Courses of Study 2014-2015 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
Courses of Study 2014-2015 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Plant Science


In the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences .


Course Offerings  in Crop and Soil Sciences

Course Offerings  in Horticulture

Course Offerings  in Plant Biology

Course Offerings  in Plant Breeding and Genetics

Course Offerings  in Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology

Course Offerings  in Plant Science

Plant science prepares students for careers that focus on producing enough food for a growing world population; breeding plants to tolerate the heat- and drought-stress of climate change; developing sustainable cropping practices to produce healthful and nutritious food; investigating new methods to fight disease; and transforming sterile urban environments into vibrant microcosms of nature.

It is a multi-departmental program administered by faculty in the Departments of Crop and Soil Sciences , Horticulture , Plant Biology , Plant Breeding and Genetics , and Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology . Together, they represent one of the strongest groups of plant scientists in the world. Students in the program share a common interest in learning about topics associated with plant growth and development in the broadest sense, but beyond that common thread, individual career goals vary widely. Some have their sights set on careers in applied agriculture, others plan to contribute to advancements of our knowledge through teaching or research, and still others see study in plant science as a stepping-stone to specialized training in business, government, or law. In addition to the college distribution requirements, Plant Sciences majors must take at least one course in each of several areas, including plant biology, applied plant science, ecology and environmental biology, genetics, plant-pest or plant-plant interactions, soil science, and systematics/taxonomy and evolution.

Students spend the first year or two taking foundational coursework in English composition (first-year writing seminar), biology, chemistry, statistics and plant biology. Thereafter, they select a concentration or program minor to flesh out their interests and prepare them for a career doing what they love. Each concentration or minor has specific requirements beyond the basic core courses. However, the added requirements usually do not exceed 15 credits, leaving students with ample opportunity to explore other areas of interest or to study abroad.

More than 140 courses that deal directly with some area of plant science are offered by the cooperating departments. There are also opportunities for internships, undergraduate teaching, and research experience. Qualified students, especially those expecting to go on for graduate degrees, are encouraged to engage in one or more of those experiences. Students who are planning to enter the workforce immediately upon completion of the B.S. degree are encouraged to obtain practical experience. This may involve summer employment in research or in a plant production or maintenance-related industry such as a lawn and tree care company, commercial greenhouse, nursery, orchard, vineyard or winery, botanical garden or arboretum, crop production farm, or with Cooperative Extension.

In addition to classrooms and laboratories in five buildings on the Cornell campus proper, research and teaching facilities adjacent to the campus are freely available to students for hands-on practice, technical training, independent research projects, and internships. These facilities include research orchards and vineyards, golf courses and a turf research facility, the Cornell Plantations (including arboretum and natural areas), and vegetable and field crop farms. Demonstration/research facilities in Aurora (Cayuga County), Geneva (Ontario County), Highland (Ulster County), Lake Placid (Essex County), Middletown (Orange County), Odessa (Tioga County), and Riverhead (Suffolk County) are also sites administered by departments in the Plant Sciences consortium and are available for undergraduate and graduate field study.

For more information about this major, see plantscience.cals.cornell.edu.

Crop and Soil Sciences provides instruction in the subject matter areas of crop science, soil science, environmental information science, and agronomy. The department addresses the challenge of developing environmentally sustainable agricultural systems to produce food for a world population that is expected to reach nine billion by 2050. It provides expertise to mitigate the impact of climate change and to develop the potential of sustainable biofuel crops.  Department research on nutrient and carbon fluxes in ecosystems helps increase nutrient use efficiency, improve soil health and solve greenhouse-gas issues.

Horticulture derived from the Latin word “hortus,” meaning garden, is a blend of science and culture involving knowledge of plants grown on farms and in gardens, parks, and athletic and recreational facilities; indoor plants; greenhouse and nursery plant production; and crops used for consumption and medicinal purposes. The knowledge and skills essential to grow, maintain, process, and market horticultural plants are in high demand in a world increasingly concerned with environmental quality, recreation, and health. The 40-plus faculty members in horticulture facilitate active research and outreach programs at the regional, national, and international levels.

Plant biology stresses a basic understanding of how plants function, grow, and develop, as well as a study of their genome, evolution, and relationships to humans. It provides undergraduates with a thorough preparation for graduate study in addition to exciting practical careers in plant sciences.

Plant breeding and genetics relates information about genetics/genomics of plants to the improvement of cultivated plant species. Agriculturally important genes are identified, characterized, and deployed through combinations of molecular studies and sexual crosses. This area of study integrates genetic information with plant physiology/biochemistry, plant pathology, entomology, conservation biology, international agriculture, and related areas to create crops that meet the needs of modern society. Students are encouraged to participate in research projects and take advantage of opportunities for internships in industry.

Plant pathology and plant-microbe biology faculty study interactions of plants with pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms. Some specialists in the field choose to focus their attention on the cause and management of plant diseases and others employ contemporary tools of molecular biology to answer fundamental questions about the nature of host-pathogen interactions. Working together, they advance the frontiers of science to ensure rapid deployment of new strategies for growing healthy crops with maximum yields and minimal impacts on the surrounding environment.