Cornell Crop and Soil Sciences

Department History

The Department of Crop and Soil Sciences (CSS; formerly the Department of Agronomy) has had a long and distinguished history at Cornell. While studies in agronomy at Cornell have existed from the beginnings of the University, it was in 1922 that the newly formed Department of Agronomy was established with 2 crops faculty and 7 soils faculty. Today the Department has a faculty of 39 professorial positions including 14 in soils, and 14 in crops. One senior research associate, one senior extension associate, and one lecturer are also part of the faculty. In addition, scientists from the USDA, Boyce Thompson Institute and NYS Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva hold adjunct professorial appointments. Numerous professional staff and, at any one time several visiting scientists, are an integral part of departmental programs. There are also at any one time between 75 and 90 graduate students working on degrees under the guidance of departmental faculty. There have been over 1,200 Masters and Doctoral degrees granted in CSS since 1888.

Bradfield-Emerson Complex Completed 1968

Much of American research in soil and crop science had its origins in studies of agriculture at Cornell. Early work emphasized applied research such as fertilizer trials, experiments on the culture of wheat, corn, and oats, and the production of forage crops for livestock. In 1904, research in soil science rapidly developed with fundamental research becoming an important component. An additional area of soils activity was established in 1905 with the addition of a soil survey leader. In 1907, construction began of the Cornell lysimeters which was the focus of much of the research through the 1920's. Many publications resulted from this work and dealt mainly with the losses of inorganic plant nutrients in drainage water and uptake of nutrients by crops under various treatments. This work established a precedent and standard of excellence that influenced many modern research efforts to measure, interpret and predict the fate of nutrients and pesticides in soils and their delivery to water.

In 1921-22, the Department of Agronomy consisting mostly of soils research and teaching, with only the teaching component of crop science maintained. The strength of the curriculum in soils and crop science indicated that courses in crops followed a fairly conventional program with emphasis on cereals and forages. In the 1940's expansion of both faculty and programs resulted in dramatic restructuring of the department. The changing priorities of society during the 1960's led to the growth of research on environmental and health-related problems along with emphasis on soil resources, forage crops and weeds that continued through the 1970's and 1980's.

Throughout its history the Department has had active programs in undergraduate/graduate teaching, research, extension teaching and public service. In the last three decades, environmental and international concerns and activities have broadened the interests and scope of Departmental programs. Students at both the bachelor's degree and graduate levels come to Department course offerings with a wide range of interests and needs. Undergraduates leave trained as soil scientists and crop scientists, with this training increasingly channeled to concerns such as environmental science. Teaching in these subject matter areas recognizes the broadened interests of students, while preserving the opportunity for basic training in the traditional subject matter of our disciplines that is required by many students in the College. Departmental graduate students, of which approximately 50% come from outside the US, have vastly different interests and needs, and graduate training is organized to be flexible and adaptable to each individual's background and goals.

CSS Home

Lin Marco
lm69@cornell.edu
CSS Department, Cornell University
Last Modified: 06/16/00