Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences

Course Descriptions

Undergraduate Catalog

  • SCSC 105 (AGRI 1307, 1407) – World Food and Fiber Crops (2-2)  Credits-3   Plant relationships, structure and development; environmental factors affecting plants; technological aspects of agricultural practices; food production for an increasing population.   Instructor: Katherine Carson
  • SCSC 201 – Great Plains Settlement and Farming. (3-0) Credits-3 American Indian hunting and farming; transformation by Manifest destiny, Homestead Act, railroads, Indian Wars, U.S. Army, crops and farm families; effects of World Wars, Great Depression, Dust Bowl, irrigation, fertilization, pest controls, precision farming. Fall semester   Instructor: Seth Murray
  • SCSC 205 – Problem Solving in Plant and Soil Systems  (2-2) Credits-3 Problems in management of soils, crops, and natural resources; problem solving skills including collecting, interpreting, using and communicating scientific and nonscientific data.  Instructor: Kathy Carson
  • >SCSC 301 – Soil Science  (3-2) Credits-4  An introduction to the nature and properties of soils. Application of science and technology to the use of this natural resource and the roles in the environment. Prerequisite: junior or senior classification    Instructor: Julie Howe and Peyton Smith
  • SCSC 302 – Recreational Turf  (3-0) Credits-3  Principles underlying construction and maintenance practices for turf facilities including athletic fields, golf courses, parks and home lawns; aesthetic, safety and economic aspects of turf varieties, soil conditions, plant protectants and maintenance equipment. Prerequisite: Biology or approval of instructor   Instructors: Mark Hall, Russell Jessup
  • SCSC 304 – Plant Breeding and Genetics  (3-0) Credits-3  Genetic improvement of crops by hybridization and selection; special breeding methods and techniques applicable to naturally self-pollinated, cross-pollinated and asexually reproduced plants. Prerequisite: SCSC 105   Spring semester  Instructor: Steve Hague
  • SCSC 305 – Professional Development in Agronomy (0-2) Credit-1  Enhancement of human relation skills related to a career in soil and crop sciences. Includes: field trip to Mississippi to interact with leadership from a global agricultural company; on-campus experiences to improve effective learning practices, job seeking and retention, and setting and achieving near-term and long-term professional goals. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.   Instructor: Steve Hague
  • SCSC 307 – Crop Biology and Physiology  (3-2) Credits-4   Emphasis on seed biology, germination, development of cells and tissues, anatomy, and growth and development of crop plants; plant hormones and tropisms, membranes and membrane transport, water absorption and transport through plants, photosynthesis, respiration and carbohydrate metabolism, and flowering; environmental effects on crop adaptation, growth, development, and productivity. Prerequisites: SCSC 205, junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor. Instructors: Scott Finlayson  Sakiko Okumoto
  • SCSC 309 – Water in Soils and Plants  (3-2) Credits-4  Fundamentals of plant water use, and water movement and storage in soils; evapotranspiration, plant water requirements and irrigation scheduling; issues impacting irrigation and water quality; techniques for measuring soil and plant water relations. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor. Spring semester. Instructor: Briana Wyatt
  • SCSC 310 – Soil Morphology and Interpretations  (1-3) Credits-2  Field study of morphological features of soil profiles and the morphological characterization of important soils of Texas in relation to soil use and management. Prerequisite: SCSC 301 or concurrent registration. Spring Semester only.  Instructor: Felipe Aburto
  • SCSC 311 – Principles of Crop Production  (3-0)  Credits-3  Origin and development of major U.S. agronomic crops; crop/species adaptation; crop management factors such as cultivar selection, planting, pest control, plant nutrition, irrigation, and harvesting; organic farming; conservation agriculture; bioenergy crops; influence of markets, government policies, and global economy on cropping strategies. SCSC 311 will provide the student of agriculture with an understanding of the major row/drill (agronomic) crops grown in the United States (barley, corn, cotton, grain sorghum, peanuts, rice, soybean and wheat) Prerequisites: junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor. Fall semester. Instructor: Wayne Smith
  • SCSC 312 – Professional Development in Turfgrass  (0-2) Credit-1  Fundamentals of turfgrass anatomy, growth habit, identification and characteristics of cool- and warm-season turfgrass species; understanding of seed quality and labeling, pesticide safety, handling, and application, and fertilizer sources, safety, and application; specialized equipment used in the turfgrass industry. Prerequisite: SCSC 302 or registration therein   Fall semester   Instructor:  Ben Wherley
  • SCSC 330 – Social and Ethical Aspects of International Cropping Systems  (3-0) Credits-3 Philosophical basis of ethical decisions; includes slavery, war, population growth, migration, farm workers, chemical inputs, genetically modified organisms, soil and water conservation and protection of wild species. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification. Spring semester. Instructor: Sakiko Okumoto
  • SCSC 401 – Forensic Soil Science  (3-2) Credits-3  Soil and geologic characteristics associated with crime scene examination; physical and chemical characteristics; use of trace evidence, glass and amorphous materials, fossils; Fourier and fractal analysis; x-ray tomography and laser profilometry; soil and geologic isotope composition. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor. Fall semester   Cross-listed as FIVS-401    Instructor: Youjun Deng
  • SCSC 402 – Crop Stress Management (3-2) Credits-4 Identification, measurement, biology, physiology and management of crop stress; limitations of specific environments to crop productivity; morphological and physiological crop stress response mechanisms. Prerequisites: SCSC 307, junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor     Instructor: Amir Ibrahim, Endang Septiningsih
  • SCSC 405 – Soil and Water Microbiology  (3-0)   Credits-3   Roles of soil and water microorganisms in the sustainability and productivity of various ecosystems with specific emphasis on plant-microbial interactions, nutrient cycling, degradation of pesticides and other xenobiotics, generation of trace gases, and soil and water quality; hands-on laboratory experience with current techniques in soil and water microbiology. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification       Instructor: Terry Gentry
  • SCSC 406 – Soil and Water Microbiology Laboratory  (0-2)  Credit-1  Hands-on experience with current techniques for examining the types, numbers, activity and roles of soil and water microorganisms with specific application to the carbon, nitrogen and sulfur cycle; plant-microbial interactions; soil and water quality. Prerequisites: SCSC 405 or concurrent enrollment; junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.  Instructor: Terry Gentry
  • SCSC 410 – International Agricultural Systems  (3-0)  Credit-3. Contrast modern agriculture systems with those in developing countries; emphasis on natural resources and technologies interacting with economic and social development on a global scale. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor. Spring semester. Instructor:  Michael Thomson
  • SCSC 411 – Biotechnology for Crop Improvement (3-0) Credit-3 Use of biotechnology to improve agricultural, horticultural and forest crops; techniques and methods used, and case studies where biotechnology has been used to alter traits such as pathogen resistance, protein or oil consumption, ripening, fertility and wood properties. Prerequisites: BIOL 111 or equivalent.  Cross-listed as: MEPS411 and GENE411   Instructor: Endang Septiningsih
  • SCSC 420 – Brazilian Agriculture and Food Production Systems  Credits-3 to 6.Comparison and study of Brazilian and U.S. agriculture and culture related to soil, water, and forest conservation and management in Brazil; tour and learn about Amazon River, rain forest, Brasilia, farm, ranch, and floral production systems, agricultural cooperatives and research, sugar and alcohol production, phosphate mining and production; visit points of interest. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor. Spring semester. Instructor: Terry Gentry
  • SCSC 421 – International Agricultural Research Centers – Mexico  (3-0)  Credits-3. International agricultural research; CIMMYT interaction; modern and underdeveloped tropical agricultural systems; introduction to Mexican culture; critical evaluation of complex and international agricultural issues and research programs. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification and approval of instructor. Mexico – Fall Semester  Instructor: Steve Hague
  • SCSC 422 – Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrient Management  (3-0)  Credits-3  Chemical and biological reactions in soils that influence nutrient availability to plants; environmental aspects associated with nutrient availability and fertilization, especially for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Prerequisites: SCSC 301, junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor. Fall semester. Instructor:
  • SCSC 427 – Sports Field Construction  (3-3)  Credits-4  Development of knowledge, skills, and experiences for the design and construction of a turfgrass-based sports field; case studies and visits to model fields, guest lectures from sports field owners, designers, and construction company managers; hands-on construction of a small-scale sand-based sports field. Prerequisites: SCSC 309, junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor. Spring semester of odd years.  Instructor: Ben Wherley
  • SCSC 428 – Advanced Turf Ecology and Physiology  (3-0)  Credits-3  Examination of how environmental stresses, genetics, and cultural management practices influence the growth, development, and physiology of turfgrasses; exploration of how turf communities function within urban landscapes; introduction to environmental, social, and political issues encountered when managing these areas. Spring semester. Instructor: Ben Wherley
  • SCSC 429 – Turf Management Systems  (3-2)  Credits-4  Development of turf management plans for large turfgrass sites including parks, golf courses and sports facilities; use of case studies to critically analyze turf management programs. Prerequisite: SCSC 428. Fall semester. Instructor: Chase Straw
  • SCSC 430 – Turfgrass Maintenance  (3-2)  Credits-4  Activities in a day-to-day turfgrass maintenance operation; decision-making in culture, equipment, irrigation systems, budgets, records and labor management. Laboratory includes principles and actual mechanical procedures involved in maintaining turfgrass. Prerequisite: SCSC 428 or approval of instructor. Spring semester of even years.  Instructor: Ben Wherley
  • SCSC 432 – Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrient Management Laboratory  (0-3)  Credit-1  Methods used in soil testing, fertilizer recommendations, chemical and physical properties of soils, and determination of specific characteristics of a collected and analyzed soil sample. Prerequisites: SCSC 301; SCSC 422 or registration therein, junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor.* Fall semester. Instructor:
  • SCSC 441 – Crop Production Systems  (3-0)  Credits-3  Integration of crop production and management concepts through a systems approach; application of concepts using case studies and team projects. Prerequisite: Senior classification or approval of instructor. Spring semester. Instructor: Nithya Rajan
  • SCSC 444 – Forage Ecology and Management  (3-0)  Credits-3  Investigation of multidisciplinary approaches toward the development of integrated forage, livestock, and wildlife production systems that are economically feasible and environmentally sustainable. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor. Spring semester. Instructor: Larry Redmon
  • SCSC 446 – Weed Management and Ecology  (2-2)  Credits-3 Practical information related to weed management and ecology for various vegetative systems to include turf and agronomic crops; calibration of applicators, herbicide labels, mode of action of herbicides, herbicide-resistant weed management. Prerequisites: BIOL 101 or 111, junior or senior classification    Fall semester. Instructor: Muthu Bagavathiannan
  • SCSC 453 – Essentials for Weed Systematic Identification and Management in Agronomy  (3-0) Credits-3   Fundamental understanding and hands-on training on the basics of plant weed identification and management: relevant to agronomy, turf, horticulture, rangeland science, and vegetation identification and management. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.  Stacked with SCSC 653  Instructor: Muthu Bagavathiannan
  • SCSC 455 – Environmental Soil and Water Science  (3-0)  Credits-3   Discussion of physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil and water and the impact on productivity and sustainability of various ecosystems; application of the knowledge of properties and soil processes to develop and evaluate strategies for protecting and/or improving soil and water quality. Prerequisite: SCSC 301 or approval of instructor. Spring semester. Instructor: Terry Gentry
  • SCSC 458 – Watershed and Water Quality Management  (3-0)  Credits-3   Land use impact on surface and groundwater chemistry; legislation impacting water quality; surface and groundwater impairment and restoration. Prerequisite: CHEM 101 or equivalent or approval of instructor; junior or senior classification. Spring semester. Instructor:
  • SCSC 481 – Senior Seminar  (2-0)  Credits-2   Capstone course bringing together student experiences, exams, and exercises necessary for completing and assessing curriculum program learning outcomes. Prerequisite: Senior classification. Instructors: Spring semester – Richard White     Fall semester – Bill Rooney
  • SCSC 491 – Undergraduate Research  (1-4)  Credits – variable depending on hours committed to project    Past students have: examined urban pond chemistry and microbiology, extracted soils from urban, agricultural and body farm ecosystems and examined land use and management effects on soil chemistry. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior classification, initial meeting with professor to craft a research project, production of a project proposal. Students will present their research.   Instructor: various

Graduate Catalog

  • SCSC 603 – Cytological and Histological Principles in Plant Breeding  (2-3)  Credits-3   Modern concepts and recent developments for advanced students in plant and soil sciences and related fields employing microscopic evaluation; specimen preparation, stain technology, theory and use of microscopes, micromanipulators, microtomes, the microtome cryostat, use of equipment in modern cytological research.  Prerequisite: Graduate classification.  Fall semester   Instructor: David Stelly
  • SCSC 605 – Pedology  (3-0)  Credits-3 Soil genesis, morphology and classification; development of a working knowledge of soil taxonomy and diagnostic horizons used in placement of soils. Prerequisites: SCSC 301 or equivalent; or approval of instructor. Two 2-day field trips for which departmental fees may be assessed to cover costs. Spring semester   Instructor: Felipe Aburto
  • SCSC 607 – Crop Physiology (3-0) Credits-3    Growth and productivity of major agronomic crops as related to plant physiological processes and environmental parameters, including manipulation of crop growth for enhanced production.  Prerequisites: SCSC 303   Instructor: Nithya Rajan
  • SCSC 610 – Host Plant Resistance  (3-0)  Credits-3   Host plant resistance programs from the standpoint of the plant breeder, plant pathologist and entomologist; team taught with each discipline represented; roundtable discussion of assigned readings and lectures. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor. Cross-listed with ENTO 610 and PLPA 610. Spring semester. Instructor: Wayne Smith, cross listed with ENTO, PLPA.
  • SCSC 611 – Introduction to Environmental Biophysics  (3-2)  Credits-4   Theoretical and experimental analysis of interactions between living organisms and their environments; measurement and modeling of the physical environment; measurement and modeling of energy and mass transfer between organisms and their environments, and of organism response to fluxes of mass and energy. Prerequisites: Graduate classification and approval of instructor.   Spring Semester    Instructor: Kevin McInnes
  • SCSC 613 – Ethical Aspects of International Agricultural Systems  (3-0)  Credits-3   Diverse theories of morality; ethical dimensions of population growth, high yielding crop production systems, genetic engineering, and use of land, soil, and water. Prerequisites: Approval of Instructor    Instructor: Sakiko Okumoto
  • SCSC 615 – Reclamation of Drastically Disturbed Lands. (3-0). Credit 3   Theoretical and practical aspects of reclamation of lands disturbed during mining of lignite, uranium, phosphorous, oil shale and other minerals and disturbances due to industrial activities; emphasis on physical and chemical characteristics of disturbed materials and their impact on establishment of permanent vegetation. Prerequisite: SCSC 301 or approval of instructor. Fall semester. Instructor: TBD
  • SCSC 618 – Analysis of Environmental Systems  (1-2)  Credits-2   Classical and contemporary methods for analyzing chemical components of environmental systems, soil, water, plants and gases; environmental chemistry coupled with experiential. Prerequisite: Graduate classification   Instructor:
  • SCSC 619 – Molecular Methods for Microbial Characterization   (2-2)   Credits-3   Underlying principles of molecular methods for microbial detection and characterization in natural and man-made ecosystems; emphasis on method application and data interpretation; emphasis on microbial pathogens and indicator organisms in foods and environment; laboratory covers select protocols. Prerequisites: SCSC 405; FSTC 326; POSC 429; approval of instructor. Cross-listed with FSTC 619, POSC 619, VTMI 619.   Fall semester  Instructor: Suresh Pillai
  • SCSC 620 – Brazilian Agriculture and Food Production Systems   (3-0)  Credits-3   Compare Brazilian and U.S. agriculture and culture related to soil, water, and forest conservation and management in Brazil; tour and learn about Amazon River, rain forest, Brasilia, farm, ranch, and floral production systems, agricultural cooperatives and research, sugar and alcohol production, phosphate mining and production; visit points of interest. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.  Stacked with SCSC 420.   Spring semester    Instructor: Terry Gentry
  • SCSC 621 – International Agricultural Research Centers – Mexico   (3-0)  Credits-3   Introduction to international agricultural research, Consultative Group on International Agriculture activity; modern and underdeveloped tropical agricultural systems; introduction to Mexican culture; critical evaluation of complex and international agricultural issues and research programs. Prerequisites: Approval of instructor; graduate classification.  Mexico-Summer    Instructor: Seth Murray
  • SCSC 624 – Soil Chemistry   (3-0)  Credits-3   Chemistry of clay minerals, inorganic solid phases, and organic colloids in soil; mass transfer reactions in soils: absorption/desorption, precipitation/dissolution, gas/liquid phase exchange; principals of soil acidity and salinity; introduction to application of equilibrium concepts in soils.  Prerequisites: SCSC 301 or approval of instructor    Instructor:
  • SCSC 626 – Soil Mineralogy   (3-4)   Credits-5   Crystal structures and properties of important minerals in soils and sediments especially clay minerals and oxides combined with identification techniques involving theory and practice with x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, infrared and chemical methods. Instructor: Youjun Deng
  • SCSC 627 – Soil Chemistry and Fertility  (3-0)   Credits-3   Chemical and biological behavior of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in soils; secondary nutrients, micronutrients and soil acidity and liming; interpretation of soil chemical/biochemical research from historical and current literature and relationships with nutrient availability, plant uptake, and environmental quality. Prerequisites: SCSC 422; MEPS 313    Fall semester    Instructor:  Julie Howe
  • SCSC 628 – Soil Mineralogy Lab  (0-4)  Credits-2   Mineral identification and quantification techniques involving theory and practice with z-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, (SEM and TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and chemical methods. Prerequisite: SCSC 626   Instructor: Youjun Deng
  • SCSC 629 – Laboratory Quality Systems  (3-0)  Credits-3   Quality systems and method development used within a laboratory; ensuring the integrity of procedures used in lab processes, chain of custody, information management, and international laboratory standards; regulatory requirements for laboratory operation; bio-security precautions; laboratory management. Cross-listed with VTMI 629. Summer semester. Instructor: Timothy Herrman    Virtual Classroom
  • SCSC 631 – Prerequisite Programs for Feed Industry HACCP  (1-0)  Credits-1   Development of preliminary science-based risk management decision factors in feed industry; understanding and complying with FDA regulatory requirements for animal feed; application of international standards; prerequisite programs for Feed Industry Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP); module one of three. Prerequisite: Graduate classification. Course Descriptions/Soil and Crop Sciences 561. Instructor: Timothy Herrman    Virtual Classroom
  • SCSC 632 – Feed Industry HACCP – Principles and Plan Development  (1-0)   Credits-1   Principles of Feed Industry Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan development; science-based risk analysis of decision factors; regulatory requirements of HACCP; module two of three. Prerequisite: SCSC 631    Instructor: Timothy Herrman. Virtual Classroom
  • SCSC 633 – Feed Industry HACCP – Advanced Plan Development  (1-0)  Credits-1   Principles of Feed Industry Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) advanced plan development; case studies of HACCP principles; HACCP plan development for feed industry companies; module three of three. Prerequisites: SCSC 631 and SCSC 632   Instructor: Timothy Herrman. Virtual Classroom
  • SCSC 634 – Regulatory Science: Principles & Practices in Food Systems  (3-0)  Credits-3   Regulatory tools, standards and approaches in production, processing and distribution of agricultural goods; development and implementation of regulations; interdependence of federal and state agencies, use of risk analysis.  Spring semester  Instructor: Timothy Herrman. Virtual Classroom
  • SCSC 635 – Comparative Global Standards in Food Systems  (3-0)  Credits-3   Laws, regulations and standards governing the production, distribution, processing and marketing of food across regions of the world; international standard setting bodies and risk assessment committees; regulatory equivalency and harmonization; product approval procedures; cost/benefits of global standards and trade agreements.  Instructor: Timothy Herrman   Virtual Classroom
  • SCSC 636 – Regulatory Science: Methodology in Food Systems  (3-0)  Credits-3   Risk management methodology including investigation of food and feed firms, conducting internal compliance audits; sample collection, chain-of-custody, trace-back and trace-forward, recalls, label review, data interpretation, risk ranking, resource prioritization, incident command and rapid response. Prerequisite: SCSC 634   Fall semester    Instructor: Timothy Herrman. Virtual Classroom
  • SCSC 637 – Environmental Microbiology   (3-0)  Credits-3   Microbial diversity and interactions in various environments with emphasis on soil and freshwater systems. Molecular methods for detection and characterization of indigenous and introduced microorganisms. Environmental sources and fate of pathogens. Biotechnological applications of environmental microorganisms.  Instructor: Terry Gentry
  • SCSC 639 – Physiological Basis of Crop Improvement  (3-0)  Credits-3   The underlying physiological basis of past, current and future crop improvement including the associated molecular mechanisms; traits considered include root and shoot architecture, radiation to use efficiency, flowering time, floral development and sex, high density planting tolerance, stress tolerance, crop-microbe interactions, and yield. Prerequisite: SCSC 307 or approval of instructor    Instructor:  Scott Finlayson
  • SCSC 640 – Intellectual Property in the Plant Sciences  (3-0)  Credits-3 Introduction to major foci of intellectual property (IP) impacting plant sciences, including: 1) traditional vs. emerging knowledge economies, 2) governing statutes and treaties, 3) forms of IP, and 4) IP asset identification, valuation, capture and deployment towards understanding the best practices for IP strategy development and IP portfolio management. Instructor: Russ Jessup
  • SCSC 641 – Plant Breeding I   (3-0)  Credits-3   Theoretical and practical aspects of plant breeding including genetic basis; application of breeding methods and interdisciplinary considerations in breeding problems. Prerequisites: SCSC 304 or HORT 404; GENE 301; STAT 651    Spring semester   Instructor:Wayne Smith
  • SCSC 642 – Plant Breeding II  (3-0)  Credits-3   Expectations of genetic improvement for different plant breeding methods; relative efficiency for crops of different reproductive mechanisms; genetic variances, covariances and genotype-environment interaction components of variance used in planning selection procedures. Prerequisites: SCSC 641; GENE 613; STAT 619   Fall semester   Instructor:William Rooney
  • SCSC 643 – Molecular Quantitative Genetics and Plant Breeding  (3-0)  Credits-3   Classical, applied and molecular aspects of quantitative genetics in plant breeding; genetic relationships; genetic diversity; genetic phenomena (linkage, heterosis and epistasis); genotype by environment interaction; mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL); genomic and marker-assisted selection; application of statistical software. Prerequisites: STAT 651, SCSC 642 or GENE 613; or approval of instructor. Cross-listed with GENE 643   Spring semester   Instructor: Seth Murray
  • SCSC 644 – Forage Ecology and Management  (3-0)  Credits-3   Investigation of multidisciplinary approaches toward the development of integrated forage, livestock, and wildlife production systems that are economically feasible and environmentally sustainable.  Prerequisites: Approval of instructor and graduate classification   Instructor: Larry Redmon
  • SCSC 645 – World Agriculture and International Plant Breeding  (1-0)  Credits-1  Evolution of world agriculture; plant breeding and improved varieties; international agricultural research centers and the green revolution; population growth; environmental challenges; IPR; role of plant breeding and biotechnology in meeting the world’s food needs. Prerequisite: SCSC 304 or HORT 404    Cross-listed with HORT 645    Instructor: Bir B Singh
  • SCSC 646 – Advanced Studies in Cotton Fiber Quality and Its Measurements. (3-0). Credit 3. Advanced studies in cotton fiber quality and its measurement will explore the morphology of cotton fiber growth, the instruments used to determine fiber quality, and the interpretation of quality measurements. 
  • SCSC-647 – Genome Editing in Crop Plants (2-0) Credits-2 Principles of genome editing technologies with a focus on CRISPR/Cas9; applications of genome editing for plant genetic research and improvement of agronomic crops; intellectual property, regulatory, social and ethical implications of crop genome editing. Prerequisites: Graduate classification, or approval of instructor   Spring Semester   Instructor: Michael Thomson
  • SCSC 650 – Mode of Action and Environmental Fate of Herbicides  (2-3)  Credits-3   Relationships between physical-chemical characteristics of herbicides and their biological activity, selectivity, environmental fate in soil, water, and plants. Laboratory includes practical applications of gas and liquid chromatography, liquid scintillation counting and plant bio-assays. Prerequisite: SCSC 446 or approval of instructor   Instructor: Katherine Carson
  • SCSC 651 – Weed Biology and Ecology  (2-2)  Credits-3  Fundamentals of weed invasion, development, persistence and competition with agronomic crops; consideration of ecological concepts important to weed/crop relationships as influenced by weed control and other cultural practices. Practical consideration of integrated weed management systems and weed identification. Prerequisites: SCSC 311; MEPS 313    Spring semester even years   Instructor: Muthu Bagavathiannan
  • SCSC 654 – Analysis of Complex Genomes  (3-0)  Credits-3   History and current status of genetic and molecular analysis of higher eukaryotic genomes; coverage of techniques for dissection of genomes into manageable parts; investigations in genetics, breeding and evolution; emphasis on quantitative inheritance, genetic mapping, physical mapping, map-based cloning, with examples drawn from a wide range of organisms. Prerequisite: GENE 603 or GENE 431. Cross-listed with GENE 654 and MEPS 654. Spring semester – Hongbin Zhang
  • SCSC 655 – Analysis of Complex Genomes–Lab  (0-7)  Credit 3   Laboratory methods in molecular genetic techniques for genetic mapping, physical mapping, and map-based cloning of both qualitative and quantitative phenotypes. Prerequisite: GENE 603 or equivalent or approval of instructor. Cross-listed with GENE 655 and MEPS 655   Spring semester – Hongbin Zhang
  • SCSC 657 – Environmental Soil and Water Science  (3-0)  Credits-3  Discussion of physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil and water and the impact on productivity and sustainability of various ecosystems; application of the knowledge of properties and soil processes to develop and evaluate strategies for protecting and/or improving soil and water quality. Prerequisite: SCSC 301. Stacked with SCSC 455. Spring semester. Instructor: Terry Gentry

  • SCSC 660 – Experimental Designs in Agriculture  (3-0)  Credits-3   Fundamental principles and procedures of experimental designs in agricultural sciences; emphasis includes factorial designs, predicting outputs, use of covariance, balanced and unbalanced experimental designs as related to common agricultural research projects under field, greenhouse or growth chamber culture; familiarization with computer programming of common statistical software. Prerequisite: STAT 651. Fall semester – Amir Ibrahim

  • SCSC 681 – Seminar  (1-0)  Credits-1   For graduate students and staff members in soils and crops; presentation and discussion of special topics and research data; participation required of all graduate students in agronomy.   Instructor: Scott Finlayson    Videos
  • SCSC 684 – Professional Internship  Credits-1 or more   Program planned to provide professional training in student’s particular field of interest. Faculty and employer will supervise the activity.  Prerequisite: Approval of instructor   Instructors: various
  • SCSC-689 – Special Topics courses – Credits – 1 or more Courses are taught by a variety of faculty on a variety of subjects

Other courses taught by SCSC faculty:

  • GENE 620 – Cytogenetics  (3-0)  Credits-3   Examination and analysis of variation in chromosome structure, behavior and number; developmental and evolutionary effects of this variation. Prerequisite: GENE 603   Spring semester    Instructor: David Stelly
  • MEPS 601 – Physiology of Plants  (3-0)   Credits-3   Advanced physiology of higher plants, includes water relations, mineral metabolism, biochemistry, growth, development, hormones, environmental signals and stress physiology. Emphasis on current literature and research trends; cellular and sub-cellular mechanisms related to whole plant behavior.  Prerequisites: BICH 410 and MEPS 313 or approval of instructor   Fall semester   Instructor: Scott Finlayson.