The Crop Physiology, Production and Horticulture Specialization prepares students to understand, manage, and improve productivity, efficiency, and profit of cropping systems.
To this end, curriculum for the Crop Physiology, Production and Horticulture Specialization must provide each student with needed knowledge and functional capabilities, as defined by the Student Outcome Learnings for the Crop Physiology, Production and Horticulture Specialization.
Learning Outcomes: Crop Physiology, Production and Horticulture
Students completing a degree with the Crop Physiology, Production and Horticulture Specialization will have the knowledge, skill set and professional capability to:
- Understand plant growth as influenced by their surrounding biophysical environment and underlying physiological mechanisms
- Integrate concepts on crops, soil, nutrients, and climate to develop viable and profitable cropping systems
- Understand tools that can help as basis to manage resources and improve their conversion into economic yield
Foundational or Core Courses
Students specializing in Crop Physiology, Production and Horticulture must select classes from each of the three Core Elective groups as guided by the major advisor, student committee and IDP. Students will also choose Elective classes guided by their own individual development plan, major advisor, and supervisory committee.
Core Electives Courses
M.S. at least 6 cr, Ph.D. at least 9 cr
- AGRO 807: Plant Water Relations (3cr)
- AGRO 808: Microclimate: The Biological Environment (3cr)
- AGRO 824: Plant Nutrition and Nutrient Management (3cr)
- AGRO/BIOC 834: Plant Biochemistry (3cr)
- HORT 849: Woody Plant Growth and Development (3cr)
- AGRO/BIOS/HORT 878: Plant Anatomy (4cr)
- Plant Physiology 1
- AGRO 896: Interplant Competition in Managed Ecosystems (3cr)
- AGRO 906: Crop Growth and Yield Modeling (3cr)
Writing, Speaking and Teaching (core electives)
- AGRO 803: Scientific Writing and Communication (3cr)
- CBIO 844: Professional Development (1cr)
- Teaching Assistant (encouraged)
- AGRO 899, 999: Masters, Ph.D. Thesis
- Departmental Seminar
- AGRO 991: Seminar Presentation and Evaluation (required)
- AGRO 992: General Seminar (required)
Statistics and Data Analysis (core electives)
M.S. and Ph.D. (at least 3 credits)
- STAT 801: Statistical Methods in Research (4cr)
- STAT 802: Design and Analysis of Research Studies (4cr)
- Or any other 800 level statistics
Courses for sub-specialization and customization (electives):
Students then customize career track by selecting Elective classes guided by IDP, major advisor and committee.
M.S. at least 3 cr, Ph.D. at least 6 cr
Plant production and management
- HORT 818: Agroforestry Systems in Sustainable Agriculture (3cr)
- AGRO 825: Cover Crops in Agroecosystems (3cr)
- AGRO 830: Introduction to Plant Diagnostics
- AGRO 831: Spatial Variability in Soils (2cr)
- AGRO 835: Agroecology (3cr)
- AGRO 836: Agroecosystems Analysis (3cr)
- AGRO 839: Organic Farming and Food systems (3cr)
- HORT 842b: Plant Physiology (3cr.; online)
- HORT 842e: Floral Crops Production and Handling (2cr; online)
- HORT 843a: Greenhouse Crop Production (3cr; online)
- HORT 843b: Seed Sciences (3cr; online)
- HORT 843e: Advanced Interiorscaping (3cr; online)
- HORT 843k: Advanced Arboriculture (3cr; online)
- HORT 844a: Environmental Nursery Production Practices (3cr; online)
- HORT 844b: Environmental Stress Physiology (1cr; online)
- PLAS 454/AGRO 854/HORT 854: Specialty Crop Innovations (4 cr)
- AGRO 862: Cannabis Production and Breeding (2 cr)
- HORT 871: Vines, Wines and You (3cr)
- AGRO 985: Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics (3cr)
- Or any course listed in the other A&H specializations: Soil & Water, Weed Science, Range & Forage, and Plant Genetics
Digital agriculture
- NRES 800: Sampling, Data Management and Visualization (3cr)
- NRES 815: GIS for Agriculture and Natural Resources (4cr)
- NRES 818: Introduction to Remote Sensing (4cr)
- AGRO 819: Applications of Remote Sensing in Agriculture and Natural Resources (4cr)
- NRES 821: Field Techniques in Remote Sensing (3cr)
- GEOG 822: Advanced Techniques in Geographic Information Systems (4 cr)
- NRES 827: Introduction to the Global Positioning System (2cr)
- CSCE 872: Digital Image Processing (3 cr)
- NRES 898: Grad Seminar in R and Data Analysis (3cr)
- Programming courses at CSCE
Irrigation
- AGEN 853: Irrigation and Drainage Systems Engineering (3 cr.)
- AGEN 953: Advanced Irrigation and Drainage Systems Engineering (3 cr.)
Students free to select courses from one or more sub-specialization or to choose no sub-specialization. Courses from other graduate specializations may also be selected. Core Elective Course guidelines may be waived with documentation of previously successfully completing equivalent courses, workshops, or short courses and/or demonstration of equivalent proficiencies pertaining to the student’s educational and career goals and will be identified as such in the IDP as deemed appropriate by the Student’s Supervisory Committee.