This course consists of laboratory and field exercises designed to increase understanding of important soil physical properties and processes. Its objectives are to develop familiarity with standard methods of measuring soil physical parameters, and to instill scientific methods of data collection, analysis and interpretation.

Special topical or experimental courses in crop science, soil science or related areas of horticulture, or plant physiology for graduate and advanced undergraduate students. Special subtitle required and must be approved by the chair of Agronomy or Horticulture. A particular subtitle may be offered twice under PLS 597. Students may not repeat under the same subtitle.

This course is intended to be a treatment of current concepts of plant molecular biology. It will be a literature-based course, supplemented by handouts and reading lists. The course will deal as much as is possible with topics that are unique to plants. Current aspects of molecular biology that are relevant to the course content will be covered in the first part of the course; however, these lectures will not be a review of topics that should have been retained from introductory genetics and biochemistry courses. Also, they will not be a substitute for a molecular biology course.

Recognition and identification of plant diseases and their causes and development. The course is designed to give students practical experience in dealing with a wide array of plant diseases, symptom expressions, causal agents and interactions with environmental factors encountered in the difficult task of identifying plant diseases. May be repeated to a maximum of nine credits. Lecture, one hour; laboratory, six hours.

Study of nutrient cycles as linked to energy and water in terrestrial ecosystems. Effects of agricultural production and management on nutrient and energy flows at local, regional, and global scales.

Special topic or experimental course in cross science, horticulture, plant physiology or soil science for advanced graduate students. Special title required and must be approved by the chairpersons of the Departments of Agronomy and Horticulture. A particular title may be offered twice, at most, under PLS 697. Students may not repeat under the same title. May be repeated to a maximum of six hours.

Half-time to full-time work on thesis. May be repeated to a maximum of six semesters.