Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Systems Courses | 2020-2021 Graduate Catalog | SIU

400-3 Trends in Soil Science and Agronomy. A discussion session format will be employed as a means of acquainting students with recent literature and allowing them to remain current with latest developments in their area of specialty. Special approval needed from the department.

401-2 Agricultural Plant Pathology. A study of macro and micro-organisms and environmental factors that cause disease in plants of agricultural importance; of the mechanisms by which these factors induce disease in plants; and of the methods for managing diseases and reduce the damage they cause. Special approval needed from the department.

402A-3 Problems in Agricultural Education. Designed to improve the techniques related to award programs and application processes of agricultural education specialists through discussion, application, organization, and assignment to problems in the field of agricultural education. Emphasis will be placed on conceptual understanding of FFA and Agricultural Education award programs, applications, Supervised Agricultural Experience Program, and National Chapter Award Program, affiliated professional partnerships, and external sources for developing the entire Agricultural Education program.

402B-1 to 6 Problems in Agricultural Technologies. Designed to improve the techniques of agricultural mechanization workers through discussion, assignment, and special workshops on problems related to their field. Emphasis will be placed on new innovative and currently developed techniques for the field. A limit of six hours will be counted toward graduation in Master's degree program. Special approval needed from the department.

403A-2 Field Crop Diseases. A survey of major diseases of important field crops in the United States. Disease identification, cycles, and management strategies will be addressed. Special approval needed from the department.

403B-2 Horticultural Crop Diseases. A survey of major diseases of important horticultural crops in the United States. Disease identification, cycles, and management strategies will be addressed. Special approval needed from the department.

403C-1 Turfgrass Diseases. A survey of major diseases of important turfgrasses in the United States. Disease identification, cycles, and management strategies will be addressed. Special approval needed from the department.

403D-1 Tree Diseases. A survey of major diseases of important tree species in the United States. Disease identification, cycles, and management strategies will be addressed. Special approval needed from the department.

405-3 Plant Breeding. Principles of plant breeding emphasized together with their application to the practical breeding of agronomic, horticultural and forest plants. Special approval needed from the department. Field trip costs approximately $10.

408-3 World Crop Production Problems. Ecological and physiological factors influencing production in various areas of the world. Natural limitations on world crop production. Non-agricultural factors influence world crop output. Prerequisite: CSEM 200.

409-3 Crop Physiology. Principles of basic plant physiology. Topics include cell structure, photosynthesis, respiration, water and mineral relations, vascular transport and plant growth regulators. Prerequisites: PLB 200, CHEM 140B. Course fee: $50.

411-3 Human Resource Development Programs in Agriculture. Principles and procedures of human resource development (HRD) programs in agriculture with emphasis on program determination and methods. Special approval needed from the department.

412-3 Methods of Agriculture Mechanization. Theory and use of educational materials and devices adaptable to the needs and interests of educators involved in agricultural mechanization laboratories. There is a $15 laboratory fee for this course.

414-3 Adult Education Procedures, Methods and Techniques. Determining adult education needs and interests of the community. Securing and organizing the information needed for adult education programs and planning teaching activities.

415-3 Beginning Teacher Seminar. The application in the professional field setting, of principles and philosophies of the education system. Includes application of principles of curricula construction, programming student and community needs. Special approval needed from the department.

419-3 Plant Molecular Biology. (Same as PLB 419) A survey of molecular phenomena unique to plant systems. Topics will include: genome organization and synteny between plant genomes, transcriptional and post-transcriptional control of gene expression, signal transduction, epigenetics, plant-pathogen interactions and responses to biotic-and abiotic-stresses. Special approval needed from the department.

420-4 Crop Pest Control. Study of field pests of forest, orchard, field and garden crops; pest control principles and methods; control strategy; and consequences of pest control operations. Special approval needed from the department. Lab fee: $35.

421-3 Turf Management Issues and Strategies. Issues in environment, technology, management, society, politics, business, and sports that interact with turf management. Students will utilize periodicals and other references for preparing papers addressing these issues. Prerequisite: HORT 322 or permission of instructor. Lab fee: $25.

422-3 Turfgrass Science and Professional Management. Basic concepts of physiology, growth, and nutrition of turfgrasses and their culture. Application of turfgrass science to management of special areas, such as golf courses, athletic fields, sod farms, and to the turfgrass industry. Prerequisite: CSEM 240 and HORT 322 or equivalent or consent of instructor. Lab fee: $50.

423-3 Greenhouse Management. Principles of greenhouse management controlling environmental factors influencing plant growth; greenhouses and related structures; and greenhouse heating and cooling systems. Prerequisite: HORT 220 or consent of instructor. Laboratory fee: $40.

424-4 Floriculture. Production, timing and marketing of the major floricultural crops grown in the commercial greenhouse. Each student will have an assigned project. Special approval needed from the department. Laboratory fee: $40.

425-4 Environmental Physiology of Plants. (Same as PLB 425) The environmental physiology of plants focuses on the 1) influence of abiotic factors (e.g., light, water, temperature, nutrients, pollutants) on growth, development, and yield; 2) mechanisms by which plants respond to these abiotic factors; 3) use of biotechnology to increase abiotic stress tolerance in model and crop plants. Prerequisite: PLB 320 or CSEM 409. A $35 laboratory fee will be assessed.

426-4 Genomic and Bioinformatics. The course is designed to introduce students from a variety of backgrounds and departments to the scope and methodology of genomic and bioinformatic sciences. Real problems and solutions from genome data analysis are studied in this course to see how high throughput genomics is driving bioinformatics, and changing the biological sciences in revolutionary ways. Special approval needed from the department.

427-5 Plant Biochemistry. (Same as PLB 427) Exploration of fundamental biochemical pathways in plants with an emphasis upon carbon and nitrogen metabolism. Special approval needed from the department. Lab fee: $35.

428-3 Advanced Landscape Design I. Development of the design process, graphics and verbal communication of landscape projects. Emphasis on large-scale projects and residential design. Special approval needed from the department. Laboratory fee: $25.

429-3 Advanced Landscape Design II. Development of the design process, graphics and verbal communication of landscape projects. Emphasis on construction details, color rendering and portfolio development. Special approval needed from the department. Laboratory fee: $25.

430-4 Plant Propagation. Fundamental principles of asexual and sexual propagation of horticultural plants. Actual work with seeds, cuttings, grafts and other methods of propagation. Prerequisite: HORT 220. Field trip costs approximately $5. Lab fee: $40.

431-4 Landscape Construction. An introduction course in the basic elements of landscape construction dealing with wood, concrete, masonry and stone. Emphasis will be placed on safety, construction interpretation of construction drawings, specifications for specific structures, materials selection, cost estimation, site preparation, and construction techniques. Prerequisite: HORT 220. Laboratory fee: $170.

432-4 Garden Center and Nursery Management. Principles and practices in both field and container production or ornamental landscape materials and the marketing of landscape plant materials at the nursery and retail garden center. Business management of both nurseries and garden centers will be included. Special approval needed from the department. Laboratory fee: $50.

433-3 to 7 Introduction to Agricultural Biotechnology. (Same as ANS 433, PLB 433) This course will cover the basic principles of plant and animal biotechnology using current examples; gene mapping in breeding, transgenic approaches to improve crop plants and transgenic approaches to improve animals will be considered. Technology transfer from laboratory to marketplace will be considered. An understanding of gene mapping, cloning, transfer, and expression will be derived.

434-3 Woody Plant Maintenance. Care and management of ornamental shrubs and trees commonly used in the landscape. Topics to include trimming, pruning, fertilization, transplanting and diagnosis of woody plant problems. Special approval needed from the department.

435-1 to 4 Agricultural Molecular Biotechnology Seminar. Molecular Biology is rapidly making important contributions to agricultural science through biotechnology. An appreciation of the techniques of molecular biology and their application to plant improvement is important to all in agriculture and biology. The relationships between plant molecular biology and the biotechnology industry will be discussed. Presentations on particular research problems will be made. Graded S/U only.

436-4 Successful Fruit Growing. Learn how to grow and use temperate fruit trees for your pleasure and/or economic benefit. Learn to use the basic principles of plant-environment interaction to understand and solve common problems found in the culture of tree fruit crops in the landscape, garden or orchard. Master the secrets of fruit growing through emphasis on hands-on experiential laboratories. Focus on Midwest culture of tree fruit and nut crops. One-day field trip. Required textbooks mandatory. Special approval needed from the department. Laboratory fee: $135.

437-4 Vegetable Production. Culture, harvesting, and marketing of vegetables; with morphological and physiological factors as they influence the crops. Special approval needed from the department. Laboratory fee: $25.

438-3 Plant and Animal Molecular Genetics Laboratory. (Same as PLB 438, ZOOL 438) Arabidopsis and Drosophila model organisms, lab-based training in laboratory safety, reagent preparation, phenotype analysis, genetics, DNA and RNA analysis, PCR, cDNA construction, cloning and sequencing of genes. Includes plant and bacterial transformation, and a population level analysis of genetic variation using RAPD markers in grasses and Alu insertion in humans. Two 2-hr labs and one 1-hr lecture per week. Prerequisite: BIOL 305 or equivalent or consent of instructor. Lab fee: $30.

439-3 Introduction to Landscape Design Software. Introduces students to a popular software program used to create landscape designs. Emphasis is on learning the software program rather than learning the design process. Prerequisite: HORT 328A and HORT 328B.

441-3 Soil Morphology and Classification. Development, characteristics, and identification of soils, study of profiles; and interpretation and utilization of soil survey information in land use planning. Special approval needed from the department. Field trip costing approximately $5.

442-3 Soil Physics. A study of the physical properties of soils with special emphasis on soil and water relationships, soil productivity and methods of physical analysis. Prerequisite: CSEM 240.

443-3 Soil Management. The soil as a substrate for plant growth. Properties of the soil important in supplying the necessary mineral nutrients, water and oxygen and for providing an environment conducive to plant root system elaboration. Soil management techniques that are important in optimizing plant growth. Prerequisite: CSEM 240.

445-3 Irrigation Principles and Practices. This course will cover basic principles of irrigation sciences; water requirements of crops; soil water relationship; water application methods including flooding, sprinkler and drip (or trickle) systems; water conveyance, distribution and measurement; evaluation of irrigation efficiency; and irrigation scheduling. Considerations will also include crop production effects and economic aspects of irrigation. Special approval needed from the department.

446-3 Soil and Water Conservation. Covers the principles of hydrologic processes and soil erosion. Consideration will be given to the occurrence of soil erosion as it affects humans, food production and the environment. The methods and technologies for protecting against and controlling of erosion will also be discussed. Special approval needed from the department.

447-3 Fertilizers and Soil Fertility. Recent trends in fertilizer use and the implications of soil fertility build up to sufficiency and/or toxicity levels; the behavior of fertilizer material in soils and factors important in ultimate plant uptake of the nutrients; the plant-essential elements in soils and ways of assessing their needs and additions; tailoring fertilizer for different uses and management systems; implication of excessive fertilization in our environment. Concurrent enrollment in PSAS 448 required. Special approval needed from the department.

448-2 Soil Fertility Evaluation. A laboratory course designed to acquaint one with practical soil testing and plant analysis methods useful in evaluating soil fertility and plant needs. One hour lecture, two hours laboratory. Concurrent enrollment in PSAS 447 required. Special approval needed from the department. Laboratory fee: $15.

454-4 Soil Microbiology. (Same as MICR 454) A study of microbial numbers, characteristics and biochemical activities of soil microorganisms with emphasis on the transformation of organic compounds, nitrogen phosphorus, sulfur, iron and other plant essential nutrients. Prerequisite: CSEM 240 or MICR 301. Lab fee: $15.

455-3 Biology of Plant-Microbe Interactions. The molecular basis of post-pathogen interactions and disease development in plants is examined with a critical review of original and current literature focusing on the mechanisms of pathogenesis, virulence, disease development and resistance, and response mechanisms in plants. Special approval needed from the department.

463-3 Agricultural Electrical Systems. Electrical knowledge and basics skills are developed and implemented with practical exercises and projects. Electrical circuits will be planned and constructed, with emphasis on convenience, codes and safety. Laboratory fee: $40.

466-4 Vine and Small Fruit Culture. Study of the developmental patterns and environmental responses of important vine and small fruit crops; strawberries, brambles, blueberries, grapes and exotic crops. Learn to adapt these crops to profitable culture for the amateur or professional with a Midwest focus. Practical hands-on experience in the classroom and the field. Two one-day field trips required. Required textbooks mandatory. Special approval needed from the department. Lab fee: $150.

467-3 Wines of the World. Varieties, terroir, culture and connoiseurship. Study the impact of varieites, terroir and culture on important wines from regions around the world. Learn wine geography and its effect on wine character with practical hands-on experience and expand connoiseurship skills. A team approach to wine appellation presentations and a term project involved in the wine trade will teach industry production, marketing and networking skills. Meet once a week for 4 hours; 2 hr lecture, 2 hr lab. Meeting time arranged for convenience of majority interested in taking the class, with instructor approval. Prerequisite is successful completion of HORT 333, From the Vine to its Wine, with a grade of C or better. Must be 21 years of age prior to the beginning of class to enroll. Proof of age and signature on informed consent form required at first class meeting. Purchase and use of required textbook mandatory. Laboratory fee of $192.

468-3 Weeds - Their Control. Losses due to weeds, weed identification and distribution, methods of weed dissemination and reproduction, mechanical, biological and chemical control of weeds. State and Federal legislation pertaining to weed control herbicides. Herbicide commercialization. Special approval needed from the department. Field Trips costing approximately $5.

469-3 Organic Gardening. This class will focus on the philosophical background of organic farming, as well as the biological, environmental and social factors involved in organic food production. The student will learn the basic principles of successful organic gardening without the need to use man-made synthetic chemical sprays and fertilizers. Topics covered will include soils and organic fertilizers, composting and mulches, companion planting and crop rotation, organic cultivation of fruit, vegetable and ornamental flowers/shrubs, organic pest and disease control, permaculture, and organic garden planning design and maintenance.

470-2 Post Harvest Handling of Horticultural Commodities. Fundamental principles of post harvest physiology, handling, and evaluation of horticultural commodities will be covered. Specific details will be given on vegetable, fruit, ornamental and floricultural commodities. Prerequisite: HORT 220 and PLB 320. Field trip costing approximately $30.

472-3 Precision Agriculture. A study of the core components of Precision Agriculture including the Global Positioning System (GPS), multispectral and hyperspectral remote sensing technology, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), soil sampling, yield monitoring, and analysis & decision making systems applied for site specific management of production agriculture resources. Laboratory fee: $5.

473-3 Agricultural Automation. This course introduces students to topics such as power distribution, programmable controllers, sensors and components, ladder control circuits and diagrams, and motor controls. The lab will address automation issues for different industrial processes such as pasteurization. Lab fee: $20.

475-4 Golf Course Green Installation and Maintenance. This course will mainly focus on the requirements, installation, care and maintenance of the rooting media of golf course putting green and turfgrass on disturbed soils. Prerequisite: CSEM 240.

476-3 Agricultural Safety and Health. Analysis of safety and health issues important to managers and supervisors in agricultural operations. Topics include agricultural accident data, causes and effects of accidents, hazard identification, strategies for accident prevention, response to accidents and health risks and safeguards. Development and documentation of accident and illness prevention activities in the workplace. Special approval needed from the department.

480-3 Designing Outdoor Spaces. This course will instruct and challenge the student to design outdoor spaces that cultivate a sense of place as related to the site and the user. The course will review fundamental landscape planning process including principles and elements of design with an emphasis on "green" decision making. Special approval needed from the department.

483-3 Agricultural Processing Systems. This course provides students with an understanding of the design principles, equipment, procedures and processes utilized in handling, processing and storing agricultural products. Prerequisite: AGSE 371.

486-3 Invasive Plant Ecology and Management. (Same as FOR 486) Ecology and evolution of invasive plant species, with a focus on land management, including characteristics and biology, introduction and spread, population dynamics, community impacts and ecological interactions, and invasive plant evolution and adaptation, as well as management techniques and considerations, including biological, chemical, and mechanical control. Prerequisite: BIOL 307 or consent of instructor. Restricted to junior standing.

488-3 Food Engineering Technology. This course introduces the basic principles of facilities planning for larger operations and complexes of the food processing industry, and to gain management/technology insight in food engineering technology. Special approval needed from the instructor.

495-3 Food and Pharmaceutical Packaging. Applied packaging and food engineering principles used in packaging, storing, preserving, and transporting food and drug products. Topics include packaging functions, graphic design, printing, sterilization, and food safety. Utilization of paper, glass, plastics, laminates, and metals. Applications of machinery and equipment. Prerequisite: AGSE 371.

497-3 Agricultural Operations Management. A capstone course in product support, interpretation of financial reports, preparing and monitoring budgets, time and process management, critical thinking, advanced problem solving. Prerequisites: AGSE 318, 371, 375.

499-3 Agriculture Information for K-12th Grade Teachers. A general inquiry into the agriculture literacy appropriate for K-12th grade students. A framework for evaluating content appropriate for K-12th grade students in the pursuit of agriculture literacy will be developed. Special approval needed from the instructor.

500-3 Agricultural Systems Research Methodology. Research methodology for agricultural education and agricultural systems technology including defining research problems, preparing project proposals and sources of data. Special approval needed from the department.

501-3 Recent Research in Agricultural Education. A study of recent research and development in agricultural education. The course includes an analysis of regional and national scholarly publications, procedures and products. Special approval needed from the department.

518-3 Principles of Herbicide Action. Chemistry and mode of action of herbicides. Nature of herbicidal action. Illustrates the various types of chemical weed control procedures in current use. The physiology of herbicidal action examined using the different mechanisms established for various chemical groups of herbicides. Prerequisite: PSAS 468, PLB 320.

520-3 Growth and Development of Plants. (Same as PLB 520) Physiological control of developmental processes. Emphasis on exogenous growth-regulating compounds and their behavior in plants. Special approval needed from the department.

524-3 Gene Regulatory Networks. (Same as PLB 524) An examination of the integration of genes into networks including developmental, abiotic stress response, metabolic and photoreceptor gene regulatory networks. Includes motif discovery, cis-regulatory elements, discussion of transcription factor families, RNA interference, network theory, feedback loops, cytoplasmic inheritance, maternal effect, post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation. Includes 2 lectures and a 2 hr computational bioinformatics lab per week. Prerequisite: PLB 471 or permission of instructor.

525-3 Program Development in Agricultural Education. Analysis and appraisal of current trends in agricultural education program development. Attention is given to implications for educators at the high school, post-secondary and in extension education positions. Offered each year, alternating spring and summer semesters.

526-4 Cytogenetics. Special approval needed from the department.

527-3 Professional Development in Agricultural Education. Recent developments and trends in agricultural education are presented for review and discussion. The role of the agricultural instructor in determining educational priorities is emphasized. Offered each year, alternating fall and summer semesters.

530-3 Plant Ecophysiology. (Same as PLB 530) A study of the physiological processes that influence the growth, reproduction, adaptation, and geographic distribution of plants. The ecophysiology of plant stress and plant interactions. Special approval needed from the department.

531-3 International Agricultural Systems. Introduction to world agriculture, farming systems, world crops, agricultural trade, and food production and processing. Influence of population and climate. Ethical issues surrounding rain forests, global agriculture, finance, world trade, crops and livestock, and the environment. Appropriate technologies and their social and economic impact on developing countries. Special approval needed from the department.

547-2 Soil and Environmental Quality. A study of the interaction between plants and soil-water, and their effects on soil and water pollution. Reactions and processes governing the solubility and mobility of metals, organic compounds and nutrients in soil, sustainable management practices, and soil/water resource remediation improving environmental quality will be discussed Prerequisite: CSEM 240 or consent of instructor.

548-2 Fundamentals in Urban Soils. Study of the function, structure, and management of soils and engineered soils in the urban environment. Emphasis is on urban horticulture, turf, urban forests, landscape plants and urban settings. Course will focus on understanding and implementation of basic soil concepts, with an emphasis on sustainability and management of urban soils to minimize maintenance and maximize utility.

550-3 Plant Disease Management and Epidemiology. This course will provide understanding of approaches to managing plant diseases, strategies for developing and implementing integrated disease management programs, and methods for monitoring and analyzing epidemics.

551-4 Plant Nematology. This course will provide an understanding of plant parasitic nematode anatomy and morphology, identification, life cycles, and management strategies. Emphasis will be placed on practical or applied aspects of information presented. Special approval needed from the department.

555-4 Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Industries. This course will cover fundamentals and application of nanotechnology applied to the agri-food sector. Novel techniques such as encapsulation and delivery of agricultural and food molecules, diagnostics and sensing for plant and animal health will be covered. Application in production, processing and packaging of food and feed, to improving safety, quality and security will also be covered by student participation and guest lecturers. Prerequisite: basic undergraduate physics and chemistry or consent of instructor.

560A-3 Field Plot Technique. Design of field plot and greenhouse experiments including appropriate statistical analyses for each of the designs. Data interpretation. Prerequisite: ZOOL 557 or PLB 360.

560B-2 Field Plot Technique. Each of the designs discussed in (A) will be illustrated with a type problem and solved by computer processes using primarily MINITAB and SAS software programs. Prerequisite: PSAS 560A or concurrent enrollment or consent of instructor.

561-3 Control Programming. Course in the logic and procedures of computer programming for automating, controlling, and monitoring of agricultural processes. Students will analyze problems, design solutions, develop software and test solutions. Students will be expected to develop a control, monitoring, and automated data collection project related to their research interests. Special approval needed from the department. Laboratory fee: $10.

562-3 Sustainable Landscape Practices. Landscape practices designed and maintained with respect to natural systems offer ecological benefits, functional solutions and aesthetic value to outdoor spaces. This course will introduce best practices and construction methods of sustainable landscape features as green roofs, green walls, and permeable pavers with an emphasis on construction details, material selection and case studies. Students will expand critical thinking skills as applied to landscape planning.

563-3 Plants for the Ecological Landscape. Introduction to alternative plant selections for the urban landscape associated with the use of native plants and creating edible landscapes. Emphasis is placed on site location, whether on the ground, in containers or on a green roof, to determine best practices and appropriate choices in urban environments.

564-3 Growing Fruit in the Urban Environment. Learn why and how to grow perennial fruit crops in limited and special spaces in the urban environment. The potential uses of temperate perennial fruit plants in the urban landscape are examined. Theoretical obstacles to successful fruit growing are explored. The unique advantages and disadvantages of growing long-lived perennial plants in urban landscape are examined. Methods of developing practical crop scheduling for intended outcomes (low vs. high inputs) are talked about. Efficient utilization of urban meso-climate niches are covered.

565-1 Bee Management in Urban Spaces. Study of the role of bees in the urban landscape. Behavior, biology and pests of bees will be examined. Practical management of bees will be explained in connection with maintaining healthy bee ecosystems. The demonstrator species will be the honey bee Apis mellifera.

571-4 Genomics of Eukaryotes: Bioinformatics. (Same as PLB 571) Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics are rapidly making important contributions to the Life Science through biotechnology. An appreciation of the genomic tools is important to all in agriculture and biology. The relationships between molecular biology bioinformatics and the biotechnology industry will be explored. Short independent practical projects in genomics, proteomics or bioinformatics will be pursued.

572-3 Current Research in Agricultural Systems. A study and analysis of current problems, research findings and innovations in agricultural systems. Technical reports and journal articles will be discussed and analyzed. Students will select articles related to their own research interests and begin writing a thesis or research proposal. Special approval needed from the department.

575-3 Introduction to Agricultural Systems. Operational functions and processes that are integrated to accomplish a designated, well-defined purpose in production and processing. Topics include planning and evaluating reliability, manpower, scheduling, economy, packaging, human and animal factors. Prerequisites: AGSE 318, 371, or instructor approval. Lab fee: $10.

580A-3 Colloquium in Bioinformatics for Computer Engineers. Bioinformatics makes important contributions to the Life Sciences through biotechnology. The use of Bioinformatics is important to all in agriculture, biology, computer engineering and computer science involved in the analysis of genes; proteins; and genomes by computers and networks. Short independent practical projects in bioinformatics or computer networking may be pursued. Graduate Student status required. Sections A, B, and C. May be taken online.

580B-3 Colloquium in Bioinformatics for Computer Engineers. Bioinformatics makes important contributions to the Life Sciences through biotechnology. The use of Bioinformatics is important to all in agriculture, biology, computer engineering and computer science involved in the analysis of genes; proteins; and genomes by computers and networks. Short independent practical projects in bioinformatics or computer networking may be pursued. Graduate Student status required. Sections A, B, and C. May be taken online.

580C-3 Colloquium in Bioinformatics for Computer Engineers. Bioinformatics makes important contributions to the Life Sciences through biotechnology. The use of Bioinformatics is important to all in agriculture, biology, computer engineering and computer science involved in the analysis of genes; proteins; and genomes by computers and networks. Short independent practical projects in bioinformatics or computer networking may be pursued. Graduate Student status required. Sections A, B, and C. May be taken online.

581-1 to 4 (1,1,1,1) Seminar. Individual presentations on subjects and problems relating to soils, field and horticultural crops, education, information, and technologies and other phases of plant, soil and general agriculture. Graded S/U only.

581A-1 to 4 (1,1,1,1) Seminar. Individual presentations on subjects and problems relating to soils, field and horticultural crops, education, information, and technologies and other phases of plant, soil and general agriculture. Graded S/U only.

581B-1 to 4 (1,1,1,1) Seminar. Individual presentations on subjects and problems relating to soils, field and horticultural crops, education, information, and technologies and other phases of plant, soil and general agriculture. Graded S/U only.

582A-2 Colloquium in Plant and Soil Science-Genetics and Plant Breeding. Recent developments and trends in specialized areas of plant and soil science will be discussed in genetics and plant breeding.

582B-2 Colloquium in Plant and Soil Science-Research Methods. Recent developments and trends in specialized areas of plant and soil science will be discussed in research methods.

582C-2 Colloquium in Plant and Soil Science-Physiology and Ecology. Recent developments and trends in specialized areas of plant and soil science will be discussed in physiology and ecology.

583-3 Urban Ecological Landscape Practicum. Critical analysis and innovative design/solutions of urban landscape practices and urban agriculture from an ecological perspective. This practicum culminates the objective of integrating natural systems in the design and practice of sustainable landscape systems including urban food production. Learning opportunities will be presented through site visits and case studies. Students will demonstrate practical application of theories and systems through discussions and presentations.

588-1 to 8 International Graduate Studies. Residential graduate study programs abroad. Approval of department required both for the nature of program and number of hours of credit. Special approval needed from the department. Graded S/U only.

590-1 to 4 Readings. Contemporary books and periodicals on selected subjects within the fields of plant, soil and agricultural systems. Special approval needed from the department.

592-1 to 3 Special Problems. Directed study of specialized areas of crop production, horticulture, soils or agricultural systems depending on the program of the student. Discussion, seminars, readings and instruction in research techniques. Special approval needed from the department.

593-1 to 6 Individual Research. Directed research on approved projects investigating selected fields of plant, soil and agricultural systems. Special approval needed from the department.

595-1 to 4 Agricultural Occupation Internship. Prepares coordinators to fulfill their responsibilities in selected areas in agricultural related occupations through an internship in the area of specialization and through orientation to related technical information. Special approval needed from the department.

599-1 to 6 Thesis. At least three hours of thesis credit is required for the Master's degree under the thesis option. Special approval needed from the department.

601-1 per semester Continuing Enrollment. For those graduate students who have not finished their degree programs and who are in the process of working on their dissertation, thesis or research paper. The student must have completed a minimum of 24 hours of dissertation research, or the minimum thesis, or research hours before being eligible to register for this course. Concurrent enrollment in any other course is not permitted. Graded S/U or DEF only.