PLSCS 2110

Field Crop Systems

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2023-2024.

Principles of field-crop production of major crops used for food, feed, fiber and bioenergy. Includes introductory concepts of plant growth, development and maturation as they relate to crop performance and management, adaptation to soil, climatic and environmental conditions, tillage, mineral nutrition, pests, cropping sequences, management systems, and crop improvement. Grain, oilseed, biofuel and forage crops are emphasized. Laboratory includes field trips and demonstrations of the most important crop species, morphological and growth characteristics essential to environmental adaptation and response to management.

When Offered Fall.

Distribution Category (OPHLS-AG)

Comments Some field trips during lab periods.

• Recognize and identify the production constraints, nutritional characteristics and storage conditions of the world's major food, feed and forage crops.
• Identify the vegetative and flower morphologies of major cereal, legume and forage crops.
• Describe the stages of root, shoot and seed development in corn, soybean and other crops.
• Apply the principles of crop science to explain the geographic distribution and response of crop species to differences in light, temperature, water status and soil properties.
• Describe and demonstrate the impact of agroecosystems, cropping systems and management factors such as plant establishment, crop variety, soil mineral nutrition, pests and diseases on the productivity and quality of crops.

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