PLSCI 1250

A Taste of Plant Breeding

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2026-2027 Catalog.

This non-majors course is designed to share what every Cornell grad should know about how the plants in our everyday world are being shaped by plant breeding, especially here at Cornell. The course focuses on flavor, provides hands-on experience on how to cook with these crops with success at home, and while the crop is in the oven, lecture and conversation about the background of how each crop was bred for the dish we are preparing. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the dynamic nature of plants as food and ingredients, become educated shoppers, learn how to work with these crops in the kitchen, and pick up some foodie dinner conversation.

Last 4 Terms Offered (None)

Learning Outcomes

• Explain how plant breeding shapes the flavor, form, and function of crops commonly encountered in everyday food systems, especially in a culinary context.
• Describe the historical and contemporary roles of Cornell and other institutions in the development of major food crops.
• Engage in informed discussion about food, agriculture, and breeding suitable for professional, social, and “foodie” contexts.
• Research a food crop that is unfamiliar but present in their world, beyond those covered in class, synthesizing information on its breeding history, uses, and market presence.

View Enrollment Information