PLBR 2010 - Plants, Genes, and Global Food Production

Fall. 3 credits.

Prerequisite: one year introductory biology or permission of instructor. May be used for partial fulfillment of CALS distribution requirement Physical and Life Sciences.

S. McCouch.

Introduction to plant breeding; offers a sense of the importance of the field, tracing its evolution from the prescientific days of crop domestication to modern applications of biotechnology. Offers examples of how breeding objectives are realized and raises questions about the environmental, social, and economic consequences of intensive food production systems. Emphasizes the connection between the genetics of plants, modern scientific research, and the potential to respond to the growing human demand for food, fiber, fuel, and environmental sustainability.