Fundamental ecological principles are applied to managed agricultural ecosystems. Crop selection and management are viewed as influencing interactions among species and the environment. Adaptation and distribution of temperate zone crops are related to both environmental constraints and human intervention.

The use of vegetation to reclaim land disturbed by human intervention, including mining and extraction, construction of right-of-ways, waste disposal, and logging, is introduced. Fundamentals of soil, plant, and associated microbial relations are reviewed, with emphasis on plant adaptation to soil constraints. Presentations by guest speakers and visits to nearby sites are used to identify the off as well as on-site environmental implications of land disturbance.

Production and quality of major tropical crops will be discussed in relation to principles of plant growth and development, as affected by climate, soil, and crop pests. (Offered in even-numbered years).

The course presents a practical farm approach to production principles and management practices related to the seeding, growth and development, harvesting and storage of small grains, corn, oilseeds, perennial grasses and legumes, pastures, hays and silages. (Last offering W97.)

Management strategies and world production of the major temperate grain crops are studied relative to their botanical and physiological characteristics and to available environmental resources. The utilization of grain crops for human food, livestock feed, and various industrial products are examined. (Offered in odd-numbered years.)

Management strategies and world production of the major temperate protein and oilseed crops are studied relative to their botanical and physiological characteristics and to available environmental resources. The utilization of protein and oilseed crops for human food, livestock feed and various industrial products are examined. (Offered in odd-numbered years.)

The contribution of pasture to temperate agriculture is discussed, with emphasis on pasture as a source of nutrition for cattle, sheep, and horses. Pasture growth, nutritional value, and efficiency of utilization by grazing livestock are related to soil and environmental factors, species and mixture adaptations, fertilizer and grazing management. (Offered in even-numbered years.)

Current management and utilization of forage grasses and legumes are reviewed. Physiological and biochemical processes unique to forage crops, including quality, preservation as hay and silage, animal utilization, perennial growth habit, the applications of genetics and biotechnology and the forage seed industry are discussed. Computer simulation models are applied to the utilization of forages in dairy production and to microbial interactions in silage. (Offered in even-numbered years.)

Design of cropping systems for specific livestock, poultry and cash crop enterprises; integration of all factors affecting crop yields, quality and economy of production such as choice and interchangeability of crops, crop sequence, tillage, pest control, seasonal work programming, harvesting, drying and storage.

Weeds will be studied in relation to agricultural practices. Principles of chemical, mechanical and biological control will be outlined. Laboratories will include weed identification, weed control methods, and demonstrations of the effects of various herbicides.

A field study designed to increase the student's knowledge of agricultural production and agri-business. Students will tour a selected area of North America prior to the fall semester, visiting cash crop and livestock farms, supporting industries (e.g. processing, manufacturing) and markets (e.g. elevators, stockyards). A fee of approximately $625.00 per student will be assessed.

This course is designed to permit students to study topics of current interest in the production of crops for feed and food purposes. Students will present seminars and prepare video presentations on the selected topics.

Students will select a problem in crop science, conduct an extensive search and review of the literature and outline an experiment to conduct on the problem. The outline will be presented as a seminar.

Students will conduct an experiment with the objective of providing information about some problem in crop science. The problem may be a field, growth room or a laboratory experiment which has been outlined in 29-435. Research findings will be written up in scientific style and a brief seminar of results presented.