The Plant Breeding and Genetics Specialization prepares students to serve as functional members of collaborative teams that design and select plants with desirable phenotypic, and hence underlying genetic, variation that favorably impacts delivery of the desired ecosystem service.
Learning Outcomes: Plant Breeding and Genetics Specialization
Students completing a degree in PB&G will have the knowledge, skill set and professional capability to:
- Develop and propose models on the inheritance of genes, alleles, or other genetic elements controlling phenotype variation.
- Apply physiological and biochemical principles along with classical and molecular genetics for improving cultivars through basic and advanced breeding methodology
- Understand the principles of identifying and creating genetic diversity for crop improvement
- Elaborate these basics by gaining advanced knowledge of breeding techniques, molecular genetics or digital agriculture
Foundational or Core Courses
Students seeking a Specialization in Plant Breeding and Genetics select classes from each of the following three Core Elective groups as guided by the major advisor, student committee, and IDP.
1Courses under development. 2Courses under major review/revision (AGRO 816A, B, E series not currently being taught)
Plant Breeding and Genetics
Core courses to choose from are grouped in 3 areas including Plant Breeding, Genetics and Physiology.
A. PLANT BREEDING
M.S. min 3 cr; Ph.D. min 6 cr
- AGRO 815: Applied Plant Breeding and Genetics (3cr)
- PLAS 496 & AGRO 896: An Introduction to Hybrid Breeding (2cr)
B. GENETICS
M.S. min 3 cr; Ph.D. min 6 cr
- AGRO 810: Plant Molecular Biology (3cr)
- AGRO 919: Advanced Crop Genetics and Genomics (3cr)
- AGRO 931: Population Genetics (3cr)
- AGRO 932: Biometrical Genetics & Plant Breeding (3cr)
C. PHYSIOLOGY
M.S. & Ph.D. – 3-6 credits recommended
- AGRO/BIOC 834: Plant Biochemistry (3cr)
- BIOS 878: Plant Anatomy (3cr)
- Plant Physiology 1
Writing, Speaking and Teaching
- AGRO 803: Scientific Writing and Communication (3cr) (recommended)
- CBIO 844: Professional Development (1cr)
- Teaching Assistant (encouraged)
- AGRO 899, 999: Masters, Ph.D. Thesis
- Departmental seminar (recommended)
- AGRO 991: Seminar Presentation and Evaluation (required)
- AGRO 992: General Seminar (required)
Statistics, Data Management & Analysis, Programming
M.S. and Ph.D. (min, 6 cr)
- STAT 801: Statistical Methods in Research (4cr)
- STAT 802: Design and Analysis of Research Studies (4cr)
- AGRO 820: Bioinformatics Applications in Agriculture (3cr)
- ECEN 850: Bioinformatics (3cr)
- STAT 868: An Introduction to R Programming (online) (1cr)
- AGRO 896: Applied Field Research: Design, Data Management, Analysis and Reporting (2cr) 1
- Or any other graduate level course(s) in Statistics, Data Management & Analysis, or Programming as deemed appropriate by the Supervisory Committee and the Student and identified as such in the Student’s IDP.
Sub-Specialization Electives
Students then customize career track by selecting Elective classes guided by IDP, major advisor and committee.
1Courses under development. 2Courses under major review/revision (AGRO 816A, B, E series not currently being taught)
Breeding and Cultivar Development
- ASCI 431/831: Advanced Animal Breeding
- AGRO 809A: Breeding for Disease Resistance (4cr)
- AGRO 809B: Transgenic Strategies for Disease Resistance (1cr)
- ENTO 809: Insect Control Host Plant Resistance (3cr)
- AGRO 812: Crop and Weed Genetics (2cr)
- AGRO 816E: Genotype by Environment Interaction (1cr) 2
- AGRO 833
- AGRO 862: Cannabis Production and Breeding (3cr)
- AGRO 896: Molecular Plant Breeding (3cr)
- AGRO 932: Biometrical Genetics and Plant Breeding (3cr)
- PLPT 963: Genetics of Host-Parasite Int. (3cr)
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
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/NRES 820: Applications of Remote Sensing in Agriculture and Natural Resources (4cr)
- NRES 821: Field Techniques in Remote Sensing (3 cr)
- 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)
- AGEN/MSYM 892: Site-Specific Crop Management (3 cr)
- MSYM 892: Special Topics in Mechanized Systems Management (1-6 cr)
- NRES 498/898: Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence Applications in Plant Phenotyping (2 cr)
- NRES 898: Grad Seminar in R and Data Analysis (3cr)
- Programming courses at CSCE
Students free to select courses from one or more sub-specialization or to chose no sub-specialization. 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.