PLAS 425 or AGRO 825 – Cover Crops in Agroecosystems

Instructor(s): Dr. Samuel Wortman and Dr. Andrea Basche

Number of Credit Hours: 3

Description: Explore the management, environmental, economic, and social considerations of integrating cover crops across a diversity of agricultural production systems. Grow cover crops, measure benefits and tradeoffs, and apply knowledge to make management and policy recommendations. This course will include a weekly mix of pre-recorded lectures, live meetings of faculty and students across multiple states through virtual exchange, and experimental lab- and field-based studies. Join faculty and students from across the country to learn how cover crops perform differently and serve different niches in contrasting climates and agroecosystems! Other participating universities include:

• Cornell University
• Michigan State University
• University of Kentucky
• University of Maryland
• Clemson University
• University of New Hampshire

All Zoom lectures will be recorded so students can participate asyncrhonously. However, students will be mailed some seed for a hands-on learning experiment.

Prerequisites: AGRO 131 (Plant Science) or AGRO 278 (Botany); AGRO 153 (Soil Resources) or equivalent

Course Requirements & Materials:

• Technical Requirements: PC or laptop/notebook, high-speed Internet access, Windows software package. All materials will be available via Canvas.

This Course is Ideal For…

• Graduate students interested in learning more about cover crops and agroecosystems