The crop science concentration is designed to provide students with basic training in the plant sciences with special emphasis on the field crops. The requirements include more basic science and botany than does the agronomy concentration. In addition to the college requirements, a student with a concentration in crop science is expected to complete the following courses:
a. At least 12 credits in biology and related subjects selected from the following courses, or the equivalent:
Plants, Genes, and Global Food Production (PL BR 201)
Plant Cell and Tissue Culture (PL BR 401-402)
Introductory Botany (BIOPL 241)
Plant Physiology (BIOPL 242-244 or 342-344)
Plant Taxonomy (BIOPL 243 or 248)
Ecology and the Environment (BIOES 261)
Genetics (BIOGD 281)
General Microbiology (BIOMI 290-291)
Plant Anatomy (BIOPL 345)
Systematics and Evolution of Crops (BIOPL 441)
Plant Cell Biology (BIOPL 444)
Plant Cytogenetics Laboratory (PL BR 446)
Physiological Plant Ecology (BIOPL 466 or BIOES 466)
Plant Ecology and Population Biology (BIOES 463 and 465)
b. At least 18 credits in applied crop science selected from the following courses, or the equivalent:
Grains and Nutriceuticals (CSS 311)
Forage Crops (CSS 312)
Tropical Cropping Systems: Biodiversity, Social, and Environmental Impacts (CSS 314 or INTAG 314)
Weed Science (CSS 315)
Seed Science and Technology (CSS 317)
Microclimatology (EAS 334)
Ecology of Agricultural Systems (CSS 473 or BIOES 473)
Environmental Biophysics (CSS 483 or EAS 483)
Water Status in Plants and Soils (CSS 608)
Physiology of Environmental Stresses (CSS 610)
Seed Physiology and Biotechnology (CSS 612)
Physiology and Ecology of Yield (CSS 613)
Weed Ecology and Management (CSS 614)
Plant Mineral Nutrition (CSS 642 or BIOPL 642)
Plant-Microbe Interactions (CSS 666)
Modeling the Soil-Plant-Atmosphere System (CSS 675 or EAS 675)
c. At least 12 credits of chemistry and biochemistry.
d. At least 6 credits of plant protection selected from the following courses, or the equivalent:
Insect Biology (ENTOM 212)
Applied Entomology (ENTOM 241)
Integrated Pest Management (ENTOM 444 or PL PA 444)
Basic Plant Pathology (PL PA 401)
e. At least 6 credits of soil science.
Additional courses beyond those listed above will be selected by the student in consultation with the academic advisor. (Certification by ARCPACS as a Crop Scientist requires in addition 6 credits of mathematics, 3 credits of physics, 3 credits of statistics, 6 credits of economics or agricultural economics, 3 credits of speech, and 3 credits of technical writing.)