam distillation
- Fractional distillation
- Vacuum distillation
- Molecular distillation
- Extractive distillation
- Membrane distillation
Unit 3 – Canola and Rapeseed
- Characteristics of canola
- World production
- Growing canola
- Using seed
- Soil types
- Soil preparation
- Sowing
- Growth stages
- Environmental stresses
- Nutrition
- Irrigation management
- Weeds
- Pest control
- Diseases (Blackleg, Sclerotinia, Alternaria leaf and pod spot)
- Harvesting
- Direct combine harvesting
- Swathing
- Storage
- Processing
Unit 4 – Olive Oil
- Characteristics of olive oil
- World production
- Growing olives
- Using seedlings
- Soil types
- Soil preparation
- Planting
- Pruning
- Growing conditions
- Varieties
- Nutrition
- Irrigation management
- Weeds
- Pest control
- Diseases
- Organic production
- Harvesting
- Storage
- Processing
Unit 5 – Other Edible Oils
- Growing conditions
- Organic matter
- Soil texture
- Subsoil pH
- Soil water available to plants
- Slope of the topography
- Natural soil drainage
- Maintaining good soil structure
- Growing edible oil crops
- Sunflowers (helianthus annuus)
- Flax/linseed (linum usitatissimum)
- Soybean/soya bean (glycine max)
- Peanuts (arachis hypogaea)
Unit 6 – Herbal and Pharmaceutical Oils
- Pros and cons of herbal medicine & nutraceuticals
- Essential oils
- Aromatherapy
- Carrier oils
- Processing Essential Oils
- General guidelines for growing herbs for essential oils
- Planting
- Agronomy
- Improved herbs and essential oils
- Proven benefits of agronomic mulching and crop growing
- Growing select crops for cosmetic or pharmaceutical oils
- Avocado (persea americana)
- Mint (mentha arvensis)
- Tea tree (melaleuca alternifolia)
- Blackcurrant (ribes nigrum)
- Passionfruit (passiflora edulis)
Unit 7 – Biofuel and Other Industrial Oils
- Biofuel production
- Vegetable oils and genetic modification
- Extraction of oils from plants
- GMO crops
- Oleic acid
- Oil palm trees
- Novel fatty acids
- Chemical and biotechnological transformations of basic industrial oils
- Key targets for future industrial oil crops
- Unusual fatty acids
- Industrial importance
- Growing select crops for biofuels and other industrial uses
- Poppy (papaver somniferum)
- Castor bean (ricinus communis)
- Camelina (camelina sativa)
- Crambe (crambe abyssinica)
Unit 8 – Issues, Risks, Optimising Success
- Successful farming
- Capital
- Profitability
- Risk management
- Succession
- Entrepreneurial skills of farmers
- Production management
- Developing a farming business plan
- Goals and mission
- Asset planning
- Land
- Irrigation water
- Livestock
- Farm management
- Labour and machinery
- Capital
- Soil testing
- Produce selection
- Integrated pest management
- Integrated weed management
- Grain storage
Unit 9 – Product Development and Management
- Oilseed production and extraction yields
- Canola (Brassica napus L.)
- Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)
- Camelina (Camelina sativa L.)
- Yellow mustard (Sinapis alba L.)
- Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)
- Oil fatty acid composition and biodiesel
- Oil extraction and biodiesel processing
- Transesterification
- Cost of oil extraction
- On-farm oil seed processing
- Harvesting and seed cleaning
- Seed Pressing
- Oil Seed Processing Facility
- Economic Analysis
- Variable and fixed production costs
- On-Farm Oil Seed Processing
Study Hours
Estimated duration 50 hours
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Testimonials
Graduation
A Certificate of Attainment and Statement of Results will be issued upon successful completion of this course.
How to Enrol
Enrol Online: Click Enrol Now (Credit Card) or Enrol Now (Internet Banking/BPAY)
Enrol via Live Chat (Business Hours)
Enrol via Telephone 1300 76 2221 (Business Hours)
Enrol via Purchase Order/Tax Invoice
Enrolling Multiple Staff?
To enrol multiple staff, please complete the Employer Enrolment Form. We’ll be in touch within 60 minutes during business hours!
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, BPAY and Direct Deposit.
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
To study online with Australian Online Courses you will need a computer (desktop PC/laptop) running a current/updated operating system with reliable high-speed internet access. You will need to use the Google Chrome browser to access your course.
Are there any computer requirements?
To study online with Australian Online Courses you will need a computer (desktop PC/laptop) running a current/updated operating system with reliable high-speed internet access. You will need to use the Google Chrome browser to access your course.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
How is this course delivered?
This course is delivered online via our easy-to-navigate Learning Management System (LMS), where you will discover interactive online learning/written content, resources and assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our LMS and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email only during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
Professional Development for:-
- Farmers
- Farm Workers
- Consultants
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