Course Not Offered – Germplasm & Genes

Instructor(s): Dr. Katherine Frels

Number of Credit Hours: 1

Number of CEUs for Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs): 7 CEUs in Crop Management; 3 CEUs in Pest Management

Description: Genetic variation is the driving force behind crop plant breeding efforts. In this course, students learn the importance of creating the necessary genetic resource variation for conventional and modern plant breeding programs and about the world’s great centers of crop diversity where plant breeders obtain germplasm and genes from cultivated plants, wild relatives of cultivated plants, and the biosphere. Modern biotechnology and its ability to move genes from one species to another are discussed as the newest way to create genetic variation. The origin of crops and how crop ancestors have co-evolved with many crop diseases and plants, mutation genetics, biotechnology as a source of genes, chromosomal engineering and plant reproduction are discussed.

Prerequisites: Admission to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Successful completion of AGRO 215.

Course Requirements & Materials:

• Technical Requirements: Access to high-speed Internet and email with up-to-date browsers and the ability to view videos (recommended browsers are Firefox, Chrome, and Safari)
• Textbooks: No textbooks required. "Plant Breeding: Principles and Practices" (course notes by P. Stephen Baenziger) and "Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding" by George Acquaah (reference text) are both recommended. The course notes can be downloaded from Canvas, and the reference text can be purchased from the UNL Bookstore or Amazon.com. All course materials are online in Canvas.

This Course is Ideal For…

• Graduate students preparing for more intensive/specialized study
• Seed and/or food industry personnel
• Certified professional agronomists, crop consultants, and crop advisers
• Science and agriculture/vocational education teachers
• Extension educators, agents, and specialists
• Producers